Heard about the new Federal .50 BMG ban bill?

Anyone see the up to this? She's trying to NFA it instead of ban it outright... it means the antis are losing

Should we ask that everyone who owns a .50 BMG post a picture here, or do you all think we should start a separate thread for .50 BMG pics?

Has anyone else noticed that Carl Levin looks like Dr Evil?! Or was it Mini Me?!

If I read the text of the bill correctly, it bans all .50 BMG firearms, in addition to all of the above-mentioned large-50ish-caliber metric cartridges, and any rifle that looks like them (e.g. "copies or duplicates"):

The term `.50 BMG caliber sniper rifle' means--

`(A) a rifle capable of firing a center-fire cartridge in .50 BMG caliber, including a 12.7 mm equivalent of .50 BMG and any other metric equivalent; or

`(B) a copy or duplicate of any rifle described in subparagraph (A), or any other rifle developed and manufactured after the date of enactment of this paragraph, regardless of caliber, if such rifle is capable of firing a projectile that attains a muzzle energy of 12,000 foot-pounds or greater in any combination of bullet, propellant, case, or primer.'.

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And as for this comment:

Danggit! I guess this means I have to hurry up and buy a BMG so I'll be grandfathered in...

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I refer you to this:

SEC. 4. IMPLEMENTATION.

Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall implement regulations providing for notice and registration of .50 BMG caliber sniper rifles as destructive devices (as those terms are defined in section 921 of title 18, United States Code, as amended by this Act) under this Act and the amendments made by this Act, including the use of a notice and registration process similar to that used when the USAS-12, Striker 12, and Streetsweeper shotguns were reclassified as destructive devices and registered between 1994 and 2001 (ATF Ruling 94-1 (ATF Q.B. 1994-1, 22); ATF Ruling 94-2 (ATF Q.B. 1994-1, 24); and ATF Ruling 2001-1 (66 Fed. Reg. 9748)). The Attorney General shall ensure that under the regulations issued under this section, the time period for the registration of any previously unregistered .50 BMG caliber sniper rifle shall end not later than 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.

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So, yes, you may be grandfathered in, but you'll be registered as owning a destructive device or else you'll become a federal criminal.

Moreover, I have never heard of any crime being committed in the U.S. where a .50 BMG firearm was discharged by a criminal. I have seen numerous stories by Carl Levin, Feinstein, et al who have claimed that people arrested for any sort of crime who happened to legally own a .50 BMG rifle constituted criminal use of "dangerous .50 caliber sniper rifles capable of shooting down a 747" and necessitated such a ban.

Didn't the D.C. sniper use .223? At Virginia Tech he used a .22 LR and a 9mm. I guess the "assault sniper .22 pistol safety ban of 2007" is up next. :banghead:

I'm with you, Doc 2005. I'd go more into detail of what I think of Carl Levin (and all the Levins, for that matter), but it wouldn't be THR.

E-mails sent to Sens. Ben Nelson (D) and Chuck Hagel (R) of Nebraska.

Doc 2005- I believe the answer to your question is 0. If you go back a couple of more years you will find a couple of murders of LEOs. The antis are not worried about crime or terrorism. The antis are worried about the .50 cals being used for the intended purpose of the 2A.

Doc 2005- I believe the answer to your question is 0.

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I think the answer is actually "1". The crazy guy that up-armored a bulldozer or some such in Granby, CO used a .50BMG to fire randomly at buildings when he went on his "rampage".

I don't think he actually hit anyone though.

I have always wanted a .50 BMG just for S&G.
I think I will start to save in earnest for one now. Can't let those pesky H&k
and good ole 1911's get in the way any more.

Introducer and supporting authors in the Senate

FEINSTEIN, KENNEDY, LEVIN, MENENDEZ, MIKULSKI, CLINTON, DURBIN, BOXER, LAUTENBERG, SCHUMER, and DODD.

What a list of Who's Who in the book of "Haven't You Learned ANYTHING About What Happens After a Country Disarms It's Citizenry?!?"

From that great bastion of truth the VPC:

On April 28, 1995, Albert Petrosky walked into an Albertson's grocery store in suburban Denver, Colorado, and gunned down his estranged wife and the store manager. Armed with an L.A.R. Grizzly 50 caliber sniper rifle, an SKS Chinese semiautomatic assault rifle, a .32 revolver, and a 9mm semiautomatic pistol, Petrosky then walked out into the shopping center parking lot, where he exchanged fire with a federal IRS agent and killed Sgt. Timothy Mossbrucker of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department. Petrosky, who was known to his friends as "50-cal Al," fired all four weapons, including the 50 caliber rifle, during his murderous rampage. ("Authorities Investigate Gun Sale: Rifle Used in Albertson's Slayings Wasn't Illegal," Rocky Mountain News, May 1, 1995)


Branch Davidian cult members at a compound in Waco, Texas, fired 50 caliber sniper rifles at federal ATF agents during their initial gun battle on February 28, 1993. The weapons' ability to penetrate tactical vehicles prompted the agency to request military armored vehicles to give agents adequate protection from the 50 caliber rifles and other more powerful weapons the Branch Davidians might have had. Four ATF agents were killed. ("Weaponry: .50 Caliber Rifle Crime," GAO Office of Special Investigations letter, August 4, 1999)


On February 27, 1992, a Wells Fargo armored delivery truck was attacked in a "military style operation" in Chamblee, Georgia, by several men using a smoke grenade and a Barrett 50 caliber sniper rifle. Two employees were wounded. ("Two Armored Truck Guards Shot," The Atlanta Journal Constitution, February 27, 1992)

They are like the energizer bunny, they just keep going and going and going and....

I guess a 50 is in the same category as the other "fun guns", like the full autos, so I'd guess from their point of view it could just as easily be regulated in the same manner. But I guess that's also true of most semi autos as well. Its surprising that more types haven't been lumped into that NFA category--as a population, we've demonstrated our willingness to put up with just a little more in most cases.

A letter you can all use:

Dear Senator Old Guy:
My name is Real Name and I am writing to urge you to vote against S.B. 1331 - “Long-Range Sniper Rifle Safety Act of 2007.” This piece of legislation serves no purpose but to infringe on the rights of law-abiding gun owners. To my knowledge, the .50 BMG has not been used in this country for any terrorism-related crime or for any sniping-related crime. Further, I find it quite ridiculous for such a bill to describe any rifle chambered in .50 BMG as a “sniper rifle.” The language of the bill also opens the doors for any rifle remotely similar to a current .50 BMG rifle to be banned. Also, the common AR-15 defense rifle is available in a .50 BMG configuration; this bill potentially opens the door for declaring all AR-15-style rifles “destructive devices” and placing them under regulation and registration of the National Firearms Act. Such a bill would also pose a severe detriment to hunters who may wish to humanely harvest big game from the safe distances the .50 BMG allows. I strongly urge you to vote no on S.B. 1331. I appreciate your support in this matter. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Real Name
Real Address

In Cali....YES Cali.

Here's my buddies, LEO, Barrett:

Moreover, I have never heard of any crime being committed in the U.S. where a .50 BMG firearm was discharged by a criminal.

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In addition to what Titan6 posted, there was Heemeyer in Granby, CO back in 2004...
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/3390654/detail.html

Video of the event, but not of the shooting...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZbG9i1oGPA&mode=related&search=

I thought only Bush used terror tactics

We must save the world from the evil .50BMG,
Quick, every one go here: http://www.50caliberterror.com/

EDIT: Jesus, this website gives new meaning to "emotional" gun grabbers!!!

The .50 Caliber Sniper Rifle puts us all at risk whenever we fly an airplane.

These powerful sniper rifles which were designed for the battlefield to puncture armor and destroy targets from long range are easier to get than a handgun.

Why should we be spending billions of dollars on homeland security when a terrorist can buy a sniper rifle that can shoot armor piercing bullets up to 2000 yards with great accuracy?

Why do we permit the sale of a weapon that is powerful enough to threaten civilian airplanes taxiing on the runway or during landing and takeoff?

Your safety is at stake because these weapons are so readily available.

.50 Caliber sniper rifles are a terrorist’s dream considering the death and destruction they could inflict.

If you are fed up with gun manufacturers who put profits before homeland security, join our national campaign NOW!
Facts on .50 Caliber Sniper Rifles

http://www.vpc.org/50caliber.htm

* .50 Caliber Sniper Rifles were designed to attack parked or landing aircraft, armored personnel carriers, rail tank cars, bulk fuel storage, and concrete bunkers.
* .50 Caliber sniper rifles are powerful enough to puncture armored limousines and can be used as tools for assassination.
* .50 Caliber Sniper Rifles have effective ranges up to 2,000 yards, or in other words, 20 football fields laid end to end. Deer hunters generally shoot at ranges of 150 to 200 yards.
* Osama bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda network bought 25 Barrett .50 Caliber sniper rifles in the late 1980s.
* .50 Caliber ammunition is the largest round available on the civilian market and highly destructive armor-piercing, incendiary, and explosive rounds are easily available.

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Realllllllyyyyyy??? :banghead::banghead::banghead:

Has anyone actually been killed with a .50, though?

if they ban everything .50 and larger, that pretty much ends civil and revolutionary war reenactments and virtually all black powder shooting.....

plenty of enthusiasts that could be mobilized I am thinking.......

^ It's pretty much banning centerfire only, or anything else that exceeds 12k ft-lbs.

I did a search and couldn't find this (quickly - I'm at work). Here's a link to the Library of Congress page that will give you all the info you could want. Guess who's behind the bill.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/thomas

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Sponsor: Sen. Dianne Feinstein [D-CA]
Cosponsors
Sen. Barbara Boxer [D-CA]
Sen. Hillary Clinton [D-NY]
Sen. Christopher Dodd [D-CT]
Sen. Richard Durbin [D-IL]
Sen. Edward Kennedy [D-MA]
Sen. Frank Lautenberg [D-NJ]
Sen. Carl Levin [D-MI]
Sen. Robert Menéndez [D-NJ]
Sen. Barbara Mikulski [D-MD]
Sen. Charles Schumer [D-NY]

Well iuf it passes, make a rim-fire .50BMG...

How to Lie with Statistics. Sounds like they're just re-writing the old textbook, new topic, same perversion of "wanna-be-fact". What’s next? The lowly .22LR used to be listed as deadly to 1.5 miles…Hades on high, that exceeds the distance listed for the .50 BMG…is that the next distortion?

Feinstein apparently hasn't read Michael Marks' article
Actually she probably has...but public safety isn't part of her agenda.

It seems to me that current....

50 cal rifles will be grandfathered. If this is the case, stocking up with ammo would be the thing to do if you own a 50 cal rifle.....chris3

"Grandfathering"

If this bill passes, .50 BMG's will become "destructive devices". Since they intend to follow the procedures they created for the Streetsweeper:

- existing .50 BMG's would need to be registered on a Form 1. Fingerprints and passport photos would be required, but the CLEO signature and $200 tax payment would not be required.

- new .50 BMG's could be made on a Form 1 ($200) or manufactured on a Form 2 ($0).

- .50 BMG's could be transferred on a Form 4 ($200).

ETA: So buying one now means you get to skip the CLEO signature and $200 registration tax if this passes.

"My @#$@#$ senator Carl Levin is a co-sponsor"

Then call Levin and voice your opinion as a taxpayer