Contra Costa redies ban on .50 caliber rifles

Contra Costa Times ^ | August 9, 2003 | Peter Felsenfeld

[Socratease]

County studies, readies rifle bill By Peter Felsenfeld CONTRA COSTA TIMES

All it would take is a willing mind and a powerful explosive to turn Contra Costa's hulking oil refineries into giant chemical bombs.

In an age of terrorism and readily available weapons, neither prospect can be completely discounted.

So Contra Costa supervisors are scheduled Tuesday to take aim at a readily available gun they say presents just such a threat. The board is expected to ask county attorneys to draft an ordinance that would ban the sale of .50-caliber BMG rifles in unincorporated areas.

The measure would be based on similar legislation approved in Los Angeles this summer. Supervisors say they want Contra Costa cities to follow with similar laws.

Such steps are necessary because any person could purchase the weapon, set up on a hillside and cause some major damage to a refinery, said Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond. The gun is often fired as it rests on stand.

"These are not the kind of things that are used by street gangs, because they're so big and obvious," he said. "They're more likely to be used by bad people who are intent on causing serious harm."

Assemblyman Paul Koretz, D-West Hollywood, introduced legislation this year to curb the manufacture and sale of .50-caliber rifles statewide. His bill, AB50, stalled in the Senate Public Safety Committee last month.

The weapons generally weigh between 30 and 50 pounds, and can be bought legally in stores or online for about $5,000, said Dan Lilja, owner of Lilja Precision Rifle Barrels, which manufactures barrels for the guns.

The world's most skilled marksman can hit targets with the rifle up to 1,980 yards away, according to the Fifty Caliber Club Web site.

Supervisor Gayle Uilkema of Lafayette said the guns could fire exploding bullets through 8 inches of steel, and certainly through containers transporting hazardous materials.

"There is no way we can completely shut off access to the refineries," she said. "The gun has the capability to destroy refinery equipment."

The ordinance would probably set off a firestorm of opposition from gun advocates. Chuck Michel, spokesman for the California Rifle and Pistol Association, called Uilkema's statement "utter crap."

"There's absolutely no way it can pierce 8 inches of steel."

He said the supervisors were stoking fears of terrorism to push an anti-gun agenda and mask the rifle's legitimate sporting uses.

"These rifles are legal for a reason: they're primarily used for hunting and target shooting events," he said. "If a terrorist really wanted to destroy a refinery, he could get his hands on a rocket-propelled grenade on the black market."

[Socratease]

The supes are meeting Tuesday morning in Martinez if you can make it. If not, go to http://NRAMembersCouncils.com/legs.shtml and email them your opinion.

[Lazamataz]

I understand if you fire one of these things at the sun, you can cause it to go supernova.

[Drango]

Boy that'll show those terrorist and I feel a lot safer now. /sarcasm

[Puppage]

Contra Costa redies ban on .50 caliber rifles

Oh, goody. Everyone knows that the average street thug is gunna lay down 5 grand for low end, 20 pound .50 so ya might just as well ban it.

BEHOLD! THE MIND OF THE DEFENSELESS.

[Puppage]

Contra Costa redies ban on .50 caliber rifles

Oh, goody. Everyone knows that the average street thug is gunna lay down 5 grand for low end, 20 pound .50 so ya might just as well ban it.

BEHOLD! THE MIND OF THE DEFENSELESS.

[Vulpes]

"These are not the kind of things that are used by street gangs, because they're so big and obvious," he said. "They're more likely to be used by bad people who are intent on causing serious harm."

Ummm what's wrong with this statement???

Aren’t gang members bad people??

[SLB]

Supervisor Gayle Uilkema of Lafayette said the guns could fire exploding bullets through 8 inches of steel, and certainly through containers transporting hazardous materials.

That is one whopper of a .50 cal round. I have a .50 SLAP round on my desk right now and it comes no where close to that in ballastics, although they are impressive. As far as it exploding, wow! I thought the penetrator was solid, the engineers who developed it never told me it would explode.

[Bluntpoint]

Call me a gun grabber but I don't think anyone should own one of these unless they can afford one.

Flame away.

[17th Miss Regt]

The sun is too small a star to go supernova. However, if you fire it at Mars in the next few days when it is large and easily hit, you may shatter it and create a new asteroid belt.

[Blood of Tyrants]

This proposed ban is so stupid on so many levels that it defies description. The worst one being that they believe making buying a .50 cal in that county will stop a terrorist from blowing up a refinery.

[17th Miss Regt]

The filler is not lead. It is higly enriched uranium. Upon impact the mechanical compression ignites the fission reaction and a well placed round will flatten a small town.

[Lazamataz]

The sun is too small a star to go supernova.

Yeah, well, with the size of the .50 cal bullet, you are adding enough mass.

Reporters know this stuff. They tell me and I trust them.

[Bluntpoint]

Call me a Mars hugger, but I don't think people need to be shooting planets when they have grocery stores on every corner.

Must be some macho thing.

Billy Bob bragging about his Mars Jerky:

"I bagged it myself with one shot."

I'm impressed!

[sean327]

I picked up on that also, maybe it's not PC in NOCAL to call gang bangers what they are (No good worthless, waste of oxygen, thugs, losers, druggies, and murderers.)

[Lazamataz]

The filler is not lead. It is higly enriched uranium. Upon impact the mechanical compression ignites the fission reaction and a well placed round will flatten a small town.

I have heard of entire galaxies destroyed by a single .50 caliber round.

[niteowl77]

I saw an episode of The Simpsons where a magnifying glass caused ants to ignite and start an oil fire; based on that documentary,* I think that these kommissars need to address the burning issue of civilian ownership of convex lenses.

*If that is what Michael Moore makes, then The Simpsons qualifies.

[17th Miss Regt]

WOW!! Must be an improved round!

[Bluntpoint]

"I have heard of entire galaxies destroyed by a single .50 caliber round."

First all you bastards shoot all the buffalo, now you are wiping out our great herds of galaxies.

Sickening!

[AngryJawa]

"Call me a gun grabber but I don't think anyone should own one of these unless they can afford one."

Who are you, sir, to tell me that I can't buy one of these fine weapons unless I can pay for it? Tha gall...8^)

Is it true that a 50 cal round will disrupt the space / time continuum if fired during a leap year?

[Bluntpoint]

Screw you Mr. Heston!

Until the check clears, take that gun from your frigit, comatose and pasty fingers.