Posted on 03/17/2009 7:38:59 AM PDT by marktwain
First it was Attorney General Eric Holders trial balloon about renewing and making permanent the ban on so-called assault weapons.
When that didnt gain traction with Congress, the Obama administration it appears decided to take a different tack.
Several days ago, ammunition manufacturers were advised that the Department of Defense has decided to no longer sell empty, once-fired cartridge cases as surplus to companies that polish and reload those empties, recycling them back into the marketplace. Instead, the empty brass will be destroyed so that it cannot be re-loaded, for commercial use, for law enforcement training, for hunting, target shooting, for anything. The result is that at least one company has announced it may no longer offer remanufactured ammunition in two important calibers, 308 Winchester and .223 Remington. The significance may be lost on laymen, but not on devoted shooters. Gordon "The Shootist" Hutchinson thinks it is an outrage.
These are the two calibers for which an overwhelming number of semiautomatic sport-utility rifles are designed.
If you cant ban the gun, dry up the ammunition supply. That seems to be the popular theory about what is behind this change of policy. My colleague, David Codrea, also weighs in on this controversy here.
Then came the announcement from the National Park Service that it plans to eliminate lead ammunition and fishing tackle from national parks by next year. While the announcement focused on eliminating lead fishing lures, sinkers and leaded line, and lead bullets used for culling animals an idea that literally lit the collective fuse of the nations sportsmen theres something else afoot here. This would also prevent legally-armed, licensed private citizens from carrying traditional lead ammunition in their defensive handguns. A rule change that took effect earlier this year, amid considerable controversy, allows licensed concealed carry in national parks. But if you cant carry common ammunition in those handguns, it may discourage citizens from actually carrying their sidearms under the new rule.
President Obama announced the other day that he is considering sending the National Guard to patrol our southern border. This isnt to keep illegal aliens out, but to ostensibly prevent guns from the United States going south to equip drug gangs, a patently ridiculous notion because machine guns, grenades and rocket launchers are not typically available at gun stores or gun shows. But this is a manifestation of the blame America first mentality of the Left, and if you can narrow the blame to American gun owners and the firearms industry, all the better!
You can do something about this. Contact the White House and your congressional representatives and tell them to knock it off.
Visit other gun rights examiners:
Paul Valone
Daniel White
Gene German
Mike Stollenwerk
Guns can not be allowed in a totalitarian police state utopia.
The left will keep up the attack on the 2nd amendment. These people can’t help themselves. And it is through this arrogant, unconstitutional behavior that the 2nd American revolution will begin.
Even my Demorat neighbors went to the gun show this weekend and signed up for NRA classes,I’m still stunned...
Add the war against coal to the gun grabbing and Obama is looking for trouble.
You really think Obama and his handlers plan to allow another election?
Anybody who thinks Obambi is pro gun is not only delusional, theyre insane. Hmm...must be liberals then...
That depends on how much more deeply ACORN can embed itself in the swing states.
The market and a clever gunsmith will find a way.
The firearms that use these calibers will soon have adapter kits to use other calibers of more available ammo,
like the .22 converter for the AR15.
Remember, there were Catholics that thought he was “pro-life” and “wanted to reduce the number of abortions” too.
Won’t this simply mean that ammo manufacturers will ramp up supply to fill the void?
And when it does, weapons and ammo will NOT be a problem. Lots of those fellows in the National Guard and Reserves — who will soon come to detest Obama for what he’s preparing to do to vets — know where the armories are and will blow the door off the places. We’ll have help from many local law enforcement guys.
I pray it doesn’t come to that but, right now, it ain’t looking so hot.
I sure can’t wait until Hussein is out of office. Come on, 2013!
I’m mainly a handgun guy, but isn’t there a technical error in this article?
I thought the military shot 5.56, not .223. If I understand correctly (big if), you can shoot .223 in a 5.56 weapon, but not the other way around. Something about the radius on the neck of the bullet or some such thing.
No?
Uncertainly is the one thing the market doesn't deal with well.
While your statement is on target (sorry for the pun), as the SAAMI-specified maximum pressure in the 5.56mm round exceeds the allowable maximum for .223, and there are some dimensional differences, I wouldn’t call it a technical error - rather the author is speaking in generalities rather than specifics. Just as the author mentioned .308 Winchester instead of 7.62mm NATO.
They are already working full bore. I suspect they are reluctant to add capacity, because that costs money. Money that would be wasted if the Ombamites do something else drastic, like requiring micro engraving on bullets and catridge cases.
Uncertainly is the one thing the market doesn't deal with well.
No. 5.56 and .223 are pretty much interchangeable. If anything, it tends to work the other way. 5.56 has certain specifications that .223 does not. So, .223 may not function quite as reliably in military firearms as 5.56. In practice, a firearm chambered for one will shoot the other.
Obama will seek these 4 elements in a gun bill
1. An expanded HR 45, gun owner licensing. All gun owners will have to have these licenses, even owners of facilimie weapons (AKA Airsoft and BB). Licenses will only be granted if the records of the applicant are clean (This includes misdemeanors from decades ago). Licensees will be required to hold $1 million in liability insurance. Possession of otherwise permitted weapons (See #3) without license is a felony.
2. Ammunition accountability... All ammo will be required to be microstamped and will be taxed $1/round. All non stamped ammo will be required to be turned in or thrown away. Possession of non-marked ammo is a felony. This part of the act also bans “Cop Killer” bullets.
3. Expanded “Assault Weapons” ban— This includes most all semiauto rifles, anything that can be “Bump Fired”, Semiauto handguns, and Semi-auto shotguns. It also includes pump-action shotguns and “Sniper Rifles” AKA your deer rifle. The AWB will also require people with “Prebans” to register their guns as Machine Guns, and that the tax stamp will go up to $10,000 per weapon, or turn it in without compensation...
4. Expansion of the Lautenbach amendment: Removes “Domestic Violence” as disqualifier to gun ownership, inserts any misdemeanor as disqualifer... Anyone with a misdemeanor on their record will be prohibited from owning a firearm. This includes DUI and traffic offenses, and offenses decades ago.
Finally, all CCW permits will be revoked by fiat of the Federal Government.
They are basily identical .223 is the inch diameter 5.56mm is the same thing only in metric measurement
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