Jake Herrera's article, \.50-caliber rifles threaten security,"" (Opinion, March 8) is alarmingly misleading.
Research shows that Barrett Firearm's flagship weapon, the M82A1 rifle, retails for $7,775, is 57 inches long, weighs 33.8 pounds and costs several dollars per round to shoot. This cost-prohibitive, unconcealable and unwieldy rifle is a poor choice for an 18-year-old or terrorist on a ""Grand Theft Auto"" rampage.
The designers of .50-caliber rifles did not create them to shoot down airliners and engage tanks. They designed these rifles for long-range sport shooting. The military adopted them only after they showed promise as long-range target rifles.
Studies show any caliber bullet impacting an airliner will not fatally wound the aircraft. Pressurized aircraft do not blow up when shot with a rifle. Suggesting that a .50-caliber rifle is a special anti-aircraft weapon is preposterous, as the common, .30-caliber deer-hunting rifle is equally effective at putting tiny holes in airliners.
The facts of the case of a journalist purchasing a Barrett rifle without paperwork are misrepresented. This journalist purchased the rifle from a private seller, not, as Mr. Herrera claims, a dealer. Private purchases require no paperwork only if the weapon remains in the state where purchased. However, this journalist transported the weapon across state lines without legally shipping it, thereby committing a felony under federal law. The use of this na??ve journalist's attempt at an expos?? severely undermines Mr. Herrera's argument.
Al-Qaida did not buy any .50-caliber rifles from Barrett. The U.S. government purchased the 25 rifles in question and gave them to Afghan Freedom Fighters to fight the Soviets in the 1980's. They have since fallen into terrorist hands. To say that al-Qaida ever purchased any products directly from Barrett is wrong.
Thousands of .50-caliber rifles have been purchased to date. According to the General Accounting Office, as of October 2001, 18 crimes have been committed in which .50-caliber BMG rifles have played a part, none of which involved murders.
Proposals such as this err in creating a problem where there is not one. Banning .50-caliber BMG rifles contributes to a slippery slope that inevitably leads to further bans and more outrage. Other long-range cartridges will become the next legislative target. This cycle will not end until even popular hunting cartridges are banned. Millions of law-abiding firearms owners will be affected by this, not terrorists.
Grandfather clauses in any these bans will ensure that .50-caliber rifles remain available. Fashionable anti-gun bills calling for bans on large-caliber or ""assault"" weapons are fundamentally flawed and have no impact on violent crime rates or terrorist attacks.
Remember, last time terrorists didn't need any firearms-box cutters worked just fine.
