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."
Actually, what he meant was HE doesn't hunt game with a revolver, therefore no one else must either. I bet his foot hasn't left concrete or asphalt in many a year.
I wouldnt buy this calliber for myself, as I personally would not be able to fire it accurately.But I sure hope one of my neighbors get one.I would like to hear what it sounds like.
Only children and criminals should cultivate a healthy fear of guns.
How old are these politicians?
I'm glad no one took that bet. I found the stats for both rounds, and the S&W .50 mag is about 550 ft lbs more powerful than the Linebaugh .475. I'm impressed, to say the least.
According to my calculations, the .50 Smith 440 grain load fired in the new 4 1/2 lb revolver produces about 54 ft lbs of recoil, about the same recoil as a .458 Winchester elephant rifle. Ooouch, that hurts my hands just thinking about it!!! In contrast, a Smith model 29 (Dirty Harry's gun) firing a factory .44 mag 240 grain round produces about 15 ft lbs of recoil.
I enjoy shooting most .44 mags, even with hot handloads, but I don't think I'm quite ready for the big .50 even if I had some use for one. OTOH, I believe any law-abiding American who wants one has the right to have one whether or not he has any real use for it.
I have actually successfully "brandished" my car as a weapon of self defense more often than I have displayed any firearm I "alledgedly" owned in self defense situations.
Most people do not even pick up on the three pronged front the socialists are attempting to regulate.It is not just my "evil gun", they also want to controll my non PC thoughts, and my "intimidating glares".
Granted, many people have told me throughout my life that if looks could kill, I would be jailed for murder, but none of any guns "alledgedly owned by me" have been used in a crime.I am more likely to be procecuted for "intimidating glares" nowadays, than any weapons "violations".
Socialists claim to fear guns.They actually fear freedom more than anything on earth.
Democrats are in panic because they realize their numbers are taking a hit--from their own side.
Maybe they would be more successful if they voluntarily disbanded the Democrat Party.
True, but in my admittedly limited experience with ported barrel .44 mags I haven't found that they do much except reduce barrel flip a bit. Of course I don't have any experience with a .50 S&W, and they may have come up with a more effective muzzle brake for that monster.
54 ft lbs of recoil, wow. And to think I have heard guys at the range complain about the 6 ft lb recoil of their .45 1911's!
Your 3-3/4lb 14" Contender chambered in .35 Rem firing a 200 grain bullet at an estimated 1750-1800 fps would produce approximately 20-22 ft lbs of free recoil. That figure could vary somewhat depending on actual muzzle velocity. A pretty hard kicker, but not in the same class as the big .50.
This statement contains the seed of a great sci-fi flick. The smart gun engineers still haven't figured out how to make one that will only fire for the authorized user, and this lady wants them to devise one that won't fire within the state of Illinois! Let's see, maybe Illinois can broadcast some special frequency throughout the state -- but not beyond state lines (gotta work on that detail), which will activate a special chip that S&W will be forced to implant in the 500s to block firing. Yeah, that's it. Send this Flynn-Currie lady to Hollywood so she can get started on her screenwriting career.
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