Debate: Why own a .223-caliber semiautomatic rifle like the one used in Newtown, Conn.?
The victims of the Newtown, Conn., tragedy were all shot with a Bushmaster .223-caliber semiautomatic rifle - a rifle that is legal to own in Pennsylvania.
Debate: Why own a .223-caliber semiautomatic rifle like the one used in Newtown, Conn.?
This post has been updated.
The victims of the Newtown, Conn., tragedy were all shot with a Bushmaster .223-caliber semiautomatic rifle — a rifle that is legal to own in Pennsylvania.
The gun is a civilian version of the military’s M-16 and often seen at marksmanship competitions. It’s similar to the weapon used in the 2002 sniper killings in the Washington, D.C., area and in a recent shopping mall shooting in Oregon.
Versions of the AR-15 were outlawed in the United States under the 1994 assault weapons ban. That law expired in 2004, and Congress, in a nod to the political clout of the gun-rights lobby, did not renew it.
But, whether it’s legal or not, does anyone really need to own such a high-powered gun?
Bob Kostaras, owner of Classic Pistol in Southampton, Bucks County, and Shira Goodman, executive director of CeaseFirePA, debate that question:
Kostaras: “We have an indoor target range. We have people here all day shooting them. People enjoy it. They’re not prepping for end of the world, they just enjoy shooting them. For some, it’s a social thing, it’s a sport. Any weapon, a baseball bat, a car with a drunk driver behind the wheel, is much more dangerous and much more liable to kill somebody. Unfortunately, this person was mentally unstable and had access to the firearm that should have been kept out of his reach.”
Goodman: “Maybe this isn’t something that everybody should just be able to have access to.... Since there is access to them, that adds to the stream of guns that can then become illegal guns. Types of weapons that are available is a problem, but I believe it’s only part of the problem, because certainly we’ve seen much devastation with handguns or other kinds of rifles that people might have for the more legitimate hunting purposes or personal-protection purposes. I don’t think it’s just a matter of types of weaponry available.… Because citizenry has access to that type of weapon and it can be sold easily, it makes it more dangerous for when those guns fall into the wrong hands.”
Kostaras: "You don’t find your normal, responsible people getting in trouble for owning guns. They’re not dangerous in the right hands. They are in the wrong hands, but so is a car.... Criminals don't go to the gun store and buy the gun. They're not following the laws you and I follow, so they're not bound by them.... This is a terrible tragedy.”
Goodman: "The trouble with the original [assault-weapons] ban from 1994 to 2004 was the way the weaponry was defined, so it was easy to make modifications to certain things, then have weapons that may have complied with the letter of the law, but not exactly the spirit. I think we need to look at what it is we’re actually trying to prevent.... It’s about making sure that law-abiding gun owners are responsible for securing their weapons.”
- Delham45:
Since we are playing strict reading and original intent games, how about this one?
You are allowed to own all the arms you want that were available when the constitution and the bill of tights were written.
There is no way of knowing what the writers of constitution would have thought of today's world, what is available, whethe a militia (well regulated or not ) will be needed by an individual state, etc, etc.
People have a right to bear arms, however there are some limitations and the nation gets to decide what those limitations are.
The Supreme Court is a check on it (as you know by now that is a somewhat political entity at this point as well)— EIK - "SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED" , What Part is NOT Clear ?
— oldsog67 
A bushmaster .223 is no more and no less deadly than dozens of other rifles of various calibers. A John Wayne-style lever action will kill you just as dead as this thing. For some people the physical appearance of such weapons scares them into believing that they are somehow more dangerous. The ultimate event is a piece of lead flying through the air. Make, model, caliber are relatively unimportant.— delham45- Unless you are in the armed forces or in law enforcement, you do not need a M16 clone.
If you want to play with it, join either one or the other!— EIK - Target shooting with military rifles is a LEGAL and LAWFULL hobby in the United States. Thousands of people LEGALLY shoot targets in sanctioned matches all over the country. The fact that the caliber is .223 means nothing here. Well placed shots from your average .22 at the range the shooting was taking place would had the same effect.
But once again we have the libs crying to take guns away from people that did not commit a crime. The crime here was a mother that was a lawfull gun owner failuring to store her guns securely with a mentally ill family member in the home.— Wildman Bill - People want to own, and fire, these weapons because they are fun to shoot. They also are easy to shoot as they recoil very little and are incredibly accurate. They are used in many competitions. They are very effective as home defense weapons, and are used widely for taking varmits up to and including wild hog.
Nowhere in the constitution does it mention the right to keep and bear arms for hunting, sporting, pleasure, or any other reason than defense. Defense of the state, nation, and by extension the individual and his home.
For decades people have asked 'why would you need that for hunting?' The answer is that in the USA you do not need to have a need to own a firearm. You certainly do not need to use it for hunting. Firearm ownership in the USA is not a need. It is a Right.— thoughtfulsceptic - My question is this. Knowing that her son may have a Psychological problem, why is Mrs. Lanza taking her son to the shooting range to learn how to shoot a gun. Why is she even letting him near any weapons. I am not the smartest person on earth or don't profess to be, but there seems to be a loss of common sense in this country, by supposed well educated people. Someone with mental issues does not need to have access to firearms. Period.— watsonmr
- The United Kingdom covering Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland had 8 total killings by guns in a whole year. Most all guns are outlawed and police do not carry them except in some government buildings and in drug infested areas.— Lil Bobby
- Out of all the answers I think TKats response makes the most sense.— neddyflanders
- Please ask all those killed by crimals, oops , make that their surviving relatives if they wish the victimless had something to protect themselves. Criminals don't follow the law, so how will more laws change anything. If I surrender my gun will the murders living in Philadelphia surrender theirs? Get real the only way to stop the shooting is to outlaw all guns. Then to stop the stabbings, the knives. Then to stop the beating deaths, I gues we cut off all our arms. But then the criminals will kick you to death.— Cactusclarke
- Lil Bobby. Glasgow Scotland leads the world in stabbing and throat slashing . They even have a name for it, it's called a Glasgow smile. Look it up.— Cactusclarke
- Lil Bobby:
It is impossible to make some people in the US understand that so many people owning guns (even military ones) are a problem! As you see they advocate almost everyone to carry one because that will deter or protect everyone.
Their typical reponse: "Guns don't kill people, people kill people".
They seem to ignore the fact that existence of a gun escalates any argument or that people with guns can kill faster, more people, more efficiently.— EIK - yes! let the military and police protect us from societal breakdown when food, gas, and water are gone and hoards of starving/insane people go door to door murdering people out of pure desperation....yeah you're right, these weapons have no legitimate place in civilian hands - the police will be there to protect your children— ikemcmichaels
- I own 2 of them in the event that I need them to protect myself against whack-job's and criminals who know the legal system is joke. On the other hand, I'd gladly give them up if I knew our judicial system would lock-up and throw away the key when scumbags use guns in committing crimes. The problem is they don't and the perp's that prey on us law-abiding citizens know it. When my RIGHT to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is protected, then I won't need them.— PA2112
- Charge $5,00.00 per bullet— Mayfairnomo
