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Military guns too accessible to public(MEGA barf alert 3-4 bags)
http://www.easternecho.com ^ | 9 19 05 | Adam Slingwein

Posted on 09/20/2005 10:59:19 AM PDT by freepatriot32

If I gave you $7,000 to spend on whatever you wanted, what would you buy? Seven thousand dollars may not be a huge sum of money, but it is still a significant chunk of change. I mean, you could buy a car, pay your room and board at EMU for the year, or have 70% of the buy-in for the World Series of Poker main event. The list is almost endless, but there is one item in particular that really struck me as surprising when I learned that my gift money could purchase it. It is the Barrett M82A1 sniper rifle, and for the fairly modest amount of seven grand, you could take one home today.

To those of you unfamiliar with the M82A1, as I was, my saying that it could be purchased for that price may not strike you as startling or worrisome. Upon researching this firearm further, my opinion rapidly changed. Just looking at the weapon, totally ignorant of its capabilities, I could tell that this was no peashooter. It looks like a modern-day cannon, but with a comfortable pistol grip slapped on the bottom. Thanks to war movies and an uncle who's a card carrying NRA member, I have seen and fired my fair share of weaponry, but never had I even seen a firearm as intimidating as this one.

Reading the gun's specs proved to be more than intimidating; it was downright scary. According to the product's website, the M82A1 "easily fires the largest commercially available cartridge in the world, the .50 caliber." The weapon doesn't just fire .50 caliber cartridges like a few other weapons, but does so with ease. What sets it apart from other .50 caliber rifles is the fact that it is not bolt action, but semiautomatic with a ten round clip. Instead of having to manually discharge the empty cartridge then load the next, you can snap off ten shots as fast as you can pull the trigger. Ten rounds at a buck from any .50 caliber rifle will leave hunters with very little to mount. I also learned that the gun has an effective range of over 2,000 yards. Hunters generally shoot at targets 150-200 yards away, so accuracy over ten times that distance is understandable, right? No, it really isn't, especially with a weapon so powerful. Unless the gun was designed for hunters planning on shooting game from over a mile away and then walking 15 minutes to go retrieve it, this weapon could not have been made for hunting.

Sure enough, the M82A1 was not created for civilian gamesmen. It was designed for use in the military and in law enforcement, both of which herald the M107 as the premier big bore rifle (the M82A1 is the civilian version). Used by the United States armed forces as well as over 40 others worldwide, the weapon has won several awards and Barrett has yet to have a contract not renewed due to the military being unsatisfied. What makes the gun so loved by armies across the globe? Not only does it boast incredible range and extremely destructive ammunition (standard rounds can go through brick walls); it has minimal recoil and is extremely easy to fire. With the recoil of a 12-gauge shotgun if fired from the shoulder and considerably less when fired from the stock bipod, it is very easy for a soldier with little practice or training to become very proficient with the weapon. This reason for praise quickly becomes cause for alarm if the gun falls into the wrong hands.

Now that I knew how effective the weapon was, I looked up what its applications are. Due to their gratuitous power, these guns are used to attack stationary or landing aircraft, tanks, armored personnel carriers and concrete bunkers. They are very rarely used on single enemy combatants, just as I rarely swat flies with a baseball bat. Like a rocket launcher with a tighter shot pattern, these rifles destroy enemy aircraft and tanks cleaner, faster and from farther away.

I think I have established the fact that the Barrett M82A1 is any target's worst nightmare, but now I think we all need to look at why I can get one of these easier than I could get a handgun. There is absolutely no reason why a civilian would need to own this weapon, yet background checks are looser on this gun than on a handgun because the M82A1 falls under the category of "hunting rifle" (Honestly, who are they kidding?). The amount of havoc that can be caused by this weapon if it found its way into the wrong hands is off the charts. Pedestrians would have to worry the least; the rounds can go through motor vehicles, walls or aircraft shells from over a mile away. Whether it be terrorism or just criminal use, no one would be safe. Another feature of the weapon that should get the thing banned is its ease of use. With minimal training, anyone could become extremely accurate with this weapon, endangering everyone within a mile radius.

Despite my firm agreement with the Second Amendment, there are specific cases where the right to bear certain arms is significantly more dangerous than what may happen if one could not. This is one of those cases. The Barrett M82A1 .50 caliber rifle, as well as all other semiautomatic .50 caliber rifles, has no place in society. They are not effective hunting weapons, and anyone could defend themselves more than effectively with a less powerful gun. This weapon is extremely dangerous and not worth the risk.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: 50caliber; accessible; bang; banglist; donutwatch; govwatch; guns; megabarfalert; military; nra; public; rifle; sas; secondamendment; sniper; sniperrifle; to; too; whininghoplophobe
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To: freepatriot32
What can we expect from an "Adam Slingwein" (with a name like "Smuckers"...)?

Why do so many Jews, of all people, hold such views?

We need to point this nice, if ignorant and naive, young Jewish boy to the fine folks over at JPFO (Jews For The Preservation of Firearms Ownership - www.jpfo.org).

There, he will find out, among other important things, that citizens, disarmed by their very OWN governments, were murdered by these very same governments, and in STAGGERING numbers. In the last century, the number is 170 MILLION innocent, unarmed citizens.

As he is currently configured, totally without brain cells and a set of testicles, Adam would surely NOT have been the type of brave, heroic Jew that stood up to the Nazi's in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising with WHATEVER firearms he could get a hold of. I'm sure those people would have LOVED to have had some .50 cal Barrett's, or other such, effective weapons.

He must be from the Schumer/Feinstein mold of left-wing, anti-gun, anti-Second Amendment, anti-self-defense, anti-freedom, anti-AMERICAN jews.

Then again, he's still in the formative years, so maybe there is hope that someone can straighten his ass out.

121 posted on 09/20/2005 1:14:11 PM PDT by DocH (Gun-grabbers, you can HAVE my guns... lead first.)
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To: Dan from Michigan

"There is absolutely no reason why a civilian would need to own this weapon, yet background checks are looser on this gun than on a handgun because the M82A1 falls under the category of "hunting rifle"

Scary isn't it?

One day they will say the same thing about mini-14's and 10/22's.


122 posted on 09/20/2005 1:15:54 PM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace (You are receiving this broadcast as a dream)
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To: freepatriot32

Thanks; but I'll stick with a Kalishnikov any day. It's the best gun to bring to a party.


123 posted on 09/20/2005 1:18:02 PM PDT by pankot
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To: freepatriot32

I would bet this guy wants the Gov to mop up his piss for him too...better hold a commission on that one...


124 posted on 09/20/2005 1:18:39 PM PDT by Xenophon450
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To: from occupied ga

LMAO!


125 posted on 09/20/2005 1:20:43 PM PDT by Sprite518
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To: freepatriot32
Military guns too accessible to public

And this is bad because. . . ?

126 posted on 09/20/2005 1:22:07 PM PDT by Euro-American Scum (A poverty-stricken middle class must be a disarmed middle class)
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To: freepatriot32

I want one, for less than the cost of a squirrel bridge in a Czech town you too can own one!


127 posted on 09/20/2005 1:23:15 PM PDT by NTW64
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To: pankot
Thanks; but I'll stick with a Kalishnikov any day. It's the best gun to bring to a party.

you won't hear me arguing against that...

natural-born "crowd pleaser" - in any variant

128 posted on 09/20/2005 1:24:32 PM PDT by King Prout (19sep05 - I want at least 2 Saiga-12 shotguns. If you have leads, let me know)
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To: ArrogantBustard
The day I can go down to the corner hardware store and buy a brand-new, recent production full auto M4 carbine, at a free-market price, with no hassle, is the day that military 'guns' are just barely accessible enough.

Preach it!

129 posted on 09/20/2005 1:26:11 PM PDT by Terabitten (God grant me the strength to live a life worthy of those who have gone before me.)
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To: dts32041

looking at a new socom m1a, new 1911 (springfield armory)

check out a Valtro 1911

www.valtrousa.com


130 posted on 09/20/2005 1:26:56 PM PDT by CATravelAgent (Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.)
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To: pankot
Thanks; but I'll stick with a Kalishnikov any day. It's the best gun to bring to a party.

Depends on the party. NOLA party, excellent.....high plains sniping party, no so good. Keep you gun safe diverse...:)

131 posted on 09/20/2005 1:34:05 PM PDT by ScreamingFist (Peace through Stupidity. NRA)
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To: dts32041
***I have just inherited a little money looking at a new socom m1a, new 1911 (springfield armory) and a .45 Long Colt Ruger Vaquero.***

The Vaquero is cool and many in the SASS use it, but have you checked out the Colt Cowboy?

Here's some info on it....

The Colt Cowboy
An offshoot of the standard SAA is the Colt Cowboy single action revolver ... Externally the Cowboy is a SAA clone dimensionally identical to the original. This all steel revolver comes with a traditional blue metal finish and a color cased frame. The grips are walnut. Internally, however, it uses a new mechanism that incorporates coil springs and a transfer bar ignition system. Unlike all SAA models it is safe to carry a Colt Cowboy with all six chambers loaded. In this respect the Cowboy is more like a Ruger Vaquero than a traditional Colt single action. The Cowboy loads in the traditional manner with a half-cock hammer position. As the name implies, the Cowboy model was inspired by the sport of cowboy action shooting intended to give competitors (or anyone else) a chance to own a genuine Colt SA revolver at a price far below that of a new SAA. The Cowboy is available in .45 Colt caliber only and comes with a 5 1/2 inch barrel and weighs 42 ounces. You will note that these specifications are identical to the Single Action Army.

A few years back I checked out all three at my local gun shop; The Vaquero, The Cowboy and the 'original' Colt Single Action Army (Peacemaker). In my hands the Cowboy just felt so natural. So did the Peacemaker but not at $1300.00 - $1500.00. And the Colt Cowboy was only about $150 more than the Vaquero.

And then there's United States Firearms Mfg. Co., Inc.. They make a very sweeeet single action too.

And last but not least there's Cimarron Firearms Co.. Their Model P starts at $499.00

"The only truly authentic Single Action Army. No self respecting cowboy or gunslinger went to town without one of these on his hip. Awarded: 2003 True West Magazine "Best Single Action Army Reproduction"
In any case - Good Shopping :-)
132 posted on 09/20/2005 1:43:24 PM PDT by Condor51 (Leftists are moral and intellectual parasites - Standing Wolf)
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To: ScreamingFist

Diversity is good!


133 posted on 09/20/2005 1:47:53 PM PDT by PaRebel (The Constitution has no off-switch. Repeal the 17th amendment.)
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To: freepatriot32

It has nothing to do with hunting. The 2nd Amendment is all about securing a defense against tyranny from authority in the government.


134 posted on 09/20/2005 1:57:17 PM PDT by hiredhand (My kitty disappeared. NOT the rifle!)
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To: dts32041
***I just bought the Vaquero, BTW did you know you can't go to SA store in Illinois and buy the weapons direct from them. I mean what kind of operation is that, I can buy a t-shirt there.****

I think I'm missing something in your post?!? (what's SA store?)

In any case, NO not in Illinois. Mostly thanks to that prick, and soon to be convicted FELON, ex gov and RINO George Ryan. He snuck through a boat load of freaking gun laws and more regulations at the behest of mayor Daley.

And further thanks to that a hole, cap & ball firearms now have all the same restrictions, waiting periods and background check requirements as regular firearms. Which I found out when I got my .44 cal 1858 New Army Remington.

135 posted on 09/20/2005 2:01:35 PM PDT by Condor51 (Leftists are moral and intellectual parasites - Standing Wolf)
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To: happinesswithoutpeace
Yeah, but were you a gun grabber Laz?

No, I was a pothead.

136 posted on 09/20/2005 2:27:33 PM PDT by Lazamataz (Islam is merely Nazism without the snappy fashion sense.)
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To: Condor51
In any case, NO not in Illinois. Mostly thanks to that prick, and soon to be convicted FELON, ex gov and RINO George Ryan.

Leaving Illinois was pretty cool. Leaving New York was slightly cooler.

137 posted on 09/20/2005 2:28:34 PM PDT by Lazamataz (Islam is merely Nazism without the snappy fashion sense.)
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To: Lazamataz

"No, I was a pothead."

As long as it works out in the long run..and on that note..

I need sleep.




138 posted on 09/20/2005 2:46:26 PM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace (You are receiving this broadcast as a dream)
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To: freepatriot32
Gee, little Adam just discovered that his imaginary seven grand could buy a rifle. And he's shocked. No. Really.

And according to the brainy and amazingly intelligent liberal, the scary rifle is, you know, far roo accessible because - not in spite of - the fact it costs a fortune.

139 posted on 09/20/2005 3:12:58 PM PDT by Reactionary
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To: Irishguy

Well, let us all get it straight: when Adam Slingwein wants to avoid an embarrassment, he better keep his orifices plugged [I personally prefer "plug it!" to "shut up!" - "plug it!" is more figurative; besides nobody knows what is to be shut and why up and not in any other direction] and open these orifices - one at a time - only in the cases when his competence to do so is not in doubt. Such a behavior would add gravitas to his persona, and lessen the stench of ignorance.


140 posted on 09/20/2005 4:25:22 PM PDT by GSlob
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