Friday, October 29, 2010

Is there any such thing...

...as a low-powered rifle?

A man already facing theft charges was captured Thursday as a suspect in a series of fatal central Missouri shootings that had prompted police to warn anyone associated with him to flee the area.
...
Police said the killings were not random but have declined to say why the victims may have been targeted. Bruchsaler has said the gunman used a high-powered rifle and a handgun, and that authorities believed he acted alone.
Sabra and I heard this story discussed on the radio the other day, and the newscaster reported that authorities were telling people to stay in their homes and not go anywhere. I mused aloud, "That's in Missouri; don't they have guns there?"

Of course, if the killer was using a rifle I could understand that, especially if he WAS taking out people from the distances of which most hunting rifles are capable of being used. And THAT, of course, leads to the question: Is a bolt-action rifle any less of a danger in capable hands than a semiautomatic? After the hunters throw the semiauto rifle owners under the bus, how long WOULD it take for situations just like this to start the anti clamoring for a "sniper weapon ban"? Not long, I bet.