Brady Campaign: Help Stop Celebratory Gunfire this New Years

[71Commander]

Sheesh, if the Brady Organization issued a statement saying the Holocaust was bad, I think there are people here who would try to claim it wasn't, just to disagree with them.

I'm not saying they are right or wrong, just that it's not their responsibility to make statements concerning the issue.

Wrong on that one, partner. Expiration of the AWB doesn't change public opinion or mean you have heard the last of it.

I am aware that the issue is not dead and will be brought up again. The general public is IMO pretty apathetic about guns in general. It's not until they are put on the spot by pollers or anti's they they make any statement.
ie: (MMM'er to John/Jane Doe) "Do you think that automatic AK-47's and Uzi's should be owned by private citizens?"

John/Jane Doe "Uh, er, No they should not".

Now the Doe's are going to walk away without giving guns, for the most part, another thought. Their poll response is going to be used by national organizations in a propaganda campaign.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

TennTucker...

The Brady organization's responsibility is whatever they want it to be. They are a private American organization, and can say or promote whatever agenda they want.

 

[beerslurpy]

Yeah TennTucker, you are absolutely correct but I would remind you of this comforting fact- those same people who dont care also dont vote on the issue. That hasnt been forgotten by our representatives, especially those that we fired after the 94 ban.

Honestly, besides maybe half a dozen idiologues on either side, most politicians are neither pro-gun nor anti-gun. They are overwhelmingly "pro-getting-elected-again." Our job is to continue reminding these fence-sitters that we represent an enormous and dedicated voting block that will cost them elections if they make trouble. They dont have to propose gun law repeals, they just have to vote the right way when the opportunity arises.

 

[RealGun]

I wonder if you might find that NRA already has a position on this issue. I don't quite follow why this has to be a negative or cynical debate.

 

[goblue]

I am visiting my family in Los Angeles (suburb) over XMas. Dad's old shotgun was not feeding properly. Stripped it, made a couple of tweaks and then it was off to the sporting goods store to buy some shells before heading to the range.

But wait... No ammo sales in LA 2 weeks before New Years. It's the law, apparently. Guess the city council does not trust law abiding citizens. Of course, discharge of a firearm in city limits is already illegal.

 

[RealGun]

No ammo sales in LA 2 weeks before New Years.

What about mail order, not that it would be timely for you?

 

[71Commander]

But wait... No ammo sales in LA 2 weeks before New Years. It's the law, apparently. Guess the city council does not trust law abiding citizens. Of course, discharge of a firearm in city limits is already illegal.

How asinine. Don't they know that people who will shoot on NY eve will buy it 15 days before?

 

[goblue]

I don't think most mail order place will ship to CA

 

[Orthonym]

If Anyone Cares to Search The Archives...

for one of my earliest posts, right after I joined up (I don't) he will find that I complained about blank cartridges being against the law in FL.

Now, I would never do such a thing, but I imagine that if one were to go out in the yard and empty the cylinder of his revolver, DOWNWARDS, into an eighteen-inch-high stack of wet, soggy newspapers, right about at the midnight change of the year, no harm would be done, except to the acuity of hearing of such a heinous criminal. I, for one, would never do such a thing, and blush with shame for even thinking about it and writing about it. Crimethink is so bad. Will y'all forgive me my evil thoughts, it being Christmas and all?

Merry Christmas, and refrain from actual crimes. When it comes to thoughtcrime, well, knock yerselves out!

 

[jpIII]

Does anyone have any good information on the terminal velocity that a bullet can achieve from simply falling from the sky?

I did some googling, and found some conflicting reports.

One said the following

For further insight, we turn to Hatcher's Notebook (1962) by Major General Julian S. Hatcher, a U.S. Army ordnance expert. Hatcher described military tests with, among other things, a .30 caliber bullet weighing .021 pounds. Using a special rig, the testers shot the bullet straight into the air. It came down bottom (not point) first at what was later computed to be about 300 feet per second. "With the [.021 pound] bullet, this corresponds to an energy of 30 foot pounds," Hatcher wrote. "Previously, the army had decided that on the average an energy of 60 foot pounds is required to produce a disabling wound. Thus, service bullets returning from extreme heights cannot be considered lethal by this standard."

I know this is in no way difinitive, but I feel that the danger presented from falling bullets may be a bit overstated. I look forward to hearing from anyone with more first hand information.

Thanks,
JP

 

[Lone_Gunman]

I know this is in no way difinitive, but I feel that the danger presented from falling bullets may be a bit overstated.

That takes into account a bullet fired straight up. If it is fired at less than a 90 degree angle to the ground, then there will also be at least some forward velocity as well.

Also, the data only discussed "disabling" injuries... so if a bullet hit you on the head and tore a big hole out of your scalp, you wouldn't be disabled, but do you really want to sustain that wound because some drunkard had to celebrate New Years in and unsafe manner.

There is no way you can defend discharging a firearm under those circumstances.

 

[XLMiguel]

Shoooting into the air = DUMB

While we all understand BB's agenda, one can't disagree with the message, and given that most people only remember 30% of what they hear, I figure the mosre they hear it, regardless of source, the higher the chance it might sink in.

Although I don't see this as a big threat in far out Falls Church, I've been an NM & AZ on NYE, and hard cover overhead ain't a bad idea. Physical threat aside, the Spirit of the Holiday is somewhat deminished by having to fix a hole in the roof or replace a window due to some neighboring buttmunch's lack of muzzle discipline.

 

[benEzra]

jpIII, that was indeed for bullets fired straight up.

But if a drunken NYE idiot fires a gun at a 45-degree angle instead of straight up...

Also, 300 fps may not be enough to cause a disabling flesh wound COM, but if it hits you squarely on the top of the head, it might fracture your skull, and I don't think I'd want to get hit in the neck with a 158-grain bullet at 300 fps.

 

[HiWayMan]

This thread reminded me to clean my gun for NYE. Thanks. I live in the country and have always enjoyed the gunfire that accompanies NYE and July 4th. Nothing says freedom and community like a neighborhood discharging firearms together.

 

[Gewehr98]

The Brady Campaign squawked again.

Yawn.


Myself, I'm too busy loading up blanks for New Year's Eve.