Democrat Targets .50 Caliber Revolver for Nationwide Ban

CNSNEWS.com ^ | 2/17/03 | Michael L. Betsch

[kattracks]

(CNSNews.com) - A well-known gun maker recently introduced a powerful new hunting revolver that is said to have no equal in terms of firepower.

But within days of introducing the Smith & Wesson 500 Magnum at an industry-wide trade show in Florida, an anti-gun Democrat promised to seek a nationwide ban on the product.

"It's hard for me to rationalize any particular need or purpose" for the 500 Magnum, said Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.). "I think guns are made to kill people. That's my opinion."

Asked if he would seek a nationwide ban on the 500 Magnum, Davis replied, "Yes, indeed."

Billed as the "most powerful production revolver in the world today," S&W claims its new 500 Magnum cartridge produces nearly three times the muzzle energy of the .44 Magnum round, one of the most powerful sidearm cartridges available.

But Davis said the .50 caliber revolver, which weighs 72.5 ounces and has an overall length 15-inch has no purpose in society except to cause injury and death to humans, dismissing the manufacturer's claim that it is intended for hunting wild game.

He claimed handguns in general are specifically designed kill fellow human beings, whereas rifles and shotguns are typically relegated to hunting animals.

"You don't go out hunting deer with a revolver," Davis said. "Those of us who live in big, urban centers have a different fear and a different take than some people who may live in different environments."

Davis believes the 500 Magnum has a greater potential for becoming a lethal inner-city status symbol than an effective hunting tool, at least in his congressional district. He added that its high power combined with its concealability could make it the "weapon of choice" for urban gangs.

"If you live in a place like Chicago, and you know the amount of violence that is perpetrated by individuals who grow-up with the idea that having, handling and using a gun is a way-of-life in terms of establishing yourself on the streets or as part of the culture, then I'm afraid that many of these individuals will, in fact, acquire this weapon," Davis said.

"And, of course, the thing will be, 'I've got the most powerful piece on the block,'" he said.

Can a revolver be an assault weapon?

While Smith & Wesson's new five-round revolver is billed by the company as "the most powerful production revolver ever made," it's already being reclassified by some gun control advocates.

"If you've got something that masquerades as a handgun, but has the firepower of a major weapon, you're all at risk," said Illinois State House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie. "This is not the Wild West. It hasn't been for a long time."

Currie compared the 500 Magnum to "military-style assault weapons," although she had no information to base her claims on except for a "tip" received from a reporter.

"I'm not a weapons expert, but it sounded like pretty strong firepower to me," Currie said. "The description I heard was that from a significant range you could fell a large bear."

She dismissed the notion that the 500 Magnum is a hunting revolver, but did equate it with mob violence.

"My concern is whether this kind of weaponry -- it is a handgun as I understand it -- in a crowded, urban area downtown street corners in the midst of people who are angry about something and developing the kind of range that means vandalism and mob action - whether this kind of weapon has any place," Currie said.

Like Davis, Currie said she would examine the prospects of making the sidearm illegal in the state.

"I'm going to look at the technology, as I say, and see if there is any way to specifically keep it from operating in the state of Illinois," Flynn said. "We are also working on efforts to ban military-style assault weapons, and, perhaps there is something about this technology that makes it possible to amend that legislation to include firepower like this."

Anti-gun message said to be flawed

Rifles are most commonly used for hunting, but many gun enthusiasts have also used smaller side arms for hunting, according to Gun Owners of America Executive Director Larry Pratt, who corrected the claim by Davis that hunters don't use revolvers to shoot prey.

"He's quite ignorant because there are people who do," Pratt said. "I do know for a fact that people take large caliber handguns with them to go hunting. And, I have no doubt that if you were lucky enough to get close enough, you could take a deer down with a .44 Magnum, which until now, was the biggest gun around."

As far as Davis' contention that any would-be criminal could easily conceal the 500 Magnum, Pratt said, "Yeah, if you have a trench coat or something like that."

Asked if the 500 Magnum's predecessor, the .44 Magnum faced the same criticisms and threats by politicians upon its introduction in 1955, Pratt said the controversy over Smith and Wesson's latest offering appears to be a sign of the times.

"It was all sort of good clean fun when it was introduced, but we're 20 years further along the gun-hating sensitivity training," Pratt said. "We're talking about the frame of mind that opposes concealed carry by private citizens."

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[TLBSHOW]

democrats are all communist lovers they need to be stopped!

[Shooter 2.5]

Their guns are too overpriced

This monster is going for 750 dollars at my local gunshop. If you have a problem with prices, it may be the gunshop.

[sweetliberty]

I have a better idea. How about a national ban on democRATs?

[wita]

Looks to me like he knows enough. If Neal knox was President, and all the compromising and appeasement had not taken place, I might agree with you.

[sauropod]

I can't stand people that are so elitist and arrogant that think their wacko ideas should be imposed nationwide just because the ideas came from them. Screw the 'Rats! 'Pod

[KrisKrinkle]

"I think guns are made to kill people. That's my opinion."
__________________________________________________________

I've heard of, seen, maybe owned guns that were not made to kill people.

Squirrel rifles, rabbit guns, deer guns, target pistols and rifles, and of course skeet guns all can kill people, but that is not what they are made to do.

We do the anti-gunners a favor anytime we fall for either the "guns are made to kill people" or the "only purpose of a gun is to kill" arguement.

[esopman]

OK. Great pictures. Now...take the second one, the 'Barrett .50' pistol, print the picture and write a breathless, sympathetic letter to Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, et alii along the lines of:

"Those of us in the gun safety community, standing shoulder to shoulder with you and your efforts on behalf of American children, ask that you stand in the well of the Senate and denounce this unnecessary and reckless weapon being marketed by the gun advocates. We are counting on you. Cordially..."

Five gets you ten that one of them will be dumb enough to run with it.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Neal Knox is not the NRA. Current management has received my endorsement (Life Member) and, in a backhanded way, the endorsement of those who would take away our gun rights: Bill Clinton himself said the NRA made the difference in beating Algore in a razor-thin election. Looks to me like we're getting results and our money's worth.

[45Auto]

The last election proved disastrous for Illinois (along with Califronia and a few other states)with demonRATS ending up holding allthe cards. So now, along with Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland and New Jersey, Illinois will be interesting to watch. Between the new dufus Illinois governor, the mayor of Chicago, and this idiot Davis (coincidental name? same as California Dufus governor), the gun owners of Illinois have their work cut out for them. Incidentally, I hope there is not much chance that the US Congress will pass any gun control in this session. Of course, one cannot trust politicians, even so-called Repubos, when it comes to gun laws. They are a treacherous lot.

[45Auto]

Oh, and I'm so damn sick of these treasonous rat-bastards, that I could just barf.

[CCWoody]

Just for comparrison with your excellent chart, my handloaded 185gr .45 HP's are giving me 450ft/lb of energy. Pertty good for a defensive load that will not overpenetrate. At the other end, next to that beefy 500 S&W, my 130gr spbt .270 handloads are giving me just over 2600ft/lb of energy.

Now, I broke my back several years ago and when I shoot my .270 at the range, I use a sandbag to limit the felt recoil. Shooting this 500 S&W, which is lighter than my .270 will have a greater felt recoil in the hands than my .270. And I am suppose to believe that this weapon is going to be grabbed up by punk kids looking to kill people. Yeah, right! One shot with this and they will go back to their little guns.

And, I make one other observation, which the article did not address, but is only a matter of time. Wanna bet that this 500 S&W round will have no problem going through type 2 body armor?

Woody.

[dljordan]

You may be on to something here! We need some Freeper graphics person to whip up a FreeperArms .75 semi-auto with optional extended magazine. Then we can send it out as a newsflash to all the appropriate parties and watch them get their panties in a wad. I can just see UpChuck Schumer holding it up on the floor.

[Liberty Ship]

"How many gang bangers tot around a .44 Magnum?"

Hawk did in the Spenser series. Oh, sorry. That was fiction.

I'm waiting for the S&W 500 in a 2" barrel model so I can wear it on my ankle holster!

[SauronOfMordor]

And, I make one other observation, which the article did not address, but is only a matter of time. Wanna bet that this 500 S&W round will have no problem going through type 2 body armor?

Velocity is what goes thru armor, rather than just muzzle energy

Visualize the muzzle velocity of a .223 bullet in plastic sabot put in a .50 case. Then consider that the formula for muzzle energy is 1/2 MV²

[cavtrooper21]

Yea, but the impact energy of this round will push the trauma plate on a vest out of the wearer's back so penitration is sort of a moot point.

[cajun-jack]

I heard on a talk radio show in Jackson, Ms this morning that a city councilman (stokes) is proposing a 90 day moritorium on the sale of all firearms in Jackson. We are in an emergency with the terriost threat level elevated to code orange and therefore we need to stop the sale of firearms from either dealers and gunshows. Not an exact quote but the jist of what he said.

[thrcanbonly1]

Some one has to do this.


"It's an .88 Magnum. It shoots though schools." (Danny Vermin in Johnny Dangerously)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

You know what they say; Big ankles. Big feet.

[supercat]

Squirrel rifles, rabbit guns, deer guns, target pistols and rifles, and of course skeet guns all can kill people, but that is not what they are made to do.

Even a Mossberg tactical isn't really designed to kill people; its primary purpose to convince intruders that they don't want to get shot. Actually shooting someone generally only occurs when the primary purpose fails.

[2nd Amendment]

The only thing I don't like about the .50 caliber magnum is that I don't have one! If one gun makes you happy, 10 guns will make you ten times happier!