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Idiots on "Assault" Guns

Common Dreams.org trots out this factually-challenged piece of VPC garbage: SKS Assault Rifles–A Menace to Public Safety, wherein we are told:

these high capacity rifles pose an enhanced threat to law enforcement, in part because of their ability to expel projectiles at velocities that are capable of penetrating the type of soft body armor typically worn by the law enforcement officers.”

1. High capacity? An SKS can't hold more than 10 rounds. 10 rounds, according to the now-defunct "Assault Weapons" Ban, was not considered high capacity.

2. All rifles can penetrate body armor. Always could.

They say that quote is from an ATF report (it very well could be), but no link is provided.

Meanwhile, Essentially Contested (Congested?) America reminds us that Guns Don't Kill, But Assault Rifles Do. They start out by quoting Paul Helmke:

"Having an SKS rifle and high-capacity ammunition clips enabled a troubled young man to kill and injure a large number of people quickly and efficiently.

See #1, above, then add the fact that the SKS doesn't accept "clips". I'm assuming the quote is referring to magazines, of course. The capacity of a true clip is irrelevant, it's the capacity of the rifle that matters. Again, I refer you to #1 above.

The notion that "guns don't kill, people do" while literally correct is contextually absurd ... People need to be involved. But just imagine the degree of lethality of a knife, a revolver, pistol, or even an ordinary hunter's rifle contrasted with an assault rifle. They just don't match.

The idiocy of this statement pegged my bullshit meter so hard the needle bent. Of course they don't match. An "ordinary hunter's rifle" is much more powerful than an SKS. Speaking from ignorance is what they do best, though.

When will we learn?

That's a question I ask myself every time I see garbage like this. When will you learn?

Actually...

Sorry to pick nits, but...
The SKS can accept removable magazines, although they are generally not very reliable. My guess is this kid had a rifle that accepted removable magazines, although it is a moot point, because rifles can be loaded just as quickly with integral box magazines and stripper clips.

Also, not all rifles penetrate standard police body armor (many rimfire rifles, and many pistol-caliber carbines for instance.)

Your points are valid, but it is wise to be careful when you use words like "can't" and "always".

  • By gextyr at 2007-12-07 14:08
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Agreed

I was gonna mention that, but decided not to.

One thing we like to do is get all into details about rimfire rifles/pistol caliber carbines/modified SKS's, etc and lose sight of the message.

The anti-gunners write to the general public, one of the things I think we pro-gun folks do wrong is write to other pro-gunners. Too many details. I'm trying to write to people who might not know much about guns.

I know a .22 won't penetrate body armor, and I reckon a Beretta Storm couldn't either (hadn't though of that, thanks), but when we start getting into those sorts of details, one of two things happen.

1. The reader gets bored and quits reading, or, even worse,

2. The reader thinks they're getting deluged with facts to confuse the issue.

It's a fine line to walk, writing to the general public without becoming misleading, and the last thing I want to do is act like those anti-gunners who lie and mislead to make their point.

Good thing only three people at a time read this blog, I guess. I can go ahead and make these mistakes without doing much harm. =)

  • By Rustmeister at 2007-12-07 15:38
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update - it was some kind of AK

security cam video is now up; see link for one.

Yeah

I saw a still over at Drudge.

  • By Rustmeister at 2007-12-07 19:30
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