Post by Mitch HanK Sauer on Jun 5, 2003 22:38:46 GMT -5
California Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc.
271 East Imperial Highway
Fullerton, California 92835
<http://www.crpa.org>
Release Date: 6/5/03
Additional Information: Chuck Michel, CRPA Spokesman (310)548-3703
LA POLITICS HAS CHASED ALL BUT FOUR FIREARM DEALERS OUT OF THE CITY
Council Votes June 6 on . 50 Caliber Gun Ban --
Would Stop Less Than Ten Annual Sales
On Friday, June 6, the LA City Council is scheduled to vote on a proposal
that would ban the sale of .50 Caliber rifles in the city (Agenda Item #
15). If passed, the ordinance will outlaw something that almost never
happens. Due to excessive city fees and red tape, most firearm dealers have
closed down or moved out of Los Angeles in recent years. In fact, there are
now only four licensed gun dealers, with 10 total storefronts, left in the
entire City of four million people. The only ones left are Union War Surplus
in San Pedro; Turner's Outdoorsman in Reseda; The LA Police Revolver and
Athletic Club at the LAPD academy; and Big 5 Sporting Goods Stores, with 7
locations. The Big 5 stores do not sell handguns nor .50 caliber firearms
at all. None of the other stores sell more than a few .50 caliber firearms
per year, usually by special order to competitive shooters.
Even though a .50 caliber firearm has never been used in a crime, and
despite the fact that Los Angeles law enforcement officials admit that the
cost and weight of these firearms makes them undesirable to criminals, on
May 27th, the Los Angeles Police Commission voted to pass the ordinance <br>which would bar the three dealers that offer .50 caliber rifles from
continuing to sell them. The ordinance originally called for a complete ban
on the possession of these firearms, but the efforts of CRPA and NRA
attorneys caused the LA City Attorney's office to conclude that the City
lacked the power to enact a possession ban. The ordinance was rewritten to
ban sales only.
False claims about the firearms' capabilities were rampant at the Police
Commission hearing, and at a previous City Council hearing on the issue <br>where an illegal and prohibited .50 caliber "assault weapon" was displayed
and falsely claimed to be available to the public. The fact that there are
almost no gun dealers left, and that very few of these guns are sold by
those dealers, was not addressed. The versions of these guns available to
civilians usually incorporating slow firing bolt actions are designed
primarily for competitive target shooting groups, and for hunting. They
typically cost between 2,000 and 10,000 dollars. For the truth about the
capabilities of these firearms, visit www.fcspi.org.
"While gang murder and drug related violence continues to rise, LA
politicians are touting laws that actually regulate nothing because the
few dealers left in LA just don't sell these guns. This is Goldilocks gun
control pure and simple, " said Chuck Michel, CRPA spokesman. "Los Angeles
has banned guns they claimed were too small, now they want to ban the ones
they claim are too big. All this is a pretext, because several members of
the council have admitted that, self-defense be damned, to them no gun is
just right."
"The policy is somewhat symbolic," admitted Police Commission President Rick
Caruso. That is a whopper of an understatement, in light of the fact that LA
dealers aren't selling these guns, and the guns can be bought outside the
city and brought in a process which removes the sales from the oversight
of the LAPD Gun Unit, which could easily monitor the few sales if made
within the City.
271 East Imperial Highway
Fullerton, California 92835
<http://www.crpa.org>
Release Date: 6/5/03
Additional Information: Chuck Michel, CRPA Spokesman (310)548-3703
LA POLITICS HAS CHASED ALL BUT FOUR FIREARM DEALERS OUT OF THE CITY
Council Votes June 6 on . 50 Caliber Gun Ban --
Would Stop Less Than Ten Annual Sales
On Friday, June 6, the LA City Council is scheduled to vote on a proposal
that would ban the sale of .50 Caliber rifles in the city (Agenda Item #
15). If passed, the ordinance will outlaw something that almost never
happens. Due to excessive city fees and red tape, most firearm dealers have
closed down or moved out of Los Angeles in recent years. In fact, there are
now only four licensed gun dealers, with 10 total storefronts, left in the
entire City of four million people. The only ones left are Union War Surplus
in San Pedro; Turner's Outdoorsman in Reseda; The LA Police Revolver and
Athletic Club at the LAPD academy; and Big 5 Sporting Goods Stores, with 7
locations. The Big 5 stores do not sell handguns nor .50 caliber firearms
at all. None of the other stores sell more than a few .50 caliber firearms
per year, usually by special order to competitive shooters.
Even though a .50 caliber firearm has never been used in a crime, and
despite the fact that Los Angeles law enforcement officials admit that the
cost and weight of these firearms makes them undesirable to criminals, on
May 27th, the Los Angeles Police Commission voted to pass the ordinance <br>which would bar the three dealers that offer .50 caliber rifles from
continuing to sell them. The ordinance originally called for a complete ban
on the possession of these firearms, but the efforts of CRPA and NRA
attorneys caused the LA City Attorney's office to conclude that the City
lacked the power to enact a possession ban. The ordinance was rewritten to
ban sales only.
False claims about the firearms' capabilities were rampant at the Police
Commission hearing, and at a previous City Council hearing on the issue <br>where an illegal and prohibited .50 caliber "assault weapon" was displayed
and falsely claimed to be available to the public. The fact that there are
almost no gun dealers left, and that very few of these guns are sold by
those dealers, was not addressed. The versions of these guns available to
civilians usually incorporating slow firing bolt actions are designed
primarily for competitive target shooting groups, and for hunting. They
typically cost between 2,000 and 10,000 dollars. For the truth about the
capabilities of these firearms, visit www.fcspi.org.
"While gang murder and drug related violence continues to rise, LA
politicians are touting laws that actually regulate nothing because the
few dealers left in LA just don't sell these guns. This is Goldilocks gun
control pure and simple, " said Chuck Michel, CRPA spokesman. "Los Angeles
has banned guns they claimed were too small, now they want to ban the ones
they claim are too big. All this is a pretext, because several members of
the council have admitted that, self-defense be damned, to them no gun is
just right."
"The policy is somewhat symbolic," admitted Police Commission President Rick
Caruso. That is a whopper of an understatement, in light of the fact that LA
dealers aren't selling these guns, and the guns can be bought outside the
city and brought in a process which removes the sales from the oversight
of the LAPD Gun Unit, which could easily monitor the few sales if made
within the City.