Lawmakers Urge FTC to Probe Sniper Weapon Sales

Reuters ^ | October 10, 2002

[John Jorsett]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Several Democratic lawmakers on Thursday urged the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the marketing of military sniper rifles to civilians, noting that such a weapon may be involved in the recent Washington area shootings.

Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, the top Democrat on the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee (news - web sites), and three fellow House Democrats wrote in a letter to the FTC that sniper weapons are different from standard hunting rifles because they are designed to strike a target from a distance.

"Their accuracy and range capabilities make these weapons among the most dangerous available today," the lawmakers said. "They can hit targets accurately one mile away and can inflict damage to targets up to four miles away."

Conyers noted that the FTC did a study of entertainment industry marketing practices and violence after the Columbine school shootings in 1999.

Gun control advocates gained momentum in Congress immediately after several publicized shootings in U.S. schools but foes of new controls were able to defeat the initiatives

[RLK]

What kind of sniper and assault weapons were used against innocent American citizens at Waco and Ruby Ridge? Has there been any call to investigate that?

[DWPittelli]

The weapon might well be Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle

Why haven't they narrowed down the weapon type yet?

Generally it can be determined by the number, direction and slant of the grooves.

BTW, I have a Ranch Rifle. Great gun, and stainless is a huge plus. Of course, no .223 makes a good 1-mile sniper rifle.

[blackdog]

To prove my point, did you hear the comment from the Fox infobabe that those press briefings by Mooseman, and the like are now to be held INDOORS?

[SirFishalot]

LMAO, Not very many people could even hit a 6' by 6' target at 1 mile regardless of what kind of gun they are shooting. Now the 223 at one mile? One hell of an elevation adjustment, most sights and scopes can't even adjust that far. At that range the 223 would have about just about enough energy left to leave a bruise.

[RippleFire]

BUMP

[Black Agnes]

Cowards. Did Maryland outlaw body armor for anyone other than LEOs too? I seem to remember Glendenning trying to get something like that passed...

[John Jorsett]

To prove my point, did you hear the comment from the Fox infobabe that those press briefings by Mooseman, and the like are now to be held INDOORS?

Moose: "I'd like to begin my briefing by assuring you that the police have the situation under con ... HEY! GET AWAY FROM THAT WINDOW!"

[elbucko]

Anything to make gun owners look bad!

That's for sure. Besides the personal tragedies of of the innocent shooting victims, he's doing his best to shoot holes in the 2nd. Amendment. When he's caught, he should be turned over to the NRA or GOA for punishment.

[45Auto]

The M 24, current US Army sniper rifle

.308 Win caliber, built on a Remington 700 action, H S Precision stock with aluminum bedding block.

[John Jorsett]

Why haven't they narrowed down the weapon type yet?

Generally it can be determined by the number, direction and slant of the grooves.

The reports I've heard say that the cops claim that the bullets are too broken up to determine that. I don't necessarily believe that we'd be told even if they DID know. Witness how upset Moose got when the Tarot card story was leaked.

[facedown]

Bump

[blackdog]

I for one find it quite comforting that my neighbors around me can all drop a deer with one shot @ 200 yards. I consider those neighborhood assets. Conyers is going to find that this is a former government loony. Maybe a "Son Of Lon" situation. If that is the case, do we get to ban guns from all federal employees?

[Pushi]

What does Conyers know about guns?

[stevio]

Yea, they'll never ban hunting rifles, first they'll call them assault/sniper weapons.

[John Jorsett]

Not very many people could even hit a 6' by 6' target at 1 mile regardless of what kind of gun they are shooting. Now the 223 at one mile?

Their "one to four miles" assertion is looney on the face of it for a 223. It's just a line of bs to scare the public. If they thought it would further their cause, they'd be claiming that you could kill people from orbit with these 'sniper' rifles.

[45Auto]

I think a .223 bullet weighing 55 grains traveling at 2500-2800 fps at the muzzle might just not be in one piece after it hits something like flesh and/or bone. If the damn thing fragments or is very deformed by the impact, not much info can be obtained. Chances are that this lunatic is shooting at distances not much longer than 100-150 yards. The best that can be expected from the average shooter using a semi-auto .223 is to hit a man-sized target at no further than 300 yards, and no head shots at that range unless the gun has been tweaked.

One would think that the type of gun (semi-auto or bolt)could be narrowed down by examining the markings on the case, assuming the one they found actually came from the sniper's gun. Other than that, no one knows what model of gun is being used, so all this blather about more gun control is sheer nonsense. Besides, AW's are already banned. And I don't think that the average deer hunter will sit still for a total ban on the trusty family bolt rifle.

[RicocheT]

"Witness how upset Moose got when the Tarot card story was leaked."

I'd guess the leaker was FBI, those guys love to put their arms around a newsbabe or newsguy.

[blackdog]

Yes Glendenning did.

One other thing....The bullets being used which are(if what they said is true) are not available to the public. Those frag rounds are not from the local Walmart. Hunting rounds are designed to expand, but not to leave a few hundred chunks of shrapnel in the meat. These rounds are meant to go into soft tissue and explode. There are only a few sources for those kind of rounds. BTW, I heard earlier that the caliber being used is the NATO issue.

[TERMINATTOR]

I think you posted to the wrong section, shouldn't this be in the humor/comedy section?

Any idea who these three unnamed co-conspiritor tyrants are? The whole bunch should be hung for sedition just for suggesting it.

Molon Labe !

[Pushi]

If someone agreed to pay me $25,000 per shot, I would be willing to stand one mile away and let them shoot at me with a .223 cal rifle.