Mark Serbu To NYPD: No Semiauto .50BMGs For You...

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Well, look at that. That sounds pretty grass roots to me. But now the NYPD won't be able to take out lightly armored vehicles, and perform other anti-materiel roles... oh, wait. Nevermind...
 
Why does a police department need a .50 bmg?
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Because the US Military is not Constitutionally allowed to be deployed on U.S. soil, to fight terrorists.

Terrorists, New York, terrorrists, get the irony/oxymoronics of your question?
 
The .50 BMG is simply a capability that they want. Do they actually NEED it? Most likely not. Unless some terrorists use a lightly armored vehicle, or the police need to shoot to disable a vehicle, or they get into a situation where they need to shoot through a wall to neutralize some bad guys. The chances of that capability being needed are pretty slim, but, like any agency, who doesn't want the cool toys?
 
They want it 'cause they think it's cool. That's really pretty much it. And those are the reasons they give. They can't say the REAL reason: cause they think it's cool.
 
They need them because they still have to deal with criminals. Their laws only apply to law abiding citizens. One would think state and federal officials would use and make better laws to punish criminals, my mistake, they may get charged by some of those type laws.:what:
 
If taxpayers are footing the bill, the "why do you need it" question is valid.

Otherwise, feel free to spend personal funds on it!

If they really need a long-distance sniper rifle, there are other calibers out there (338 lapua, 408 Cheytac) that will do as well or better for precision shooting.
 
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A big, sweeping 'tip-o-the-hat' to Mark Serbu & Company.

I do not have a place anywhere nearby to shoot a .50, so I don't own one. Would like to own said rifle, but not practical for me. Otherwise, I would probably own 2....one from Barret for his previous stands against tyranny, and one from Serbu.

I believe in rewarding those on this side of the Constitution.
 
stompah said:
Why does a police department need a .50 bmg?
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Why municipal police departments in general have become so militarized over the past 30-40 some odd years is something I've often wondered myself.
 
It's ironic, they proclaim to want to get our 'weapons of war' off the streets. Our semi-automatic carbines and rifles that simply LOOK like their military counterparts, but they don't mind if the police have REAL weapons of war, such as APC's, and .50 bmg rifles. Really? That's a bunch of bs.
 
CLP said:
Why municipal police departments in general have become so militarized over the past 30-40 some odd years is something I've often wondered myself.
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I have no idea how many of the police department SWAT teams have real capability, but I would think that if you are the BG and see 4 or 5 or 6 guys in black, bullet resistant gear, with helmets and face plates and assault rifles (real ones) moving toward your position, you would mess your pants and reevaluate your situation. Shock and awe.
 
Sure, but with all that, why a .50 bmg? That goes quite beyond the capabilities of an assault rifle.
 
Good on him. We need to make it as difficult as we can in those states to send a message. Nothing against the officers but they can't get the gear they need it might change some of their minds to stand up for freedom.
 
Last I heard, Armalite still sells to NYPD. And they make a bolt action .50...

Earlier stories (where the NYPD commish said they could shoot down airplanes) indicated that NYPD already had at least one Barrett - but Barrett makes bolt guns too. I don't know what the deal on that really is - but here's a link to the story:

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/09/can-the-nypd-shoot-down-a-plane-kinda-sorta-not-exactly/
Can the NYPD Shoot Down a Plane? Kinda, Sorta, Not Exactly.
BY NOAH SHACHTMAN
09.26.11 10:47 AM
 
CLP said:
Originally Posted by stompah
Why does a police department need a .50 bmg?
Click to expand...
Why municipal police departments in general have become so militarized over the past 30-40 some odd years is something I've often wondered myself.
Click to expand...
It's pretty simple actually. How else are they supposed to contend with a populace that remains out of their complete control, not abiding by popular cultural ideals, and who is also continually arming themselves against the judgement of the ruling class? Before you can bring down the hammer, you've got to have a hammer.
 
Wow, shoot down a plane huh? That commish is really out there. Just visualizing that is making me want to laugh, until I realize that this fool is kind of serious, then it's just sad, and not funny anymore.

Maybe what the NYPD really needs are flak guns. I mean, you can't have crooks just, like, dropping JDAM's can you? We've got to keep those things off the streets, or air, or whateverrr...
 
They need it because the NY law makers pass laws that need to be enforced. Enforcing the laws sometimes requires the use of force against law breakers, such as people robbing banks, rapists, or people possessing illegal firearms. To enforce these laws the police need overwhelming force and firepower to protect the lives of the police of the citizens which they protect. They police can better enforce the laws passed by the law makers with bigger and better weapons then the law breakers. Suppose an individual or group has 308 or 454 caliber weapons which can strike at long distances. The police could have used the 50 cal to enforce the laws at a greater distance without risking the lives of the police.
 
A) Barring evidence to the contrary, I'm certain that NYPD ESU already have access to .50 cal rifles.

B) Police departments are about contingencies, and an anti-materiel rifle is a relevant arrow in the quiver. We can what-if scenarios where such would be relevant all day long, and the "cops don't need this" side don't have a credible retort, just a vague sense of moral unease or outrage that police might arm themselves to effectively counter threats and meet contingencies that might present themselves.

C) Posse comitatus means that here in the US we can't pawn off trigger pulling on .50 cal anti-materiel rifles to the .mil on those rare occasions when it comes up. Even if we sought to do so, outside of jurisdictions immediately outside major military bases, the additional response time would tend to increase risk to the public in resolving a situation.

D) Good to see another manufacturer stepping up.
 
Yep, kudos to Mark Serbu. He's a pretty cool guy - he won't sell to the NYPD, but he will send one of those semiautos to me to T&E. :evil:
 
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