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

[Dead Dog]

Sheese!! And Conyers is from Michigan!! They should vote him out just for being stooooopiddd

Amazing there is enough room in Michigan for Conyours and The Reverend Theodosius Atrocious.

[relee]

Those people are idiots!

[El Gato]

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?

Yes, but not by Conyers and his ilk.

[El Gato]

Maybe a "Son Of Lon" situation. If that is the case, do we get to ban guns from all federal employees?

Speaking of which, has Horiuchi surfaced anywhere of late? Does anybody know where he might be now? We know when he was in at Ruby Ridge in Idaho and near Waco Texas, but I don't think we know where he is today, even in general terms.

[templar]

Leaving for WY this evening. Glad to know I can just walk up to them this year, Last years shot was 200yds.(I tell everyone who'll listen 300).

At ranges that close, I assume you were hunting rabbit?

[cake_crumb]

PSSSSST!! We've got Thread SEVEN, THE FINAL KICK up now!

JUST ONE MORE GOOD PUSH!

COME ON, FREEPERS - LET'S USE SOME MUSCLE!

Click on the Pic to Donate by Secure Server

[templar]

Isn't it against the law to buy a gun for a 3rd party?

Actually, no. It's still legal (federal) to buy a gift gun for a qualified person. It would be illegal to buy the gun for someone who is not allowed to own a gun; or to act as an agent in the purchase of the gun to have the real purchaser remain anonymous.

[templar]

These idiots are talking about 50 cals. One has never been used in a crime in the USA!

Yet.

[blackdog]

Last I heard, Lon o'l pal was in an office(no windows) at Quantico. Having flown over Quantico, there is not much around it but swamp, marines, and various spook agency training areas. It's kind of like the VFR fly-way between DC and Dulles. That area and south/southwest of Quantico is some of the most remote undeveloped forest I've ever seen. At night there is hardly any evidence of human existence until you get near the Carolina border.

[cinFLA]

These idiots are talking about 50 cals. One has never been used in a crime in the USA!

They are not idiots. They are purposely lying inorder to advance their agenda to outlaw .50 caliber and larger weapons.

[Black Agnes]

Thanks. I'd wondered how Sarah got away with that...I despise her and the Million Commie Mommies.

[templar]

... but anti-gunners aren't ones to let facts get in the way of a good story) ...

It's the american public in general that's actually guilty of this. We just believe statements like these are true and go along with them without demanding any real facts. You would be surprised at how many gun owners believe this stuff. If the majority of people would call these statements into account, they would stop.

[mvpel]

[templar]

Hunting rounds are designed to expand, but not to leave a few hundred chunks of shrapnel in the meat.

Never shot TNTs'? Varmint rounds (hollow points usually, but also soft points and even some FMJ) are usually designed with a very thin jacket and soft core so that they will, literally, explode on impact. I've shot some loads into gallon jugs of water that explode the jug without leaving an exit hole (the inside of the jug is often coated with a black residue from the lead core); never even found a single fragment. These rounds could quite possible be from the local Walmart and are almost certainly not military if they are leaving nothing but tiny fragments.

[blackdog]

BTW, one more thing I find puzzling about Quantico....It is the most inactive airspace I have ever seen. You transition thru their airspace and not any other chatter is on the radio. The controllers in the tower talk only to you. No polite banter. You think they would being so bored, but not a single bit of talk. There are a few chunks of metal zipping around and some heavy egg beaters but nothing on the radio. No cleared for takeoff, traffic alerts, altimeter settings, runway visibilities, have a nice day's, nothing. It is like you are in an alternate dimension. I suspect they have some other frequencies in use but I couldn't find them. I've flown in to Maguire, Dover, and other joint use bases but Quantico is weird.

[templar]

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.

At a mile? I'd do it for $25.00 a shot. Be a lot safer than driving on the freeway.

[templar]

***Foot Note: The Remington Accelerators for the 30-06 fire a .223 projectile ...

30-06 is a bit weak for my tastes. Try them in a 300 mag for some real shooting. Got to have a really strong bullet though, or they just dissapear in a little poof about 50 or 60 yards down range.

[templar]

Regular hunting rifles are meant to be used as clubs to bash prey over the head with.

Only since they banned bayonet lugs.

[GnL]

I'm dumbfounded by the idiocy displayed by these bureaucracy-makers. Can someone please whack some intelligence into these people...preferably with a sledgehammer?

[GovernmentShrinker]

Yeah, but why wear yourself out hiking all the way up to the deer when you can hit him from FOUR MILES AWAY with your spiffy .223 caliber "sniper" rifle? (The cluelessness of these hoplophobic Democrats is truly amazing sometimes, ain't it?)