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