Posted on 02/18/2003 6:47:07 AM PST by Blood of Tyrants
A well-known gun maker recently introduced a powerful new hunting revolver that is said to have no equal in terms of firepower.
But within days of introducing the Smith & Wesson 500 Magnum at an industry-wide trade show in Florida, an anti-gun Democrat promised to seek a nationwide ban on the product.
"It's hard for me to rationalize any particular need or purpose" for the 500 Magnum, said Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.). "I think guns are made to kill people. That's my opinion."
Asked if he would seek a nationwide ban on the 500 Magnum, Davis replied, "Yes, indeed."
Billed as the "most powerful production revolver in the world today," S&W claims its new 500 Magnum cartridge produces nearly three times the muzzle energy of the .44 Magnum round, one of the most powerful sidearm cartridges available.
But Davis said the .50 caliber revolver, which weighs 72.5 ounces and has an overall length 15-inch has no purpose in society except to cause injury and death to humans, dismissing the manufacturer's claim that it is intended for hunting wild game.
He claimed handguns in general are specifically designed kill fellow human beings, whereas rifles and shotguns are typically relegated to hunting animals.
"You don't go out hunting deer with a revolver," Davis said. "Those of us who live in big, urban centers have a different fear and a different take than some people who may live in different environments."
Davis believes the 500 Magnum has a greater potential for becoming a lethal inner-city status symbol than an effective hunting tool, at least in his congressional district. He added that its high power combined with its concealability could make it the "weapon of choice" for urban gangs.
"If you live in a place like Chicago, and you know the amount of violence that is perpetrated by individuals who grow-up with the idea that having, handling and using a gun is a way-of-life in terms of establishing yourself on the streets or as part of the culture, then I'm afraid that many of these individuals will, in fact, acquire this weapon," Davis said.
"And, of course, the thing will be, 'I've got the most powerful piece on the block,'" he said.
Can a revolver be an assault weapon?
While Smith & Wesson's new five-round revolver is billed by the company as "the most powerful production revolver ever made," it's already being reclassified by some gun control advocates.
"If you've got something that masquerades as a handgun, but has the firepower of a major weapon, you're all at risk," said Illinois State House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie. "This is not the Wild West. It hasn't been for a long time."
Currie compared the 500 Magnum to "military-style assault weapons," although she had no information to base her claims on except for a "tip" received from a reporter.
"I'm not a weapons expert, but it sounded like pretty strong firepower to me," Currie said. "The description I heard was that from a significant range you could fell a large bear."
She dismissed the notion that the 500 Magnum is a hunting revolver, but did equate it with mob violence.
"My concern is whether this kind of weaponry -- it is a handgun as I understand it -- in a crowded, urban area downtown street corners in the midst of people who are angry about something and developing the kind of rage that means vandalism and mob action - whether this kind of weapon has any place," Currie said.
Like Davis, Currie said she would examine the prospects of making the sidearm illegal in the state.
"I'm going to look at the technology, as I say, and see if there is any way to specifically keep it from operating in the state of Illinois," Flynn said. "We are also working on efforts to ban military-style assault weapons, and, perhaps there is something about this technology that makes it possible to amend that legislation to include firepower like this."
Anti-gun message said to be flawed
Rifles are most commonly used for hunting, but many gun enthusiasts have also used smaller side arms for hunting, according to Gun Owners of America Executive Director Larry Pratt, who corrected the claim by Davis that hunters don't use revolvers to shoot prey.
"He's quite ignorant because there are people who do," Pratt said. "I do know for a fact that people take large caliber handguns with them to go hunting. And, I have no doubt that if you were lucky enough to get close enough, you could take a deer down with a .44 Magnum, which until now, was the biggest gun around."
As far as Davis' contention that any would-be criminal could easily conceal the 500 Magnum, Pratt said, "Yeah, if you have a trench coat or something like that."
Asked if the 500 Magnum's predecessor, the .44 Magnum faced the same criticisms and threats by politicians upon its introduction in 1955, Pratt said the controversy over Smith and Wesson's latest offering appears to be a sign of the times.
"It was all sort of good clean fun when it was introduced, but we're 20 years further along the gun-hating sensitivity training," Pratt said. "We're talking about the frame of mind that opposes concealed carry by private citizens."
Therefore, there is NO handgun violence in his district.
Yeah, right!
The very same sort that they now worry might get ahold of a gun like this. They don't trust their people much. Also the people who will be the victims, are the victims, of such wrong headed policies as disarming honest folks, when the criminals will always get guns. Look at Englann, it's an island, but there are more armed criminals there now, by a long shot, than before they got crazy and banned everything. (almost)
"It's hard for me to rationalize any particular need or purpose for Rep. Danny Davis. I think politicians are made to steal from people. That's my opinion."
Some, maybe twice as much. But put that way, it would cheap at twice the price. (Roadrunner is part of gun hating AOLTIMEWARNERCNN). Since I have no choice but to use Time Warner cable, I'll probably do that, but I'll get Earthlink or a local ISP, not Roadrunner, when I move into my "new" house next month. I'll keep as much of my money out their hands as possible.
I'm figuring a light, takedown [breaks in half at the action hinge] over-and under with a long eye relief *scoutscope* mounted solidly on the upper barrel, with backup fixed sights probably zeroed for the bottom one- which may or may not coincide, depending on fortune, gunsmith's craft and whether or not it might be handy to have one regulated for 50 meters or so, and the other for about 150. The resulting package should fit neatly into lockable motorcycle saddlebags, including the teardrop *Enduro* bags of my old '65 BMW, which could handle a barrel or barrel/receiver length of no more than 21 inches.
The other swell little application I've considered is a 16 inch barrel in a Springfield M6 survival rifle, most usually encountered as a .410/.22 long rifle over-and-under, though the originals and at least some production civilian versions were in .22 Hornet. But I think the S&W .50 would be more useful around elk or moose, or, God forbid, Bear, for which something a bit more authoritative than a .410 slug seems prudent.
Hey, speaking of over-and-unders, wouldn't one of the little American Firearms or Bond derringers, sometimes chambered for rounds up to .45-70 be interesting in the new S&W .50 caliber? You could make folks wince just by showing them such a thing, once they'd fired the S&W dinosaur killer handgun, but with downloaded ammo, I don't think it'd be much worse than a .44 special.
-archy-/-
We'll see. But AFAIK, they're not building them in the new S&W caliber yet.
My latest tech project is probably a bit more practical, a reworking of the Browning HP. Much easier on the ears!
-archy-/-
Any situation in which a .500 revolver could be used, a "Striker" bolt-action handgun or a semi-automatic sniper rifle would easily be a better (and probably more affordable) choices. The only use I could see it having as an anti-person weapon is that it's powerful rounds could be more effective at piercing armor. But a Striker handgun would be even more effective at that (if you want concealment and accuracy) and a semi-automatic sniper rifle would provide much more firepower. I just don't see it as having any real use against people (if it's such a great and terrible weapon, why don't our Navy Seals carry these revolvers?). Of course, this Democrat doesn't know what he's talking about, he just wants to demonize the gun so he can get news headlines.
no way, my 870 supermag just about blows my shoulder off with the 3 1/2". My wrist would be permanently in a cast shooting one of those.
I have called both offices ( Phone: 202/225-5006 Phone: 773/533-7520)with the following information. They seem might embarrassed. Please let them know how YOU feel about the congressamans "error"!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Illinois DNR)
November 13, 2003
ILLINOIS FIREARM DEER SEASON PROVIDES NEW HANDGUN HUNTING OPPORTUNITY; HUNTERS ALSO REMINDED THAT CWD SAMPLING IS PLANNED
SPRINGFIELD, ILL. - When Illinois’ annual firearm deer hunting season opens Nov. 21, hunters will for the first time have the opportunity to use handguns during the seven-day firearm season. New regulations implemented this fall added handguns to the already-allowed use of shotguns and muzzleloading rifles for taking deer during the firearm season.
“From the calls we’ve been receiving and comments we’ve been hearing, it is clear that many hunters are excited about being able to use a handgun during the regular firearm deer season this year,” said Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director Joel Brunsvold. “We are expecting a good deer season. Providing this new opportunity for hunters who choose to use a handgun should be a real plus.”
The regulations allow hunters with permits for the firearm deer season to use centerfire revolvers or single-shot handguns of .30 caliber or larger with a minimum barrel length of four inches. Legal ammunition includes a bottleneck centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger with a case length not exceeding 1.4 inches, or a straight-walled centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger, both of which must be available as a factory load with the published ballistic tables of the manufacturer showing a capability of at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. (Non-expanding, military-style full metal jacket bullets cannot be used to harvest deer. Only soft point or expanding bullets, including copper or copper alloy rounds designed for hunting, are legal ammunition).
A friend took one of these on a fishing trip to Alaska. "My last defense against bears.", he said. He did not need to use it, but said he felt better having it along.
I've hunted with my scoped Ruger Super Redhawk .44 mag on occasion, and while it's just fine for deer, it has a slight overpenetration problem when it comes to squirrel.
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