Mark Serbu To NYPD: No Semiauto .50BMGs For You...

[smalls]

Word is, Ronnie Barrett won't sell to them either...

Barett has made their stance on not selling guns to police agencies where their guns are banned known.

I heard a story (but can't find it to confirm that it's true) that they got a rifle in from repair from an officer located in CA. They refused to send it back because of their policy.

 

[powder]

Yes, brilliant: a gun manufacturer refusing to sell guns-it's just killing the antis, isnt it?!

 

[mrvco]

Taking one out of the Antis playbook... is the NYPD going to need nuclear weapons next?

 

[Quick Shot xMLx]

Is anyone in the NYPD even capable of successfully shooting anything at any distance with a .50? They can't even holster a stock trigger Glock without blowing their legs off.

 

[returningfire]

Can you imagine shooting a 50 cal in New York City? The projectile would go completely through 50+ people before running out of steam.
I don't need a physics lesson here, just stating the obvious issue.

 

[Thermactor]

Sounds like Bloomberg wants some of that banned artillery for his Waffen-Schutzstaffeln.

 

[lpsharp88]

Gonna play devils advocate here. I have read MANY posts here about people countering the antis argument of "why do you need an assault rifle?" and answers have ranged from "it's not the bill of needs" to "to be able to fight a tyrannical government", and so on. Now, lets ask the question "why do you need a .50 BMG?", once again, it's not the bill of needs. So, wouldn't it be fair to say that a police department should be able to possess the same firepower that us, the ordinary citizens, can possess? It kind of evens the playing fields, for everyone involved.

 

[itsa pain]

one guy said they need the 50 to fight terrorists hahaha yeah right fire it down 5th ave. or shoot down a plane that will crash into a neighborhood killing many people. yes wield a gigantic 30lb cannon fighting imaginary terrorists in an alley way. what a joke.in a phony manufactured war on terrorism which has morphed into a real war against citizens who pay for it all

 

[Water-Man]

Is anyone in the NYPD even capable of successfully shooting anything at any distance with a .50? They can't even holster a stock trigger Glock without blowing their legs off. "


They happen to have the most highly trained anti-terrorist police force in the country. They also get visits from various European police units for anti-terrorist training.

So, the answer to your question might very well be yes.

 

[Black Butte]

Why does a police department need a .50 bmg?

Why does the department of Homeland Security need 1.6 billion rounds of hollowpoint ammunition?

 

[HKGuns]

The rifle was for T/E as stated in the email. He wasn't buying anything, he was just jonesing for a new toy to return after he'd played with it for a while.

 

[kwguy]

'Why does a civilian need an AR-15?' - Silly question, won't even go there.

'Why does a civilian need a .50 BMG?' - Because it's my right, my money, and it's cool.

'Why does the NYPD need a .50 BMG?' - Because it's cool.

One can certainly 'what if' all day long, and I can certainly come up with scenarios (well one) where they might need one. Maybe they need to disable a boat. But it really just seems like more of a boondoggle. We're not just talking about something like a .50 Beowulf, or a better long range round here, the .50 BMG is a whole different animal.

 

[hogshead]

Mayor Bloomberg ordered them to enforce the Big Gulp Law. Those soda drinkers can be a unruly bunch.

 

[Sam1911]

So, wouldn't it be fair to say that a police department should be able to possess the same firepower that us, the ordinary citizens, can possess? It kind of evens the playing fields, for everyone involved.

LOL! Holy IRONY, Batman!

Why does the department of Homeland Security need 1.6 billion rounds of hollowpoint ammunition?

Oh good grief! Not that again! Can we not KILL that bit of Alex-Jonesary? :banghead:

 

[kwguy]

Well, they need the .50 bmg for the same reason they need MRAP's.

In fact, they need the .50 BMG's to mount ON the MRAP's. See? And why do they want MRAP's with .50 cal's on them?

Because it's COOL! gee...

 

[danez71]

So, wouldn't it be fair to say that a police department should be able to possess the same firepower that us, the ordinary citizens, can possess? It kind of evens the playing fields, for everyone involved.

To make your point valid in this case the NY police need to get rid of all of the guns they own but banned their citizens from owning.

One of which, if I'm not mistaken, is the .50 BMG.

This is a case of the MFG sticking up for the citizens by NOT selling NY govt anything that NY citizens cant buy.

 

[HorseSoldier]

One can certainly 'what if' all day long, and I can certainly come up with scenarios (well one) where they might need one. Maybe they need to disable a boat. But it really just seems like more of a boondoggle. We're not just talking about something like a .50 Beowulf, or a better long range round here, the .50 BMG is a whole different animal.

Googling "Mexican cartel improvised armored car" really should sum up why major LE agencies want to have anti-materiel rifles in the inventory and available to SWAT type elements in those agencies. A fleeing felon in a standard commercial armored car (of the type that felonious minded folks like to rob from time to time) also leaps to mind as a problem potentially in need of a .50 caliber solution or similar.

In a related vein, looking into the administrative nut roll that was going on behind the scenes back when that meth head in California stole an M60 tank from the CA ARNG and went joyriding illustrates how non-smoothly things work right now for pawning off too hard a target to the next echelon of firepower.

 

[Ms_Dragon]

If the NYPD got their hands on a .50BMG chances are they'd put the scope on backwards!

Like this NYPD SWAT.
Obviously a quality operation fer sure!

 

[kwguy]

If they want a 10, 15, or 20 round, semi automatic rifle to take out an armored vehicle, then they should get serious about it and put that .50 bmg on one of their helicopters, and then make it full auto. If they're serious. If not, then they are just playing what if games.

If the police have to start preparing themselves against tanks, then we are certainly past the realm of anything that Barrett or Serbu has to offer. Maybe they should contract with Boeing or Lockheed Martin for some T/E equipment. I mean, anything could happen, right?

 

[barnbwt]

I bought a 50cal barrel blank from the man a while back. Glad to see he is as principled an individual as he is a square dealer. The "police loophole" desperately needs a major ammo manufacturer to come on board. As we've seen with the civilian (and to a lesser extent, LE) ammo shortage, he who controls the ammo supply gets to dictate terms. When these urban regimes are faced with a real, actual, imminent threat of true ammunition shortages in their departments due to their repressive laws, they will fold. They're too terrified of their populace not to. Merely limiting their access to certain guns will restrict their operations only about as much as an AWB affects us--not much.

Do the NYPD really expect people to believe they actually need these contingency items while wailing that they don't have enough resources to do the daily jobs? If I am presented evidence that these guns have ever, ever been used as they are being proposed, I might change my mind. Really? Stopping a speeding suicide bomber's truck? These guys are idiots, incapable of making the shots described, and so unlikely to be in position to take them in time it's laughable.

At best, this is an unnecessary squandering of scarce resources. At worst, an unnecessary addition to their combat capabilities on US soil. I know our PDs want the best, but they have no "right" to it like the common man just because they want it. Unlike civilians, Police do have to justify their acquistions, and frankly, 50BMG-work is pretty low on their list of priorities. Next they'll be wanting RPGs (and no, that's not from the Anti's playbook, it's literally the next progression in small-arms strength)

TCB

They are just playing games.

Fixed it for ya.

Googling "Mexican cartel improvised armored car" really should sum up why major LE agencies want to have anti-materiel rifles in the inventory and available to SWAT type elements in those agencies.

...back when that meth head in California stole an M60 tank from the CA ARNG and went joyriding

Okay, if the situation on the border has deteriorated to the point that our law-enforcement officers need military capabilities to maintain order, then SEND IN THE ARMY and kick these swine back south of Mexico City like we've had to do (twice, now, I think) before. That's the "proper, constitutional" excercise of our military might, and not making cops into domestic soldiers so our "Praetorian Guard" can be freed up to operate OCUNUS indefinitely. You're not seriously advocating for our officers to have anti-tank capabilities because of that one incident, are you?

 

[HorseSoldier]

You're not seriously advocating for our officers to have anti-tank capabilities because of that one incident, are you?

Of course not. However, the complete goat rodeo going on behind the scenes on the M60 tank incident illustrates that we do not have anything in place to manage a smooth hand off from civilian law enforcement to the military in an emergent situation that exceeds LE capabilities.

The odds of a bad guy having access to a hijacked civilian armored car, or some other similar target that requires something like a .50 cal rifle to neutralize is sufficiently realistic that not preparing for it would be negligent on the part of law enforcement.

 

[kwguy]

If they're gonna be serious about neutralizing an armored car with a .50 cal, then they would just need to emplace outposts with .50 cal machine guns at strategic locations throughout their 'world'. To seriously expect to scramble someone into position, and expect them to be able to engage that armored car with a 10 round, semi-automatic rifle, is some serious Jason Bourne stuff . The realistic way to do it quickly would be with a helicopter armed with a .50 cal machine gun. Not a job for police.

What they SAY they want that .50 for, and the REALITY of the situation, are two different things. They WOULD be better off with an RPG than a .50 cal rifle if they wanna stop an armored car. But that's not gonna happen. Perhaps an EMP distuptor with several series of spike strips. Not nearly as cool, but more effective .

 

[OldMac]

It is a good move by corporations to offset the creeping govt takeover of their sales. If govt can pass laws to limit their sales to only govt then the next step could set price as well. Ammo manufacturers should put their retail customers first. I applaud the first few manufacturers who are making a stand but the only real impact will come when the last ones take a stand and leave placess like ny, il, dc, ca, etc with billy clubs as the primary weapon.

 

[Torian]

Googling "Mexican cartel improvised armored car" really should sum up why major LE agencies want to have anti-materiel rifles in the inventory and available to SWAT type elements in those agencies. A fleeing felon in a standard commercial armored car (of the type that felonious minded folks like to rob from time to time) also leaps to mind as a problem potentially in need of a .50 caliber solution or similar.

In a related vein, looking into the administrative nut roll that was going on behind the scenes back when that meth head in California stole an M60 tank from the CA ARNG and went joyriding illustrates how non-smoothly things work right now for pawning off too hard a target to the next echelon of firepower.

They can give the Feds a call for support if they need hardware to take out a tank. As far as Mexican drug cartel armored vehicles...just call the ATF. Eric Holder should have his Mexican gun registry up to date by now...it will make mission planning even easier.

 

[foghornl]

Something does come to mind about the .50Cals and shooting down aircraft.....

If the .50 can stop a plane with 1 shot, why do most of our current fighter planes have 30MM and 40MM cannons? ? ? ? {approx. 1.20 and 1.60 Cal ? ? ?}

and also air-to-air missiles??????