Hunting Rifle Ban Introduced as "Sniper Rifle" Ban

[LifeNRA]

Hunting Rifle Ban Introduced as "Sniper Rifle" Ban

Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) is one of the most irrationally anti-gun members of the U.S. House of Representatives. For example, in 1993, when the House voted 424-4 to require a law enforcement agency to explain to a person why it rejected that person`s handgun purchase under the former federal waiting period law, Moran was one of the four who voted against the measure. In Moran`s mind, anyone who wants to buy a gun doesn`t deserve to be treated fairly.

Today, Moran is doing the anti-gun lobbies` bidding on one of their latest gun-ban schemes. On February 8, he introduced H.R. 654, which he calls the ".50 Caliber Sniper Rifle Reduction Act." As with other "gun control" bills, the name doesn`t accurately reflect the bill`s fine print. The bill:

Bans all .50 caliber hunting rifles. It invents the term, ".50 caliber sniper weapon," and then defines it to include any rifle "capable of firing a center-fire cartridge in 50 caliber, .50 BMG caliber, any other variant of 50 caliber, or any metric equivalent of such calibers." In addition to rifles that use the venerable .50 Browning cartridge, many other .50 caliber rifles would fall under that broad definition. Such rifles, all designed and/or widely used for hunting, were invented between the 1860s and 1970s.

Requires gun registration of all lawfully-owned .50 caliber rifles. The bill would subject all .50 caliber rifles to the National Firearms Act (NFA), to regulate them in the same way as machine guns.

Bans manually-loaded rifles--single-shots, double rifles, pump-actions, and bolt-actions. Most .50 caliber rifles, including .50 Brownings, are of manual-loading type. Single shots hold only one round of ammunition, double rifles hold two, and pumps and bolt-actions hold only several.

Prohibits a lawful owner of a .50 caliber rifle from selling it. The bill would allow a current owner to keep his rifle, if he registers it with BATFE under the provisions of the NFA. But the bill would prohibit selling a lawfully-owned .50 caliber rifle to anyone, despite the strict controls of the NFA, which include an FBI background check on a prospective buyer.

Prohibits a lawful owner from passing a .50 caliber rifle to a family member as part of an inheritance. The prohibition on subsequent transfer has no exceptions.

Sets the stage for an even wider gun ban. If guns can be arbitrarily banned according to the mere diameter of the bullet, what is to prevent banning guns that use smaller bullets than .50 caliber? The anti-gun group that conceived the idea of a ban on .50 caliber rifles has already proposed banning .30 caliber rifles as "intermediate sniper rifles." International gun-ban activist Rebecca Peters has even proposed banning rifles that can shoot 100 meters--;that is, all rifles, since all rifles can shoot that distance.

Posted: 3/9/2005

[WaCoyote]

Re: Hunting Rifle Ban Introduced as \"Sniper Rifle\" Ban

Last time I ranted I had some facts wrong, so to avoid hat embarrasment again I'll post the bill.

50 Caliber Sniper Rifle Reduction Act (Introduced in House)

HR 654 IH

109th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 654

To ban the transfer of 50 caliber sniper weapons, and otherwise regulate the weapons in the same manner as machine guns are regulated.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 8, 2005

Mr. MORAN of Virginia (for himself, Mr. CONYERS, Ms. NORTON, Mr. WEXLER, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island, Ms. WATSON, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. WYNN, Mr. EVANS, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mrs. MCCARTHY, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, and Ms. CARSON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A BILL

To ban the transfer of 50 caliber sniper weapons, and otherwise regulate the weapons in the same manner as machine guns are regulated.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `50 Caliber Sniper Rifle Reduction Act'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds that--

(1) certain firearms originally designed and built for use as long-range 50 caliber military sniper weapons are increasingly sold in the domestic civilian market, and there are fewer legal restrictions on their possession or transfer than there are on handguns;

(2) the intended use of these long-range firearms, and an increasing number of models derived directly from them, is the taking of human life and the destruction of materiel, including armored vehicles and such components of the national critical infrastructure as radars and microwave transmission devices, in addition 50 caliber sniper weapons pose a significant threat to civil aviation in that they are capable of destroying or disabling jet aircraft;

(3) these firearms are neither designed nor used in any significant number for legitimate sporting or hunting purposes and are clearly distinguishable from rifles intended for sporting and hunting use;

(4) extraordinarily destructive ammunition for these weapons, including armor-piercing and armor-piercing incendiary ammunition, is freely sold in interstate commerce; and

(5) the virtually unrestricted availability of these firearms and ammunition, given the uses intended in their design and manufacture, present a serious and substantial threat to the national security.

SEC. 3. COVERAGE OF 50 CALIBER SNIPER WEAPONS UNDER THE NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT.

(a) In General- Subsection (a) of section 5845 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (defining firearm) is amended by striking `(6) a machine gun; (7) any silencer (as defined in section 921 of title 18, United States Code); and (8) a destructive device.' and inserting `(6) a 50 caliber sniper weapon; (7) a machine gun; (8) any silencer (as defined in section 921 of title 18, United States Code); and (9) a destructive device.'

(b) 50 Caliber Sniper Weapon-

(1) IN GENERAL- Section 5845 of such Code is amended by redesignating subsections (d) through (m) as subsections (e) through (n), respectively, and by inserting after subsection © the following new subsection:

`(d) 50 Caliber Sniper Weapon- The term `50 caliber sniper weapon' means a rifle capable of firing a center-fire cartridge in 50 caliber, .50 BMG caliber, any other variant of 50 caliber, or any metric equivalent of such calibers.'.

(2) MODIFICATION TO DEFINITION OF RIFLE- Subsection © of section 5845 of such Code is amended by inserting `or from a bipod or other support' after `shoulder'.

© Conforming Amendment- Section 5811(a) of such Code is amended by striking `5845(e)' and inserting `5845(f)'.

(d) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. COVERAGE OF 50 CALIBER SNIPER WEAPONS UNDER THE GUN CONTROL ACT OF 1968.

(a) In General- Section 922 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(z)(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to transfer or possess a 50 caliber sniper weapon.

`(2)(A) The prohibitions of paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to a transfer to or by, or possession by or under the authority of, the United States or any department or agency thereof or a State, or a department, agency, or political subdivision thereof.

`(B) The possession prohibition of paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to the otherwise lawful possession of a 50 caliber sniper weapon that was lawfully possessed before the date this subsection takes effect.'.

(b) 50 Caliber Sniper Weapon Defined- Section 921(a) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(36) The term `50 caliber sniper weapon' has the meaning given such term in section 5845(d) of the National Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. 5845(d)).'.

© Penalties- Section 924(a)(2) of such title is amended by striking `or (o)' and inserting `(o), or (z)'.

[tedicast]

Re: Hunting Rifle Ban Introduced as \"Sniper Rifle\" Ban

I'm sure someone will twist it around to try and include 50 cal. muzzleloaders too.

[Texan_Til_I_Die]

Re: Hunting Rifle Ban Introduced as \"Sniper Rifle\"

Good time to call, email or write your Congressman and tell them you strongly oppose this legislation.

[carbonhunter]

Re: Hunting Rifle Ban Introduced as \"Sniper Rifle\"

Following in a western republicans foot steps

[wtnhunt]

Re: Hunting Rifle Ban Introduced as \"Sniper Rifle\" Ban

[ QUOTE ]

The anti-gun group that conceived the idea of a ban on .50 caliber rifles has already proposed banning .30 caliber rifles as "intermediate sniper rifles." International gun-ban activist Rebecca Peters has even proposed banning rifles that can shoot 100 meters --;that is, all rifles , since all rifles can shoot that distance.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sums it up right there folks. Hard for me to understand how anyone can not see where this is headed.

[horst]

Re: Hunting Rifle Ban Introduced as \"Sniper Rifle\" Ban

Im not really familiar with meters, how far is 100 meters in yards?

[David_218]

Re: Hunting Rifle Ban Introduced as \"Sniper Rifle\" Ban

What they really need to do is repeal ALL gun laws that they have passed since 1968. NONE of these laws have stopped criminals from getting guns to do their dirty deeds. ALL these law did was place a burden on law abiding firearm owners and costing the taxpayers in this country lots of money that would be best suited spent elsewhere like Health Care.

[Gator]

Re: Hunting Rifle Ban Introduced as \"Sniper Rifle\" Ban

Horst, a yard and a meter are relatively the same distance, 1 meter equals 1.09361 yds.

[LifeNRA]

Re: Hunting Rifle Ban Introduced as \"Sniper Rifle\" Ban

One meter is about 3" longer than a yard.

[13littleones]

Re: Hunting Rifle Ban Introduced as \"Sniper Rifle\" Ban

Soon to be a 15 year NRA member......It's All About Freedom !