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.”
“Grenades at Wal Mart”
I’m not at all happy with Wal Mart: Schools are letting out and they just started a two-Claymore purchase limit.
How will I keep my property free of `yard-apes’ now?
A Pumpkin cannon, used in the annual Pumpkin Chunkin contest.
“What the hell. 75 a min?”
Technically its correct. You can get 75 round magazines for an AK, and I bet I could empty one in less than a minute. Now hitting something at anything but close range is unlikely at that rate of fire.
Semi auto are not needed for self defense. HA!! Reporter needs to live in one of those MacMansions located in a rural suburbia. With unemployment going up, guarantee crime will go up along with home invasions of wealthy homes. Will not be done by one guy with a pistol, it will be four or more youths with guns. Try defending your family and self with one revolver or single shot rifle/shotgun. I think the reporter will want more than a semi auto rifle, like an assault rifle with a 30 round mag minimum. Problem with these reporters are they think everyone lives in a built up area with cops around the corner. They forget that the rest of the country live in rural and semi rural areas where cops are miles away.
“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. “
Knowing how leftists love to falsify statistics, I hope someone will closely examine whether this statement is true.
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s the same as a lie.”
As far as the gun grabbers are concerned a semi-automatic rifle is the same as an assault rifle (a true assault rifle being a a rifle designed for the military and having full automatic capability among other things).
They redefined the concept to suit themselves.
Your statement reads like you’re doing the same thing.
It does in New Jersey.
Blasts From The Past!
Back in the 1980's John Ciener would take your Colt rifle & modify it to use belted ammo. As part of the setup modified links had to be used in these conversions. Less than 50 were said to have been made (No longer available) & at the time it just cost a bit more than $1000. At today's prices a real deal, one of his units now sells for around $10,000 if you can find one. His quality is legendary.
What Else Is Out There?
There is the upper from BRP made from surplus MG42 parts. It's called the "XMG" it will attach to a AR-15/M-16 series rifle & allow belt fed firing.
Heres a link to their website. It may work great but if you want to keep the "Outline" of your AR you are out of luck, it still looks like a MG42.
The above was quoted from www.montysminiguns.com/beltfed.htm
Try a Google search on belt fed AR-15, there are lots of ways to go.
Regards,
GtG
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,
Okay so this FYY admits that it's impossible to stop the Criminals from getting these weapons but why do we have to make it easier for them?” he asked.
Ummm it's called the second Amendment – maybe you've heard about it?York is baffled by that attitude, saying semiautomatic rifles aren't needed for hunting or self-defense.
How do YOU KNOW THAT???
“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.”
For Reference:
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
I don't see the word 'Hunting' in there, do you?
I had someone ask me the other day if I had an “assault rifle”.
I said, “define assault rifle”.
They didn’t know.
I said, do you mean a “machine gun”?
Yeah, I guess so...
Those have been illegal since the 60’s. Now, why do you think you thought they weren’t?
Well...
Because the leftists/democrats WANT you to believe it. Do you like being lied to by the people you vote for?
A sfa rasy our poin titis tru ebuty our sent encebe com escon fusi ngwi thth espa cing.
Yes, there is that ultimate truth:
“The only purpose of an asault rifle is to kill large numbers of people, which is why the police need them.”
I don't know about 75 round but there is a 90 round drum that looks pretty evil, and of course there is always the Beta-C (100 round) but it's a bit pricey.
Regards,
GtG
Heh, heh...the folding stock for my IBM carbine should arrive today!
hmmm...
Intentionally conflating "semi-automatic" with "select fire"? He can't be ignorant enough to not know the difference...
Or does he intend all shotguns, deer rifles, etc, be required to be bolt action or single shot?
No, I think he, like all democrats seeking gun control, is intentionally conflating the terms to deceive people.
That version is semi-auto and available for purchase by the public. I was simply taking the opportunity to show a really cool weapon. That’s all.
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