Gray Davis' Cop-Killing Gun Law

RichardPoe.com ^ | October 8, 2003 | Richard Poe

[Richard Poe]

GRAY DAVIS is gone. But his destructive legacy lives on.

In the final weeks before his ouster, Davis used what dwindling power he had to hamstring California’s legal and political system for years to come. He made over 260 last-minute judicial and state commission appointments. Davis also quietly signed into law one of the most far-reaching handgun bans in the nation on September 24 – a law which threatens to send many California police officers to their graves.

Police and sheriffs all over the state pleaded with Governor Davis not to sign SB 489. But he ignored them. The law exemplifies a new trend in anti-gun activism: cop disarmament – a movement which seeks to limit the gun rights of police officers as well as civilians.

Democrats are the worst offenders, as usual. But the cop disarmament movement spans both major parties. New York City’s Republican mayor Michael Bloomberg, for instance, wants to bar off-duty and former cops from carrying weapons in City Hall. Perhaps His Honor fears that one of New York’s finest might try to shoot him. "I don't know why people carry guns," Bloomberg famously confessed. "Guns kill people..."

"Unfortunately, Mayor Bloomberg's reaction is not unusual," writes John Lott, Jr., author of The Bias Against Guns in the National Review Online. "Legislation to let off-duty and retired police carry guns with them when they travel across state lines is being held up in Congress by a threatened Senate Democratic filibuster. Sen. Ted Kennedy, (D., Mass.), who is leading the threatened filibuster claims that the measure would `do great damage to the effort of state and local governments to protect their citizens from gun violence.' "

Anti-gun activist Sarah Brady also opposes the bill, whose Senate designation is S253. "[I]t will… jeopardize public safety," she says

"What is next?" asks Lott. "Banning guns carried by on-duty officers?"

Now California’s lame-duck governor has dealt another blow to police officers’ gun rights. His new law, SB 489 requires all newly-designed, semi-automatic handguns sold in California to be equipped with two so-called "safety devices" by 2007.

The first device is a chamber load indicator, which shows whether or not a round is loaded in the firing chamber. The second is a magazine disconnect device which prevents the gun from firing once the magazine is removed.

Gun prohibitionists are delighted.

"We are so tired and sickened at heart to hear about all the children who die from guns every day, day after day," said Jane Roth, president of the Million Mom March's California State Council.

"This new law will prevent deaths all across the country," gushed Eric Gorovitz, Policy Director for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, in a September 24 press release.

In reality, SB 489 seems poorly designed to save any lives at all. Properly trained shooters always assume that the chamber is loaded and treat their guns accordingly, with or without a mechanical indicator. Careless or irresponsible shooters are another story. Chamber load indicators may cause such people to become even more reckless than they already are. A malfunctioning indicator could lull careless shooters into assuming that the chamber is empty when it is not.

The "magazine disconnect" device offers more serious dangers.

"The law enforcement community expressly rejects the `magazine disconnect’ feature, as it seeks to disable the firearm during a magazine change, a potentially life-threatening result for an officer in a shoot-out," states a press release from the Law Enforcement Alliance of America (LEAA), a national anti-crime organization of law enforcement professionals, crime victims and concerned citizens.

Davis’ bill exempts cops from mandatory use of the new "safety" features. However, even this exemption creates new dangers for police.

"Governor Davis’ bill… exposes California law enforcement and taxpayers to additional liability risk," says the September 25 LEAA press release. "The law officially defines guns lacking these features as `unsafe guns.’ As a result, nearly every single handgun used by California law enforcement officers will be officially defined as an `unsafe handgun,’ a notion certain to be exploited in lawsuits involving police use of firearms."

In short, California sheriffs and police chiefs must now choose between issuing mechanically unreliable guns to their officers, or guns deemed legally "unsafe." Either way, officers on the street will be forced to think twice before pulling the trigger – a hesitation that could well prove fatal in a shoot-out.

Anti-gun activists used to tell citizens to leave police work to the police. Now even cops must fight to retain what is left of their gun rights. _____________________________________

Richard Poe is a New-York-Times bestselling author and cyberjournalist. His book The Seven Myths of Gun Control was just released in paperback. Poe’s forthcoming book, The New Underground: How Conservatives Conquered the Internet will be available soon.

[archy]

is this the mauser that was used by the character in john waynes big jake... the youngest son i believe had it...

Not quite. Per the movie script, that was purportedly a Borchardt, one of the earliest self-loading designs, with a Luger-like toggle action, circa 1893. The SFX/prp men used a dressed-up Walther P-38 as a standin for the real thing, as I recall, including scenes in which the pistol fired full-auto, not a feature of the real thing, but we might allow an exception for a possible prototype or *proof-of-concept8 design sample.

and did han solo carry it in the original star wars...

Han solo's *blaster* was indeed based on a broomhandle Mauser, though I believe his was built up on the shorter-barrelled *Bolo* model rather than the longer-barrelled C96. Darned if I can tell ya where he would have put the batteries on a 'broomie!

[elbucko]

Those privately owned pre-SB489 firearms will become quite valuable, won't they?

Perhaps. More than likely, State Senator, Jack Scott will author a bill to make the possession of pre-SB489 firearms a felony. Think about it. That's the next step. These people aren't fooling around.

[elbucko]

As I recall, the thinking was that it made it harder to accidentally shoot your horse while changing magazines at the gallop.

That's true. The automatic sidearm was essentially designed for cavalry use with the safety of the horse in mind, such as the grip safety of the 1911.

What is insidious about all of this "Return to the Future" engineering by law, is that it is not intended to make guns safer, but to expose gun makers to product liability suits.

[elbucko]

Revolvers are exempt.

Perhaps. But there are a lot of Colt and S&W revolvers that you cannot but in CA because they are NOT on the CA-DOJ approved list. The Colt Detective Special being an example.

The agenda of Perata and Scott is not safety, that's the ball they have kept the eyes of the NRA and CRPA keep on, but the complete elimination of firearms in California.

[from occupied ga]

The law is totally idiotic, but its just one more step to the eventual banning of all guns not deemed by government to be "safe".

Almost right. What they're really after is:

but its just one more step to the eventual banning of all guns

[NJ Freeper]

I fully agree. Here in New Jersey, which I think has probably worse laws than CA and MA I've experienced harassment from local police when applying for permits to purchase handguns.

A cop friend of mine who is pro 2nd amendment told me the mentality is "every gun off the streets is one less that can hurt me". The arrogance and superiority of SOME police officers is astounding.

Hopefully, now they'll realize that the 2nd amendment is for EVERY AMERICAN CITIZEN!!!!

[from occupied ga]

The arrogance and superiority of SOME police officers is astounding.

Yep they're the 98% that gives the other 2% a bad rep.

[Monty22]

Actually, I *prefer* gun bans that hit cops too. Let them suffer as well, why do they need to be special? The AWB pisses me off endlessly that "LEO"'s get the stuff us citizen slobs can't.

[ZULU]

"What is next?" asks Lott. "Banning guns carried by on-duty officers?"

Precisely, as in the People's Republic of Albion
(formerly Great Britain - the guiding star of the leftist gun-grabbers).

[skyghost]

"A cop friend of mine who is pro 2nd amendment told me the mentality is "every gun off the streets is one less that can hurt me". The arrogance and superiority of SOME police officers is astounding."

I'm a policeman in a major Midwest City and I've argued gun control issues with my fellow cops on several occasions. There are many who believe that having good guys, and bad guys armed, would place us in greater danger. I eventually convince them that good guys aren't a problem because they're good guys. That's what makes them good guys...they follow the law. Bad guys don't and never will. That's why they're bad guys.

In 17 years on the job, and 42 years on this earth, I've never had a problem with a good guy. That's my point.

I personally believe that every law abiding, tax paying, God fearing citizen, should be able to carry a gun. It's their God given right of survival and their Constitutional right to keep and bear arms.

We have a million gun laws on the books in my city and just about every year we're the murder capital of the world. Those laws do nothing to stop gun violence because bad guys don't care about the law. That's why I want to scream every time I hear a liberal talk about tighter gun laws. I'm a life member of the NRA and I'm opposed to ANY gun control laws. I'm for harsh sentences for those that abuse guns. If you commit a crime with a gun then you should go to jail. It’s real simple.

[mylife]

I just bought one today (M2 Mauser)

I didnt know about all the safety features.

I field stripped it, reassembled it then shot lead semiwadcutters, hollow points and FMJ staggered without a problem

380.00 with 2 clips case and for what is worth a trigger lock.

The triggerpull was a tad gritty but if it doesnt go away by it self Ill make it go away.

The thing was a great shooter, I dont know why people hate this gun.

The rotary barrel is a bit different and could cause a problem in dirt but then again..I think the rotary barrel lock adds to accuracy

[mylife]

I agree about silly laws. The Hill wants to make us safe from stupidity and malice, It cant be done. My biggest concern with the "New" guns is "more parts more failures"

I never even noticed the safety features on the M2 since I shoot safely any way

[45Auto]

I haven't actually had an M2 Mauser in my hands yet. What caliber is the one you have? I have a real affection for the .45 auto cartridge. Not that I have anything against the 9 or the .40, just that the .45 makes a bigger hole. I acquired an H and K USP in .45 auto recently. It shoots accurately and I have yet to have it jam. I reload everything I shoot and I have used five different bullet geometries in this gun; all feed well. Still, my favorite .45 auto is the Model of 1911A1.

[mylife]

The model I have is a SW 40

I have a 1911 and love it but I like that the 40 has more heat.

I found 45acp barrels and clips at numrich.com for 25 bucks ea and am about to call Sig arms to see if I can convert the pistol by changing these parts.

I saw an article today.."45 GAP vs 45 ACP? Is 45 ACP dead?" L0L

I think NOT

[45Auto]

I figure the .45 GAP was invented as a marketing gimmick. Not that it won't be an effective round, just that Glock originally had intended to produce a .45 pistol in the same size as the Model 17. The prototype Model 37 Glock .45 GAP pistol was a lot smaller than the final commercial version. While the grip is like the Model 17, the Model 37 has a wider slide, more like the Model 21. I had intended to buy a .45 GAP and convert it to shoot .45 ACP (or .45 Auto as some insist). I still might try it just for fun. Its not clear if the .45 GAP barrel has enough metal to ream out to .45 Auto.

What I'd like to see is a full size Glock in .45 Auto with a single stack magazine and a narrow slide, like the Model 36, but bigger. If they just enlarged the Model 36 to a five inch barrel and a seven or eight round mag - that might be nice. I don't really like the compact semiautos.