Gov. Deval Patrick’s bill in Massachusetts targets machine guns ...

[spin]

Pols slow to target machine guns
Overhaul stalled as popularity spikes

Machine gun ownership in the Bay State is booming, while a bill to tighten ownership and outlaw full-auto free-for-alls like the one that killed an 8-year-old boy two years ago is jammed on Beacon Hill.

Gov. Deval Patrick’s bill, “An Act to Reduce Firearm Violence,” is a controversial overhaul of the state’s gun laws that would limit firearm purchases to one per month and ban anyone who is not a cop or the licensed owner from holding a machine gun.

The Bay State may have more than 4,400 privately owned machine guns, owned by 2,579 licensed collectors - with 753 new licenses added to the rolls since 2007, according to federal and state records.

***snip***

“I think the bill goes too far,” said Judiciary Committee Vice-Chairman State Sen. Steven Baddour (D-Methuen). “We all want to reduce or eliminate gun violence. It doesn’t do that. It focuses on law-abiding citizens. What we need to be doing is focusing on those who carry guns illegally, then increase the penalties on the punishment side so when people commit a crime with a firearm, they know the penalties will be severe.”

Since 8-year-old Christopher Bizilj lost control of the Uzi in his hands and died in October 2008 at a machine gun show, at least one Bay State machine gun shoot was canceled. Gun club officials contacted by the Herald were not aware of any held since.

Last month prosecutors settled their case against the club that sponsored the machine gun show where the boy was slain. The Westfield Sportsman’s Club owners pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter charges and guilty to furnishing a machine gun to a minor. They were ordered to pay $10,000 to two charities. There are criminal charges pending against three others in the child’s death.

It is illegal for anyone under 18 to use a machine gun, but Patrick’s proposal would kill full-auto free-for-alls by allowing only law enforcement and licensed owners to fire them. And Patrick wants to toughen licensing standards.

“In Massachusetts, it should not be easy for people to get a machine gun license,” said Public Safety Secretary Mary Elizabeth Heffernan. “We’re working to tighten that process up . . . We’re requiring a little more detail about why you have a collector’s license, making it stricter for those who want to own machine guns.”

James Wallace, exective director of the Gun Owners Action League, opposes Patrick’s bill. In Westfield, he noted the Pelham police chief was in charge of the booth where the boy was slain. That chief stepped down and is facing manslaughter charges.

***snip***

Meanwhile, one anti-gun control advocate said machine gun laws can be seen as a “success story.”

“I think people would be surprised to know that several thousand fully automatic weapons are in civilian hands,” said Daniel Vice of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, who said illegally trafficked semi-automatic handguns pose a greater public threat.
emphasis added

ARMED: Owner Jim Sheppard mans the counter at Zero Hour Arms in Easton. A bill to overhaul Bay State gun laws is stalled in the Legislature.
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1253642

Why do people want to own a machine gun?

Many collect for fun - and value
Monday, May 10, 2010

Looking for a recession-proof collectible that doesn’t lose value no matter how much you use it? In the words of Al Pacino, “Say hello to my little friend!”

Collectors of machine guns say their expensive hobby is about history, the fun of full-auto shooting as well as reliable investments.

And despite the Bay State’s reputation as one of the most restrictive states for gun owners, the number of collectors grows each year.

There are 2,579 Bay Staters with active federal curio and relic licenses, which most police departments require before granting a resident license to possess a machine gun - and 753 new licenses to possess have been issued since 2007. In 2000, the most recent date for which a total was available, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives reported an estimated 4,400 machine guns in Massachusetts. Alarming as it may sound, law enforcement officials were unable to cite any instance of a licensed collector’s machine gun being used to commit a crime such as robbery or murder.

“There’s a lot of things you buy and collect and use that end up losing value,” said Jim, a licensed machine gun collector. “This isn’t one of them. I can take it out, use it and still know it’s going to be worth more at the end of the day. Plus they’re just really cool devices.”

Jim asked that his last name not be used because he fears the theft of his collection, valued at more than $20,000.

***snip***

But getting that history into a gun cabinet isn’t easy, or cheap. The first step is to get a state license to carry and apply for a federal curio and relic license. With both those licenses in hand, fill out the resident license at the police station. Then, just as with all state gun permits, it is up to local police chiefs. Some chiefs require a safe and an alarm system, along with a walk-through of the home to ensure the alarms work.

Once that’s done, there’s the cost of buying the gun, - entry level is about $3,000, but some classic Thompson submachine guns that can be linked to historic places or events can fetch $50,000 or more. Also factor in the cost of ammunition and finding a range where you can fire the weapon. So why go through all that?

“They’re really fun to shoot,” Jim said. “Hardly anybody else has them. And they always go up in value.”
emphasis added

POP: Fully automatic guns, such as this one, is seen at Zero Hour Arms in Easton.
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1253641

[onehandle]

1. I had a toy tommy gun when I was a kid.

I can still remember how it felt in my hands. The trigger had a constant pull that provided a loud mechanical tock-tock-tock-tock sound.

[spin]

2. There is no doubt that they are a lot of fun to shoot ...

and are a good investment.

But they are very expensive in both initial cost and the ammo you burn up in just one range session.

[jazzhound]

3. Amazing. You attempt to diminish the "adulthood" of gun owners

with an infantile post!

[Callisto32]

4. Full auto free for alls?

No loaded language there. Plus it indicates a serious ignorance of the law.

[spin]

5. For those who have no idea of what a machine gun shoot is ...

here's a Youtube video of the Roanoke, Virginia Machine Gun Shoot in 2005. It's interesting to watch and I like the music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6yyQ_328mA

[friendly_iconoclast]

6. When you can't get Democrats in Massachusetts to go along with more gun laws...

...you know the times, they are a changin'.

A quote that needs to be repeated from that article:

....“I think the bill goes too far,” said Judiciary Committee Vice-Chairman State Sen. Steven Baddour (D-Methuen). “We all want to reduce or eliminate gun violence. It doesn’t do that. It focuses on law-abiding citizens. What we need to be doing is focusing on those who carry guns illegally, then increase the penalties on the punishment side so when people commit a crime with a firearm, they know the penalties will be severe.”....

THIS, X100!

Someone else notes that civilians have a better record with automatic weapons than cops. Yet cops can always get
full-auto weapons where civilians cannot:

.......James Wallace, exective director of the Gun Owners Action League, opposes Patrick’s bill. In Westfield, he noted the Pelham police chief was in charge of the booth where the boy was slain. That chief stepped down and is facing manslaughter charges.

“Goodness knows folks in public safety have a tough job, but the only time we had a tragedy is when public safety was in charge of the shoot,” he said. “Now you want to restrict us in what we do? What sense does that make?”....

[spin]

7. Possibly the politicians are realizing that future gun control ...

needs to focus on the bad guys. It's not cheap or "feel good" but it is far more effective. It also can be done without passing new laws as it just requires enforcing the ones we have.

The incident involving the child and the full auto firearm was tragic. The last time I had an opportunity to fire a full auto weapon, my two grandchildren aged 13 and 14 were with me.

While they could have handled the firearm safely with adult supervision as they have grown up around firearms, the owner of the weapon and I agreed not to take any chances. They did have the opportunity to fire several revolvers and rifles. They always enjoy shooting and find my Ruger Mark II target pistol and a Model 65 38/357 revolver their favorites.

[Katya Mullethov]

8. K&R !

Machine gun ownership in the Bay State is booming, while a bill to tighten ownership and outlaw full-auto free-for-alls like the one that killed an 8-year-old boy two years ago is jammed on Beacon Hill.

//////
the Pelham police chief was in charge of the booth where the boy was slain. That chief stepped down and is facing manslaughter charges.
/////
“Goodness knows folks in public safety have a tough job, but the only time we had a tragedy is when public safety was in charge of the shoot,” he said.
////



And then the diamond in the rough , the whole reason why the Gungeon exists !!! That great ,eternal ,imponderal...... WTF ?

///////////
“Now you want to restrict us in what we do? What sense does that make?”....
/////

Ahahahaha . Statist fucks do this for a living , and you live to serve the ship .

Enough gawking .......back to YOUR OARS ! ! ! ! !