In an obvious setup for an ammunition-banning "killer amendment" to defeat pro-gun legislation, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and New York Senator Chuck Schumer (D) have once again proven that they`ve never seen a gun they won`t try to ban. The target of this week`s sparsely attended Washington news conference was FN Herstal`s "Five-SeveN," an expensive and still rare polymer-framed handgun. At the same time they attack .50 caliber rifles for their large bullets and long-range capability, the anti-gun groups falsely claim the Five-SeveN--specially designed for short-range use with small, lightweight bullets--poses a threat to police.
The truth is, this pistol and its ammunition were approved for importation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), which stated that the ammunition is "not armor piercing" under Federal law. BATFE also noted that in tests by FN--one of Europe`s most respected firearm manufacturers--bullets from the Five-SeveN wouldn`t penetrate two kinds of soft body armor (you can see BATFE`s statement at: www.atf.gov/firearms/firearmstech/fabriquen.htm).
Law enforcement agencies and manufacturers follow 57 pages of detailed instructions when testing armor. Brady "ballisticians" simply shot a vest draped over a bale of hay and handed out a video.
The Brady Campaign`s latest media hysteria is clearly aimed at defeating pro-Second Amendment bills such as the "Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act." Last year, Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) was soundly beaten at that game, when the Senate rebuffed his ploy to saddle the lawsuit bill with an amendment that would have banned most hunting rifle ammunition. The Senate rejected the Kennedy amendment on a 34-63 vote, wisely choosing instead to follow a 1997 BATFE report which found that "existing laws are working" and urged Congress to "avoid any experimentation with police officer lives."
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