Gun Control After September 11

FOXNEWS ^ | Friday, November 2, 2001 | Glenn Harlan Reynolds

[Scalia Rules]

"I think all women oughta carry a cell phone and a three-fifty-seven. Loaded." So declares a woman interviewed by The New Republic's Michelle Cottle.

That statement seems to sum up the post-Sept. 11 attitude toward gun control. Things were already tough for the gun-control movement. Convinced that Al Gore's strong anti-gun stance had cost the Democratic Party the 2000 election, the Democratic Leadership Council had already called for a softer line on gun control. Bill Clinton and former White House spokesman Joe Lockhart had pronounced Gore's stance a mistake. Meanwhile, product-liability suits brought against gun manufacturers were failing miserably in courts from New York to California.

[voicereason]

I am a firearms enthusiast, myself, but I think I'd concede that the decline of the sword, and the attendant advent of firearms did have a decivilizing effect on society.

Probably had a lot to do with the fact that the sword required people to get "up close and personal" and could require great effort on the part of those weilding it.

[PoorMuttly]

"...up close and personal" In actual, recorded swordfights, the combattants, after resording to "pommelling" eachothers' faces as best they could, grappling on the ground...ultimately tried (and succeeded) in one biting the other's nose off. I have perhaps more than one, but definitely one direct relative who did this. We, although aghast, are not ashamed. "It was the only way for him to survive." We are grateful that he did. He had a family to protect...and he did that too.

[Twodees]

Everybody I've met who tries to claim that the old 1911 is inaccurate has failed to demonstrate that they can hit anything past their foot anyway.

Dependability and accuracy are hallmarks of the 1911 design. 9mm as a choice for the US military was a bow to NATO and the UN, nothing more.

[Twodees]

It's not a "macho" issue. I learned on a 1911 which was 50+ years old at the time and I was 11. Recoil and report stopped bothering me before the third magazine. I was small for my age, too and had thin arms.

The real advantage of a 1911 is the simple, reliable design. The .45acp simply outperforms smaller rounds as well and before a silly communist in the White House agreed with the UN to start destroying armories full of durable and proven military small arms in .45acp and 30/'06, we had millions of militia weapons available to a citizen militia in the event of the kind of emergency we now face, all of which were easily rebuilt and used two standard and proven military cartridges.

[Don Myers]

b

[Squantos]

Come on Scalia, if you "can't" shoot then don't blame the caliber. The most accurate round is the one "you" can make hit's with regardless of the harsh or mild recoil of the caliber itself.

Your ".45 is inaccurate" comment is pure BS.

Every caliber is inaccurate if "you" develop a flinch because, again, " you " are not used to recoil and blame it on your choice of caliber.

Gheeeesh..... lame excuse.

[.38sw]

I just have to weigh in here on the caliber wars. I am a female, and have only been shooting just under 2 years. My first handgun was a .38 5 shot revolver. Sorry I bought it. I now have two .45's, and can group nicely with them, thank you. I also do not find the recoil to be at all unmanageable. Of course, I don't yet own a 9mm, so I can't make the comparison. I figure as long as I can hit my target with the .45's, why change?

[.38sw]

My husband has a CZ-52, and when we are at the range together, I have to be sure to be on his left, and wear both earplus and shooting muffs. That little unit flings serious brass, and does indeed have a loud report. I got tired of being "pinged" with the ejected cartridges.

[VOA]

Bellesiles’ employer, Emory University, says that a prima facie case of academic misconduct
has been made out, and is requiring him to explain himself.

That's the polite way that academicians say "our colleague is probably a BIG FAT
LIAR like Prof. Ellis, Famed Historian and Vietnam Veteran (NOT!),

[prambo]

You need a ballistics lesson, in a very big way. The 9 mm Parabellum is a high speed over-penetrating round.

It was selected by the military to line up with NATO arms, and probably as a sop to limp-wristed recruits of all persuasions.

The 9 mm isn't a bad round, but it is no competition for the 45 ACP - no where, no how - NO WAY - EVER.

prambo

[SauronOfMordor]

A lot of old soldiers are still alive because what they're telling you is true.

In my youth, a manager of mine told me of his experience in WW-2. He shot a german soldier in the throat at close range with a .45. Took the head off.

I'm a Glock model 30 (.45 cal) fan

[TERMINATTOR]

Oh goodie, a caliber war! Thanks for the ping, Tonk.

Scalia Rules has the caliber right, but not the round. Take a 9mm bullet and stuff it into a necked down .40 S&W case and you've have it ==> .357 SIG!

[AAABEST]

.45's are B.S. ......

9mm is the way to go. Even the US Army thinks so.

While I appreciate all 2A supporters on this site, the absurdity of this statement isn't even worth debating.

[TEXASPROUD]

Wear both earplugs and ear muffs that offer the highest decibel protection. That will protect you at the range. If you have to use it for self defense, as the song goes, let freedom (and your ears) ring.

[poet]

The sword or the gun?

[Michael2001]

Great article and good news. I wanted to post this but you beat me to it.

[JeepInMazar]

Actually we just bought the Mark II pistol. We also have the 10/22.

[culpeper]

Compare the energy transfer between the 9mm and a .45acp and then tell me if you had to shoot a hostile with one round which you would prefer. No human is going to get up after a shot to the torso with a .45 especially if you are shooting Black Talons.

[Travis McGee]

A Ruger Standard Model Mark 1 was the first gun I ever bought, more than 20 years ago, and I still have it and love it. Six inch tapered barrel, blue steel. The fixed sights have been dead on from day one, groups an inch at 50 feet from a bag, right on the black. It goes through brick after brick of ammo without a failure to feed.

Pretty good defense gun too I think, aiming for the area above the nose, (but that's just theoretical up to now). It's killed more balloons and cans than I can count, and I have trained a lot of kids and newbies to shoot with it. And it has the most perfect "feel" in the hand of any pistol I ever owned. The gun is just "right".