Sent this off today as I'm growing tired of hearing about the mythical powers of the AR .223.
Sir,
I just read CNN's new article on Sen. Feinstein's gun control bill and it
mentions your comments about hunting with an AR rifle. You are quoted as
saying "How are you going to hunting with something like that?" asked
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, pointing to the assault
weapons displayed to his left. "You kill something, there's nothing left to
eat."
I would like to know where you are getting you facts about the amount of
damage to a deer taken with a .223 caliber rifle. I've spent all of my 52
years on this planet in Oklahoma. I've been hunting deer for most of those
years and have taken deer with many calibers including the .223 and while
not my personal favorite for deer hunting, it does no more and in some cases
less damage to deer than other calibers. I've eaten plenty of venison that
was taken with the .223 round. Also, AR rifles come in many different
calibers. I have a friend that just took an elk with a 6.8 SPC AR type
rifle. My family raises cattle in here in Oklahoma, and we use AR rifles to
attempt to keep coyotes from killing our cattle while birthing. Fifteen or
more wild dogs and a ten round magazine is quite a handicap.
Another point I'd like you to consider is if the ban on manufacture of AR
rifles is the impact on the companies that currently manufacture weapons for
the military and law enforcement. The lack of civilian sales will severely
hinder their ability to remain a viable industry to keep supplying our
nation's military and law enforcement. If we bankrupt these companies,
where do we purchase the new weapons?
Now I do agree that eliminating any type of violence is our ultimate goal,
especially when it concerns the children of our country. I do respect your
years of service in the Law Enforcement community, I have over 30 years in
the military myself, so please do not take this as an emotional over
reaction to this controversial topic. But, it does sound to those of us that
do know firearms that statements like that you gave are trying to be over
the top theatrics. Trying to imply that that the bullet out of an AR does
some sort of magical damage compared to another round from a bolt action is,
to be quite honest, insulting. I do not feel that those types of statements
are honest and are trying to sway those people that do not know one caliber
from the other in a dishonest fashion. I truly want a way to end senseless
violence in America, but can we not do it in an honest and open format? I
often feel that those of you that live in large urban areas totally forget
that there are those of us that live in rural areas and do not have a
policeman at every corner. In fact, it's several miles to a corner where I
grew up and my mother still lives. It's in these kinds of places that I and
my mother would like the option to have suitable and sufficient defense
capabilities. I've called the local sheriff's department and they responded
the next day. The very quickest response time was an hour and forty five
minutes, and that was to 6 drunken strangers on my front porch.
So please consider why some of us in America are against Sen. Feinstein's
bill to basically do away with something that others regard as a safety
device, a predator control tool and yes, a hunting tool. It's not the rifle
that makes a lethal weapon, it's the trigger operator.
Thank you again for your service and thank you for your time.
Sir,
I just read CNN's new article on Sen. Feinstein's gun control bill and it
mentions your comments about hunting with an AR rifle. You are quoted as
saying "How are you going to hunting with something like that?" asked
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, pointing to the assault
weapons displayed to his left. "You kill something, there's nothing left to
eat."
I would like to know where you are getting you facts about the amount of
damage to a deer taken with a .223 caliber rifle. I've spent all of my 52
years on this planet in Oklahoma. I've been hunting deer for most of those
years and have taken deer with many calibers including the .223 and while
not my personal favorite for deer hunting, it does no more and in some cases
less damage to deer than other calibers. I've eaten plenty of venison that
was taken with the .223 round. Also, AR rifles come in many different
calibers. I have a friend that just took an elk with a 6.8 SPC AR type
rifle. My family raises cattle in here in Oklahoma, and we use AR rifles to
attempt to keep coyotes from killing our cattle while birthing. Fifteen or
more wild dogs and a ten round magazine is quite a handicap.
Another point I'd like you to consider is if the ban on manufacture of AR
rifles is the impact on the companies that currently manufacture weapons for
the military and law enforcement. The lack of civilian sales will severely
hinder their ability to remain a viable industry to keep supplying our
nation's military and law enforcement. If we bankrupt these companies,
where do we purchase the new weapons?
Now I do agree that eliminating any type of violence is our ultimate goal,
especially when it concerns the children of our country. I do respect your
years of service in the Law Enforcement community, I have over 30 years in
the military myself, so please do not take this as an emotional over
reaction to this controversial topic. But, it does sound to those of us that
do know firearms that statements like that you gave are trying to be over
the top theatrics. Trying to imply that that the bullet out of an AR does
some sort of magical damage compared to another round from a bolt action is,
to be quite honest, insulting. I do not feel that those types of statements
are honest and are trying to sway those people that do not know one caliber
from the other in a dishonest fashion. I truly want a way to end senseless
violence in America, but can we not do it in an honest and open format? I
often feel that those of you that live in large urban areas totally forget
that there are those of us that live in rural areas and do not have a
policeman at every corner. In fact, it's several miles to a corner where I
grew up and my mother still lives. It's in these kinds of places that I and
my mother would like the option to have suitable and sufficient defense
capabilities. I've called the local sheriff's department and they responded
the next day. The very quickest response time was an hour and forty five
minutes, and that was to 6 drunken strangers on my front porch.
So please consider why some of us in America are against Sen. Feinstein's
bill to basically do away with something that others regard as a safety
device, a predator control tool and yes, a hunting tool. It's not the rifle
that makes a lethal weapon, it's the trigger operator.
Thank you again for your service and thank you for your time.
