This is in response to Mr. Wayne Thorson’s letter on March 19. The government did not ban machine guns in 1934. Lawmakers put restrictions on them, and you needed special permission and a permit to buy one. But they were still made for general public purchase, if you could afford it.

I believe it was the gun control act of 1994 that they stopped the production of machine guns for the general public. Even without manufacturing new ones for the public, you still can buy them, but, again, now it costs even more. There is a “stamp” that you have to purchase, and you have to apply to the government for the privilege of owning one. But I am sure that only the “far-right loons” would want to own a piece of Americana. The far-left loons just want to destroy it. But, back to the letter.

You are an extremely good shot if you can hit a person in the Adam’s apple with a .22 firearm while he is violating your home. Personally I recommend a pump shotgun for home protection — loaded with buck shot — because when I am under that much stress I cannot imagine me being calm enough or accurate enough to hit someone in the Adam’s apple. I would not recommend an AR rifle (what I believe you call an assault weapon). They would not be my first choice for close quarters, but that is just me.

But there are many people who use them for long range target shooting. Have you ever gone to South Dakota to shoot prairie dogs? This rifle is one of the favorites for South Dakota prairie dogs. It takes skill to shoot that size of a target at those distances. I am afraid a .22 rifle would not do it. This rifle is also used for coyote and fox in our area. Again, if you are hunting these animals you need something with a little “more” than a .22.

You don’t think that they are trying to take away our hunting firearms? I believe you. But if we do not pay attention, it can happen. In California, it is against the law to own an 11-87 shotgun — we use them a great deal in Minnesota. But when they started the ban, they showed an AR rifle — but when the description was read it stated something like this — a firearm that was semi-automatic, with the magazine in front of the trigger. I doubt anyone thought that would affect their duck hunting shotgun, but you have to be careful. Us far-right loons have to protect ourselves from those far-left loons.

 

Elaine Hart

Albert Lea