Fifty Caliber Shooters Association Response To Bill 1405 in Connecticut
The Fifty
Caliber Gun Must Stand
by John Burtt, Chairman
Fifty Caliber Shooters Policy Institute
jb50bmg@pe.net
http://www.FCSA.org
March 19, 2001
Introduction
The state of Connecticut has introduced sweeping changes to it's
existing "Assault Weapons Ban Law" this week. The new proposed changes will include many "new" guns and categories of guns and increase prison
terms for honest citizens to own things such as "any bullet that can pierce
metal".
Included in this proposal is a ban on ownership of the Fifty caliber
(.50 BMG) rifle by civilians. The Fifty Caliber Shooter's Policy Institute (FCSPI) is heading an effort to try to kill this legislation.
We feel this legislation is very bad for every gun owner in America and we ask that all pro-gun rights organizations look closely at the bill
and support our efforts to kill the legislation.
The bill is posted in it's entirety at: http://www.ctsportsman.com.
If you click on Legislation and read the bill in it's entirety. It's very long, but is devastating.
You can also go to: http://www.cga.state.ct.us
click on "committees, then click on "Public Safety", then click on "Committee Members" to send an
email to everyone on the Public Safety Committee that will be involved in the hearing next Tuesday.
We need your help & support.
Thanking you in advance.
John Burtt,
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FCSPI Statement Regarding bill 1405 Submitted in Connecticut
Released March 16, 2001
The Fifty Caliber Shooters Policy Institute (FCSPI) represents the political interests of owners, manufacturers and retailers of fifty caliber rifles.
On behalf of the membership of the Fifty Caliber Shooter's Assn., Inc. (FCSA) we are strongly opposed to the language in Raised Bill 1405, which has been sent to the Public Safety Committee for consideration.
The language in section 8 (NEW) (a) (1) Through and including entirely Section 11 (NEW) would affectively eliminate the lawful ownership of .50 caliber rifles and the ammunition for these rifles by private citizens in the state of Connecticut.
The fifty caliber rifle has been singled out by legislators who oppose the lawful ownership of firearms as guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment. They, in conjunction with an anti-gun media have made erroneous, exaggerated claims to demonize and portray these guns as a threat to public safety and even a "threat to national security" just to gain support for the legislation that is proposed here in this bill.
FCSA is aware of only one incident where a .50 caliber rifle has ever been used in a documented criminal incident in the United States. The fifty caliber rifle is not the weapon of choice by criminals. The guns are very heavy, cumbersome to carry and expensive ($2000-10000). Every person who purchases a .50 caliber rifle must go through the exact same process that everyone else has to when purchasing any firearm in the United States. This includes age limitations, waiting periods and background check.
FCSA is opposed to this bill because there is no "crisis" associated with the fifty caliber rifle. We have many members of our organization residing in Connecticut as well as all adjoining states. The effects of this legislation would be to further restrict the freedom of legitimate gun owners and to create one more avenue for an honest citizen to be legislated a felon.
The Fifty Caliber Shooter's Assn., Inc. is an organization of highly motivated people incorporating .50 caliber rifle shooting at extreme long distance as their vehicle in pursuit of technical & scientific knowledge. Our hobby is about engineering, mathematics and physics, not crime or shooting per se. Our sport is an extreme sport, not enjoyed by everyone, which leaves us vulnerable because we are small and unique. We are asking for your help on this issue. Please help us protect our freedom.
FCSA was organized in 1985 as a non-profit organization to promote the sporting aspects of the .50BMG cartridge. An elected President & Board of Directors govern FCSA, with members in all 50 states and 22 foreign countries. Our membership is from diverse walks of life including doctors, lawyers, scientists, military & law enforcement. FCSA maintains a liaison with the military and law enforcement and have made contributions to the information base of both.
FCSPI is at your service to answer questions or provide additional information on this issue.
Thank You.
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Brief
Interview with the Chairman of FCSPI
Given all the groundswell of anti-rights attention being paid the .50 caliber
of late, we at KeepAndBearArms.com asked John Burtt to give us some additional
insights regarding "the .50 situation" by posing the following three
questions. His answers follow each question below:
1. How are fifty cal. owners feeling re: Feinstein and CT bill? (Elaborate on
behalf of your members, and do speak freely. We'll print anything but
cusswords.)
"The fifty caliber community is feeling very beat up and quite alone
out there on the limb that Senator Feinstein and those like her are trying to
saw off. We're brand new at this political activity kind of thing, but we are
determined that we're not going to lose our sport without a fight. The nice
thing about all of this has been the tightening of our resolve as well as the
support we've received from organizations such as NRA-ILA; 2nd Amendment
Foundation and Larry Pratt at GOA.
"To answer your question directly, There is a lot of anger within our
organization toward the politicians out on that left spectrum that are truly
conspiring to steal our FREEDOM. That's the one thing we all recognize. This
issue isn't about guns or crime, it's a FREEDOM issue. Most of the people in
FCSA are very professional, honest people. What is happening to them is
confusing and difficult for them to understand. The frustration level is very
high because this bulldozer keeps coming at them from every direction."
2. What would you like to say to gun owners who don't own a .50 and thus show
apathy or indifference to the moves of tyrants to get rid of them?
"I've recently been invited by Mike Dillon to write an Editorial in
his periodical on just that subject. We are asking for help from every
shooting discipline. This battle isn't just about fifty caliber rifles. In her
letter to other members of the US Senate, soliciting support for her bill
"Military Sniper Weapon Regulation Act of 2001," Senator Feinstein
refers to the fifty caliber as, 'Powerful Weaponry' (emphasis added), along
with a lot of other inflammatory hyperbole. (I have a copy of the letter if
you want it.) [We do. Send it along for publication, please.]
"This is her new catch phrase. Do you recognize it? Do the words
'Assault Weapon ring any bells with anyone? This is the beginning of phase two
(phase 3, phase 4?) of the disarming of the American citizen. By convincing
America that they need to take away the fifty caliber (the largest caliber
allowed by law under the provisions of the National Firearms Act & it's
amendments) because the .50 BMG is 'Powerful Weaponry' then she sets the stage
then to attack the .458/.338/.308/etc/etc/etc..., until the .22 caliber is
'Loud Weaponry'."
"I try not take the doomsday approach, but I have to ask myself: Where
are the shotgun shooters? Don't they see what is coming? Where are the Cowboy
Shooters? How come the High Power shooters are all standing down at Ben Avery
[Shooting Range] saying, 'We don't need the .50 caliber shooters anyway.'
Unless I'm just being real stupid, we're all in this together.
"Yes, our small group is just a little bit upset by this complacency
that is rampant in the shooting sports. But as a realist, I can readily
identify with it. Our own organization had never been involved in any of the
political aspects of preserving our rights until May 1999, when Rep.
Blagojevich (D-IL) introduced his bill into the US House of Representatives to
take away our guns. We had always been confident that NRA "is taking care
of everything!" When I found out that NRA-ILA is monitoring on the
average of 6000 pieces of legislation across the country every year, I got an
idea of how serious this problem is.
"On behalf of FCSA, I want to commend the monumental job those 35-40
guys and gals at NRA-ILA are doing. HOWEVER! My organization has decided to
get involved. If these politicians want to steal our freedom, we're at least
going to stand up and be counted. That's what our efforts have been about for
the past 21 months. Hopefully we can wake up the rest of shooting America
before it's too late."
3. What would you like to say to the world at large, through
KeepAndBearArms.com, as your statement "for the record" regarding the
right to keep and bear ALL arms?
"This question is the kind that conjures up a multitude of responses.
My first impression is that of people in other countries who don't even have
the right to own firearms and how that one little factor has led to millions
and millions of deaths. The Jews, the Russians, the Africans, the Cambodians,
the Chinese, etc.
"Let me respond to the question by drawing a comparison to my
organization and another group that I have a lot of respect for. Those are the
people in the full auto community. Some of the most intelligent,
knowledgeable, nicest people I have ever met are from the full auto community.
I use the full auto community as the example because they are truly the pariah
that have been created by the media. Nobody wants anything to do with them.
They are the first carrot to be given up every time a discussion on gun
control takes place. I support their right to safely enjoy their sport as much
as I support my own right to enjoy mine.
"I am reminded of John Ross's book, Unintended Consequences, regarding
this question. I think it should be required reading for everyone elected to
office. These people are the most discriminated against group in the shooting
sports, and -- like the fifty caliber community -- there is no
"crisis" related to their sport. The work that Dan Shea and many
others in that community do, is incredible."
John Burtt
Chairman FCSPI
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Statement
from KeepAndBearArms.com Regarding Proposed Regulations and/or Bans on the .50
Caliber Rifle
-
Crimes are not committed with
the .50 caliber gun. Most of us cannot even afford one. The people who want
to strictly regulate or ban it are therefore showing us their true
intentions -- banning your rights.
-
Anyone who would ban your
rights to possess a fifty caliber gun is an enemy of freedom -- a traitor --
and should be tried and convicted in a court of law for treason, and
punished accordingly.
-
We adamantly support all fifty
caliber shooters in resisting any form of additional regulations against
your guns. We also call on ALL SHOOTERS, HUNTERS and gun owners in
general to take the action steps necessary to assure that the traitors in
our midst feel your heat when they make a move on this fine sporting arm.
Taking up for our fifty-owning countrymen is what being an American is all
about. If you can't see that, look harder and deeper until you do.
-
And we also acknowledge openly
the militia value of the .50 caliber gun, as well. It's quite a
weapon. What we must ask ourselves is this: when no crimes are committed
with the .50, why are the proven traitors in our country trying to ban them?
Is there something they have planned that would make a peaceful, lawful
owner of a .50 caliber gun want to pick it up in defense of liberty? What truly
brought about the push to ban this gun? (If you think Feinstein's
S.505 is not a ban, look at what such regulation did to the full auto:
priced out of most people's leagues, can't get new ones any longer, etc.
etc.)
