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Semiautomatic rifles a ‘hazard'; seizures are up
Fort Wayne News-Sentinel ^ | May. 11, 2009 | Evan Goodenow

Posted on 05/11/2009 7:44:26 AM PDT by holymoly

They can kill from more than four football fields away, shred police officers' vests, fire up to 75 bullets at a time - and they're increasingly showing up in criminals' hands.

Last year, Fort Wayne Police seized 31 semiautomatic rifles, compared with two in 2003, the last year of the federal assault weapons ban that limited the sale of the rifles. The seizure increase and more reports of criminals using the rifles concerns Fort Wayne Police Chief Rusty York.

“The fact that we have these relatively cheap, assault weapon-type firearms out there, it's not only a hazard to the public, but in particular to police officers,” said York, who supports renewing the ban. “It's proof that they continue to get into the hands of irresponsible people.”

Just how many are in the hands of irresponsible people in Fort Wayne is difficult to measure. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives did not provide gun-seizure information from its Fort Wayne office despite Freedom of Information requests made by The News-Sentinel in June 2008 and last month.

But York said it's no longer rare for officers to hear shots from semiautomatic rifles ring out in the city, and police around the nation say more are being used in shootings. Some 57 people died in eight mass shootings in the U.S. in March and early last month, according to the Associated Press, and at least three of the incidents involved semiautomatic rifles.

♦On March 11, Michael McClendon killed 10 people in and around Samson, Ala., before fatally shooting himself.

♦On March 21, Lovelle Mixon killed four Oakland police officers before being killed by police.

♦On April 4, Richard Popalawski killed three Pittsburgh police officers before being killed by police.

“Assault Weapons: Mass Produced Mayhem,” a report released in October by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, lists more than 200 shootings involving assault weapons since the lifting of the ban. They include a 2006 robbery in which a family of seven was killed in Indianapolis.

Center President Paul Helmke said the violence illustrates the weakness of gun laws. He noted that individual and gun-show purchases of semiautomatic rifles don't require criminal background checks. And because law-abiding citizens can buy an unlimited number of the rifles at gun stores, Helmke said straw purchases - guns bought for criminals by people with clean records - have increased.

“Anyone can go in and buy an unlimited number, so we're starting to see a lot more used,” said Helmke, mayor of Fort Wayne from 1988 to 2000. “They fire so many rounds so quickly. You can get off close to 50 rounds in 30 seconds … Do we really want to make it easier and easier to kill people?”

While Helmke and York would like to see the ban reinstituted, it appears unlikely anytime soon. Despite voicing support for the ban during his February confirmation testimony, Attorney General Eric Holder backed off that stance in an April 8 interview with CBS news anchor Katie Couric. Holder said he would only push for things that are “politically saleable.”

“The president and I both believe that the Second Amendment is something that has to be respected,” Holder said. “We have to use common-sense approaches to keeping the American people safe.”

Holder said he would work with the National Rifle Association, which opposes the ban.

“There's a realization that the most effective way of reducing violent crime in this country is to enforce existing laws,” said NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam.

Despite some of the perpetrators of mass killings - like McClendon and Popalawski - reportedly purchasing their semiautomatic rifles legally before their rampages, Arulanandam said most crimes are committed with illegally obtained rifles.

While Arulanandam said there is no political will to reinstate the ban, fear of crime and of a reinstitution has semiautomatic rifles flying off the shelves locally and nationally. Ammunition for all types of guns has become increasingly scarce.

Helmke noted more sales increase the chances of legally bought semiautomatic rifles being stolen by criminals or obtained in straw purchases or from unscrupulous gun dealers.

“A dedicated bad guy is probably always going to be able to get a gun, but why do we have to make it easier for them?” he asked.

Helmke hopes the recent mass murders will spur lawmakers to reinstate the ban, but count out U.S. Rep. Mark Souder, R-3rd District. Souder refused to be interviewed for this story, but in an e-mail from spokeswoman Mindi Wood, he condemned the ban.

“It has been proven ineffective,” Souder said. “It takes away rights with no proven benefit.”

York is baffled by that attitude, saying semiautomatic rifles aren't needed for hunting or self-defense.

“It's a weapon of war, not of sport,” York said. “I'm sure it will be a political battle, but the officers are out in the street fighting that battle every day.”


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 1984; 65grendel; awb; banglist; bloat; bradycampaign; bradywatch; buyammonow; buygunsnow; criminalslikebans; democrats; donttreadonme; downwithfascism; driveby; fifthcolumn; givemeliberty; guncontrol; guncontroluse2hands; hr45; idiocracy; ignoranceisstrength; jointhenra; keepthechange; livefreeordie; microstamping; rememberrubyridge; rememberthealamo; rememberwaco; shallnotbeinfringed; treeofliberty
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To: BuffaloJack
Even the Metal Storm unit you show only has 36 barrels and a 10000 round per minute capability.

As long as I don't have to carry the ammo for it.

101 posted on 05/11/2009 2:22:57 PM PDT by Iron Munro (Suppose you were a clueless idiot, and suppose you were Barack Obama; but I repeat myself)
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To: Iron Munro
That, Metal Storm, is exactly what first came to my mind as well.

Great minds think alike I guess. :)

102 posted on 05/11/2009 5:30:55 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: MSF BU
Hmmm, I wonder if an M1 Carbine counts?

Yep, would have been banned under last Congress' HR 1022, by name, and by features.

Ironically HR 1022 would have also banned the Ruger 10-22, by features.

When they finally bring it out, the next AW ban will be worse than HR 1022 from the 110th Congress.

103 posted on 05/11/2009 5:35:32 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: PSYCHO-FREEP
I was unaware that there is a type of semi-auto that can fire belted ammunition

Any AR-15 type or any AK-47 type can accept drum/snail type magazines of at least 75rounds capacity.

100 round magazine for AR-15 and clones (also M-16).

75 round drum for AK-47 style rifles.

104 posted on 05/11/2009 5:44:01 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: broken_arrow1
Anybody know where can I get a 75 round magazine? I would like to buy a couple for home defense.

Just do a search on Drum magazine AK-47, if you want an AK drum magazine. Or Beta Mag if you want a 100 round magazine for an AR-15 type rifle. You'll get lots of hits, I just did.

105 posted on 05/11/2009 5:47:40 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: Joe 6-pack
If done up properly, I'm sure they'll qualify...

HR 1022 from the last session of Congress would have banned them by name, no special stocks, or accessories requires.

BTW, what sort of stock is that. I'd like to get a folder for my Inland built Carbine.

106 posted on 05/11/2009 5:49:51 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: Vaquero

So the Fort Wayne Po-lice were enforcing the Federal “Assault weapons” ban. I wonder if they were enforcing the Federal Immigration Laws at the same time. Hmmm.


107 posted on 05/11/2009 5:52:02 PM PDT by BnBlFlag (Deo Vindice/Semper Fidelis "Ya gotta saddle up your boys; Ya gotta draw a hard line")
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To: MrB
Those have been illegal since the 60’s. Now, why do you think you thought they weren’t?.

Actually they are not illegal, at least in some states, like Texas. But they are highly regulated, and have been since around 1937 Any built after 1986 *are* illegal for private citizens to own. (Technically, they are not transferable to private citizens, but it amouts to pretty much the same, they are banned.) Thus the supply is very limited, and prices are astronomical.

The big gun control legislation of the 60s prohibited "mail order" sales of firearms and ammunition. Also required controls on sales of handgun ammunition, which included .22 rimfire. That same 1986 law which banned newly made machine guns, also removed many of the worst features of the '68 law, including the ban on "mail order", now internet, sales of ammunition, and those extra controls on handgun ammunition. It also attempted to reign in the BATF, but that didn't last long.

108 posted on 05/11/2009 6:05:42 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: Billthedrill
That would be terribly irresponsible. I gotta try that this weekend.

I think someone already did. There hasn't been a visible sunspot in months, lots of months. Last time that sort of thing happened, it was called the "Little Ice Age".

But the sun finally recovered after ahundred years or so (although the climate effects lasted much longer) and went right back to its normal 11 year cycle. (actually 22 years the polarity switches from one cycle to the next and back again).

109 posted on 05/11/2009 6:13:30 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: El Gato

Well, you know it was me. I keep bringing targets back in with no holes in them, too. Other people have holes in theirs. I don’t get it. Do they buy them that way?


110 posted on 05/11/2009 6:17:14 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: holymoly

I know I got here late, but I didn’t get beyond this part
when I started laughing so hard I could not read the rest...
-
“...fire up to 75 bullets at a time...”


111 posted on 05/11/2009 6:34:06 PM PDT by Repeal The 17th
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To: El Gato
"BTW, what sort of stock is that. I'd like to get a folder for my Inland built Carbine."

It's a Choate. It comes from the factory in straight black ABS, with two thin strips of very coarse checkering on the forearm and pistol grip. I did the wraparound stipling with a woodburner and applied the paintjob myself. Since that photo, I've added a picatinny handguard and some optics...


112 posted on 05/12/2009 5:51:16 AM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: beltfed308; EdReform; kiriath_jearim; Red in Blue PA; JrsyJack

Bradywatch PING!!!


113 posted on 05/12/2009 2:02:20 PM PDT by Thunder90
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To: ßuddaßudd

No, the police have fully automatic weapons.


114 posted on 05/12/2009 2:25:47 PM PDT by JrsyJack (ct)
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To: Joe 6-pack
Since that photo, I've added a picatinny handguard and some optics...

I'd like to do that too. In fact it's higher priority than the stock. What was the source of the picatinny rail. I've only found one, for the carbine, and they are right proud of it, as compared to similar mounts for the somewhat similar Mini-14

115 posted on 05/12/2009 5:43:48 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: Vaquero
If they're showing up in criminals' hand, that's all the MORE reason that the good guys arm up, too.

That settles it. I was going to wait a month, but I've just decided to buy my Rock River Arms "assault weapon" and 1000 more .223 rounds tomorrow.

116 posted on 05/12/2009 5:49:27 PM PDT by behzinlea
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To: El Gato
Have you checked out Fulton Armory?
117 posted on 05/13/2009 5:55:57 AM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: Thunder90

Thanks for the Ping. BTTT!


118 posted on 05/13/2009 8:04:13 AM PDT by EdReform (The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed *NRA*JPFO*SAF*GOA*SAS*CCRKBA)
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To: Lazamataz
And if you point them up, they can SHOOT OUT THE SUN!!!!

Laz, were you plinking at the Shuttle again?

119 posted on 05/13/2009 8:21:18 AM PDT by Jonah Hex ("Never underestimate the hungover side of the Force.")
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To: El Gato
Just going through my latest Shotgun News and saw that ultimak.com also has a version of the rail up for sale.
120 posted on 05/15/2009 3:26:11 PM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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