Sale to Civilian Population
Although primarily used by militaries around the world, the .50 caliber sniper rifle and its various types of ammunition are readily available to the public. Forbes Magazine has noted that the number of manufacturers of these sniper rifles for sale to civilians has increased from one in 1987 to possibly as many as 24 today. The boom in interest in the weapon propels this increased number of manufacturers. Drastic reduction in price of the .50 caliber rifle has stimulated increased sale and access to the weapons.21 A government study found that a used .50 caliber BMG sniper rifle can be purchased online for just $29.95
While there is no evidence that the .50 caliber sniper rifle was designed for recreational use, its manufacturers have often labeled it as a sporting rifle to legitimize their sale of this deadly weapon to the public. Curt Bartlett, former Chief of the Firearms Technical Branch at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, illustrated just how inappropriate the .50 caliber sniper rifle is for sport when he said, “anything bigger would be getting into the range of cannons.” Ronnie Barrett, creator and CEO of a major manufacturer of .50 caliber sniper rifles, even dared to call the weapon a “toy.” Unfortunately, along with everyday citizens, potential terrorists and other violent individuals have easy access to these sniper “toys” at gun stores, over the internet, at gun shows and through person-to-person sales.
