Dear mr Pitts,
With reference to you your Editorial in the Miami Herald dated 02/13/08 with regards to the above subject, I sent you an email earlier tonight, but have come up with another aspect of your editorial opinion that I would like to discuss with you.
I would like to elicit some comment from you on one of the specific 'proposed compromises' that the gun advocates should consider. The item is:-
" . . . you don't need an assault weapon to go deer hunting? . . ."
Now, what is at issue here?
Why is this such a HOT topic for the gun control group that 'assault rifles' should not be used for deer hunting?
I am not a real fire arms expert, nor am I an avid hunter, nor do I own an 'assault rifle' (at least not yet), and I therefore do not profess to be an expert, but I do use some common logic, do some reading and remember my Highschool Physics.
Let's consider the following:-
1. Your average deer hunting rifle has a barrel of 20 inches or longer - this provides more accuracy over longer distances and also assists in increasing the muzzle velocity of a bullet exiting the barrel. It fires one bullet with every pull of the trigger
2. Your average 'assault rifle' has a barrel length of only about 16 inches - therefore less accurate and also resulting in lower muzzle velocity of a bullet exiting the barrel.It also fires exactly one bullet with every pull of the trigger.
3. The most popular hunting rifle caliber is the venerable 30-06. This round also has a bigger cartridge with a more powerfull charge of gun powder. The bullet is physically bigger and heavier than the .223
4. The most common 'assault rifle caliber is the .223. This round has a smaller cartridge than the 30-06,with a lighter charge of gun powder.
5. With a longer barrel, more powerful round, higher charge, heavier bullet, you have a faster, heavier and more accurate piece of metal hurtling from your average hunting rifle, than would come out of the barrel of an 'assault rifle'
6. My logic tells me that every pull of the trigger on your average 30-06 hunting rifle, is a bigger danger to any deer than a similar trigger pull of your average 'assault rifle'. You have a heavier, faster, more accurate over a longer distance, projectile being fired from a hunting rifle than from an 'assault rifle'. And this projectile is going to do more damage to the object that it strikes,due to it's higher velocity, physical dimensions and weight. This is using highschool physics - no nuclear science at all.
Do you not think that deer are actually being given a more sporting chance, being hunted with an 'assault rifle'. Considering that most deer are normally killed effectively with one, maybe two shots, the magazine capacity differences between the two rifles does not become a real factor in this equation anyway.
Is this "deer hunting with an assault rifle" issue that the control group has, not just another excuse, another red herring, to create the impression that 'assault rifles' are 'bad and very dangerous'. I can see no reason why it is such a huge issue to them.
So, can the pro-gun folks keep on hunting deer with 'assault rifles'?
Your thoughts are appreciated.
Best regards