Say It Ain't So, Mr. C
Bill McGurn ·
Jan 20, 2011 at 11:46am
On the train into Manhattan this morning I was surprised to open my beloved New York Post and find our beloved (well, in my circles) former Vice President quoted in an editorial headlined "Cheney Gets It":
"Whether or not there's some measure there in terms of limiting the size of the magazine that you can buy to go with semi-automatic weapons, we've had that in place before. Maybe it's appropriate to re-establish that kind of thing." -- Former Vice President and noted hunter Dick Cheney, yesterday convolutedly endorsing restrictions on the availability of high-capacity handgun magazines
Apparently he does not read Ricochet, or was unpersuaded by what I took to be rather persuasive comments to the contrary when last I posted on this.
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Jul '10
Re: Say It Ain't So, Mr. C
Bill, it strikes me as the reflexive response of an elite. Cheney simply cannot imagine himself in a situation - a home invasion by multiple perpetrators or an urban riot - where a large-capacity magazine might be the difference between life and death.
Edited on Jan 20, 2011 at 11:56amRe: Say It Ain't So, Mr. C
Could be. I know nothing about guns, but found most of the arguments here last week pretty persuasive. But Cheney has been a stalwart 2nd Amendment guy his whole life, so I was surprised.
Re: Say It Ain't So, Mr. C
In California, where we sign up first for each and every gun control fad, we naturally have a legal prohibition of handgun magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition. Pistols like the Glock 19, capable of accommodating 15 rounds in a flush magazine, are artificially limited to 10. The impact of this rule on our crime rate? Nil. However, it does provide the gun banners with one more tool to trip an otherwise law-abiding but uninformed citizen into convicted felon status. One more gotcha to deter exercise of 2nd Amendment rights.
If you ever do consider moving to California and bringing your firearms, you must purchase this book and memorize its ever-changing contents.
Aug '10
Re: Say It Ain't So, Mr. C
I think maybe Cheney was reminiscing on the days when the NRA was fighting for no limitations on anything. Black rhino bullets were the cause celebre, before that it was probably why can't I have a Sherman tank ? I will only use it for deer !
I trust Cheney and I trust the newspapers to misquote him in every way possible.
Here's a guy who is lifelong sportsman and his sense of what is realistic and reasonable is fine with me. I'll cover his back without questioning.
My family sold guns and ammo for one hundred years, never did any of those thousands of guns in the warehouse ever jump up and shoot anyone.
Any argument about accessories was best described by Dr Savage in the comment above, it's a trick.
Dec '10
Re: Say It Ain't So, Mr. C
The assault weapons ban had no measurable effect on crime.
There was, however, an unexpected consequence to the law. Since all new handguns sold to civilians were limited to ten rounds, a great many consumers made the determination that ten large, relatively more powerful rounds were preferable to ten smaller, less powerful rounds.
So during the period covered by the ban, sales of the .45 caliber M1911 pistol blossomed, displacing sales of high capacity 9mm handguns like Glocks and Berettas. Literally hundreds of manufacturers began production of semi-automatic, M1911 pattern pistols.
In no way am I advocating the return of any part of that wrongheaded law. I'm just pointing out that even seemingly simple laws have unpredicted consequences. And I'm wondering if Rep. Giffords would have survived being shot in the forehead with a .45 caliber round.
Edited on Jan 26, 2011 at 1:58pmDec '10
Re: Say It Ain't So, Mr. C
.45 Auto Hollow Point? No way.
.45 Auto Full Metal Jacket? Maybe.
I constantly marvel at the perfection produced by Mr Browning over one hundred years ago.
Handgun fads come and go. The 1911 is eternal.
Aug '10
Re: Say It Ain't So, Mr. C
Cool hand ? Have you been to Ed Brown ? It's a Missouri thing.
Nov '10
Re: Say It Ain't So, Mr. C
Some of y'all may be interested in what Jim Cirillo, formerly of the New York City Police "stakeout detail" has to say about bullet effectiveness. His book Guns, Bullets, and Gunfights (Paladin Press, Boulder, Colorado, 1996) has two chapters on the subject and I found his arguments persuasive, to the extent that I prefer a wad cutter bullet loaded to approximately 1000 feet per second as a carry round (sort of a modified "Chicago Load" in the old Winchester .38+P loading). I haven't found any bullets yet cast like he recommends.