Date: Thu, 7 Dec 1995 18:15:28 -0500 From: NRA Alerts To: firearms-alert@shell.portal.com Subject: ALERT: Anti-Gun Lobbyists Shopping Clinton Ammo Ban EMERGENCY LEGISLATIVE ALERT SHOPPING THE CLINTON AMMO BAN, ANTI-GUN LOBBYISTS CARPETING CAPITOL HILL NRA has observed anti-gun-rights lobbyists visiting lawmakers on Capitol Hill, urging lawmakers to pass the Clinton Ammo Ban. Such a ban could come to a vote in many forms, including an amendment to counter-terrorism legislation, H.R. 1710. The lobbyists observed include those representing the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). Such a move would not only neuter the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans. It would also create new dangers for police by diverting attention away from genuine cop-killers -- the two- legged variety that are a constant threat to citizen and officer alike -- criminals the system fails to incarcerate. Call your U.S. Representative today (202-224-3121) with a clear message: DON'T BAN BULLETS. BAN CRIMINALS. Points to share with your Congressman. * The real problem is the criminal. During the last ten years, 73% of those involved in officer killings had prior criminal arrests, 56% had been convicted of criminal offenses, and 23% were actually on parole or probation when the officers were killed. (Source: FBI, "Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted, 1993") * Since 1986, no police officer in the United States has been killed with any projectile fired from a handgun through the protective material of a soft body armor vest. The number is zero. * The problem is not bullets that defeat the protective material of body armor vests. During the last ten years, 70% of the police officers who have been fatally shot were not wearing their protective vests, according to the FBI. (Source: FBI, "Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted, 1993") * The National Institute of Justice has found that "many (officers) who possess body armor do not use it routinely." ("Selection and Application Guide to Police Body Armor, 1989) * President Clinton's notion that the current "armor-piercing ammunition" law is too weak, because "clever people" have designed new ammunition with additional armor-piercing abilities is simply false. This was demonstrated beyond doubt last year when the "Black Rhino" ammo myth was swallowed hook-line-and-sinker by anti- gun politicians before it was exposed as a hoax by ABC Nightline. * President Clinton's approach to banning ammunition was rejected by the Congress in the 1980s for the same reason it should be rejected today. Then and now, this approach does not protect officers but rather ban virtually all commonly used rifle ammunition and a great deal of handgun ammunition. The ban would readily wipe out .30-30 Winchester, .30-'06 Springfield, .308 Winchester, .270 Winchester, .257 Roberts, .243 Winchester and .223 Remington, to name just a few. * President Clinton's approach would ban most handgun ammunition, including that which is used for hunting, target shooting and self- protection, such as .45 Colt and .45 ACP, .44 Remington, .44 Smith and Wesson Special, .41 Remington, .357 Smith and Wesson, 9mm Luger, and many .38 Special loads, to name just a few. * About the only ammunition that might be safe from a Clinton Ammo Ban is .22 Rimfire, several outdated rifle cartridges such as .25- 20 Winchester and .32-20 Winchester, and several lower-powered handgun cartridges, such as .25 and .32 caliber (the same ammo used in guns anti-self-defense advocates want to ban under the meaningless term "Saturday Night Special"). Remember: the Clinton Ammo Ban could move at any moment. Call your U.S. Representative today (202-224-3121) with a clear message: DON'T BAN BULLETS. BAN CRIMINALS. NRA-ILA Research and Information and PR & Communications Divisions. December 7, 1995 =+=+=+=+ This information is provided as a service of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, Fairfax, VA. This and other information on the Second Amendment and the NRA is available at any of the following URL's: http://WWW.NRA.Org, gopher://GOPHER.NRA.Org, wais://WAIS.NRA.Org, ftp://FTP.NRA.Org, mailto:LISTPROC@NRA.Org (Send the word help as the body of a message) Information may also be obtained by connecting directly to the NRA-ILA GUN-TALK Bulletin Board System at (703) 934-2121.