| Limit Ammunition To Control Hand Guns | | | | hundred thousand" replies have flooded |
| | | | in.Eventually, the U.S. Supreme Court may |
| April 30, 1975 | | | | decide the issue.While hand guns can be |
| | | | manufactured and smuggled easily, the |
| Those who would ban hand guns might well | | | | production of bullet-quality gunpowder |
| consider the old riddle: "Which comes first, | | | | requires highly developed technology.In |
| the chicken or the egg?"A few cities have | | | | addition, the manufacture of a shell casing |
| adopted legislation prohibiting pistols, | | | | requires a large, expensive, highly accurate |
| revolvers and the so-called "Saturday Night | | | | stamping press. Only a very few factories, |
| Specials" in a effort to halt the soaring | | | | in the United States are capable of making |
| crime rate.So far, the effort has been like | | | | primer shells which sportsmen sometimes fill |
| trying to empty the ocean with a tea spoon. | | | | with commercially manufactured gunpowder.In |
| The next town over sells cheap weapons, and | | | | short, there are only a few sources of supply |
| no questions asked.Congress, therefore, seems | | | | for powder and shells. The supply should be |
| about ready to consider the controversial | | | | relatively easy to regulate.Cut off the |
| proposal seriously. Certainly only a | | | | supply of ammunition, and hand guns will rust |
| nation-wide ban has any chance to be | | | | into quaint souvenirs.Rifle-calibre |
| effective.I support hand gun legislation, but | | | | ammunition could continue to be made |
| oppose attempts to curtail shoulder | | | | available readily in hardware and sports |
| guns.Pocket guns, capable of being concealed, | | | | stores.Revolver-calibre cartridges, however, |
| are short range weapons of surprise and | | | | could be furnished only to the military and |
| vengeance. Rifles, however, are carried | | | | law enforcement authorities. Those with a |
| openly. They are useful for sport and | | | | legitimate need for revolver shells for their |
| defense against armies of invasion.Gun | | | | freely-owned - but registered - hand guns |
| control is impractical simply because of the | | | | would have to obtain them from the police |
| ease with which hand guns can be built, | | | | after positive identification and finger |
| transported and concealed.Which brings us to | | | | printing. Purchases might be limited to five |
| the chicken and egg puzzle.Exactly three | | | | shells, and empty shells could be returned |
| years ago in this column, I suggested that we | | | | for replacement.Thus, those citizens |
| give up trying to limit the gun and approach | | | | genuinely needing a hand gun for protection |
| the problem through the more vulnerable route | | | | or other legitimate needs would not be denied |
| of ammunition.Gun control advocates dismissed | | | | an "equalizer".Criminals, of course, would |
| the idea as "simplistic." The late | | | | still obtain both pistols and ammunition from |
| Congressman Frank Bow circulated the column | | | | abroad or from other criminal sources. Yet, |
| to a few gun-control legislators but got an | | | | we must try to control hand guns SENSIBLY |
| indifferent reaction.Now comes an Illinois | | | | even if the odds are as hopeless as they seem |
| citizens' group called the Committee for | | | | to be.In controlling hand guns we must be |
| Handgun Control, Inc., which is seeking to | | | | careful that we don't simply disarm the |
| force the US. Government to ban the sale of | | | | citizen while leaving weapons in the hands of |
| hand gun ammunition as a means of controlling | | | | gangsters.Also, we must not abrogate our |
| cheap hand guns.The group has petitioned the | | | | constitutional right to "keep and bear arms." |
| new federal Consumer Product Safety | | | | The way the world is going these days, this |
| Commission to ban ammunition on grounds it is | | | | right may not be as obsolete and academic as |
| hazardous, and that the commission has | | | | the gun control enthusiasts would have us |
| jurisdiction over hazardous substances.This | | | | believe.Ammunition is the weak link in the |
| is the hand gun committee's second attempt to | | | | chain of fire-arm use. Break it and we stop |
| force the commission. A year ago the | | | | wanton shooting by citizens and criminal |
| commission ruled that banning ammunition | | | | alike.Lindsey Williams is a Sun columnist who |
| would amount to a "back door" ban on hand | | | | can be contacted at:Website: with several |
| guns, a direct violation of law that | | | | hundred of Lin's Editorial & At Large |
| established the commission.Nevertheless the | | | | articles written over 40 years.Also featured |
| hand gun committee has won a court suit | | | | in its entirety is Lin's groundbreaking book |
| requiring the commission to reconsider, which | | | | "Boldly Onward," that critically analyzes and |
| it is now doing.Two months ago the product | | | | develops theories about the original Spanish |
| safety commission asked the public to comment | | | | explorers of America. |
| on the proposal to ban ammunition. "Several | | | | |