Criminal use of .50 caliber Sniper Rifle

[alfsauve]

A 50 bmg could be a very good terrorist weapon... the only prob is it would be very hard to use it as one.

Hard to use?   Why local paper say all you have to do is walk up to the fence at the airport, whip that 20#, 5' long sucker out of your waistband and blast away at 600rds/min.

[TAB]

Hard to use?   Why local paper say all you have to do is walk up to the fence at the airport, whip that 20#, 5' long sucker out of your waistband and blast away at 600rds/min.

That must be one hell of a thumb strain from reloading the mags...

[bjtraz]

My "contribution" to their web site.......................................

Dear Sir,

After reading your "opinion" of the dangers of .50 caliber BMG rifles, I felt I needed to challenge some information that you reported. Your statment that .50 caliber BMG rifles are sniper and/or assasin rifles is completely unsubstanuated. While they could be used for that, so can many others. The US Army uses several different calibers for snipers, do we classify them all as sniper, and ban them. While we're on the subject, what about the .32 caliber that the assasin used to shoot Ferdinand and supposedly started WW I? This is considered little more than a plinking round by most experts today, but was very populr to many armies through the years.

Your ancedotes that you quote, list only a couple actual crimes commited with the .50 caliber BMG rifle. In one case (Top prosecutors in Ariz., Mexico target smuggling," Arizona Republic, March 14, 2008), there was no mention if this rifle was purchased legally. As we know, very few criminals obey the laws, we would be better off enforcing the laws that are presently on the books, and more closely applying the punishment requirements that we have. The other (Arrest made in Polk County wildfire: deputies determined high-powered rifle caused fire," Statesman Journal, September 11, 2007), was the result of poor judgement on his part. But how many other wild fires are started every year, by poor judgement, but didn't involve a firearm? Do we ban matches, lighters, camp fires, cigarettes, etc.? Prosecute the person for poor judgement of carelessly starting the fire, don't blame the "camp fire". Also in this example the Sheriff stated "The problem with a weapon like this is that you can't safely shoot it anywhere.". This statement is completely without merit. I know of many places that are safe to shoot this rifle, and there are probably hundreds/thousands more. A blanket statment such as this one, with absolutely no proof or evidence, should not be dignified with quoting, unless you have a predisposed intent to spread misinformation to further a personal agenda.

Most of the other examples are nothing more than a suspected or potential criminal  was in possesion of the .50 caliber BMG rifle. There are numerous laws presently in place to deal with every instance that you mention. Not once did you document any instance of a legally acquired rifle being used in a crime. Passing new laws that punish law abiding citizens are not the answer. Any laws that are passed, will be ignored by the criminals and only accomplish to tread on the Constitutional Right "....To Keep And Bear Arms...."

Sincerely

Brian Alcaraz

[Timothy]

Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock used a scope mounted M2 BMG to snipe an NVA at 2500 yards during the Viet Nam war.

Probably the longest confirmed kill during the war. 

Semper Fi, Gunny!

There was only ONE Carlos Hathcock......

[PegLeg45]

Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock used a scope mounted M2 BMG to snipe an NVA at 2500 yards during the Viet Nam war.

Probably the longest confirmed kill during the war. 

Semper Fi, Gunny!

There was only ONE Carlos Hathcock......

Yes, and by the accounts that I have read, it was a HEAD SHOT at that distance using a Unertl 9x scope (?). I read that he had a machinist on base make him special scope mounts to fit the M2 and had Old Ma Deuce mounted to a tri-pod with T&E controls.

One hell of a shot in my book.

 

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

During WWII there were a bunch of M-2's that had a dovetailed block riveted to the right hand side of the reciever for scope mounting. My Dad had one for a time in Korea in '52 and I had one in my arms room when I was a Unit Armorer in the Guard in '90.

[PegLeg45]

During WWII there were a bunch of M-2's that had a dovetailed block riveted to the right hand side of the reciever for scope mounting. My Dad had one for a time in Korea in '52 and I had one in my arms room when I was a Unit Armorer in the Guard in '90.

I had heard of those also, but thought I read somewhere that Gunny Hathcock had one built that was adjustable.
I think it was stated in an article by E.J. Land.

Hell, I've been wrong before, though............ ....my memory slips from time to time.   

[tombogan03884]

He may have had something more elaborate made up or maybe they didn't happen to have one of the modified ones. My understanding was that there were only 1,000 officially modified. Land is most likely reliable as he was there.

[Texas_Bryan]

How many of these drugged up hippies have even seen or fired a .50?  Do they have any idea how effective of a weapons platform or bullet it is?  Or is all their research out of Tom Clancy books, video games, and Terminator movies?

[Timothy]

Yes, and by the accounts that I have read, it was a HEAD SHOT at that distance using a Unertl 9x scope (?). I read that he had a machinist on base make him special scope mounts to fit the M2 and had Old Ma Deuce mounted to a tri-pod with T&E controls.

One hell of a shot in my book.

 

I believe he deliberatly shot the handle bar of the bicycle because he saw it was a kid.  When the kid picked up an AK and returned fire, Hathcock killed him..  Two shots at 1.42 MILES!!!!!!!