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