Why does anyone need a high capacity semi-automatic firearm?
I
write instruction guides on defense and security for the average, everyday Joe
Nobody. My readers are typically law abiding, peaceful folks who believe in
self-reliance – a lifestyle and mindset more closely resembling that of our
pioneering forbearers than anything remotely political or radical. In addition,
I have taught countless hundreds of people from all walks of life the proper
usage of a firearm for their specific need. I always recommend a rifle, such as
the AR15, for home defense over a handgun. My reasoning for this recommendation
is based on experience, logic and cold, hard facts.
Like
most of you, I’ve watched the ongoing debate over gun control with a keen eye.
In some aspects, I’m proud of the discussion – a clear indication of a republic
at work. While the ebb and flow of arguments and political counterpoints has
fueled considerable frustration from my perspective, one single question
conspicuously repeats, apparently the fulcrum of the issue:
“Why
does anyone need a high capacity semi-automatic firearm?”
In
my writings, I recommend such a weapon for home and ranch defense for several
reasons. The primary justification for any high capacity firearm (a lot of
bullets in the magazine) being the proven inaccuracy of someone under
life-threatening stress.
To
understand what I mean, you need look no further than statistics for the New
York City Police Department. According to data published in the New York Times
(hardly a mouthpiece for the NRA), the well-trained, professional police
officers in the nation’s largest city only hit their target with 1 out of every
5 shots fired in anger (or fear) – a ten year average of 18%.
That’s
right, 1 of 5 for alert, on-duty, capable lawmen, and 77% of those shots
occurred when no one was shooting back. What type of accuracy can a sleepy,
poorly trained Joe Nobody expect when awakened in the middle of the night and
scared to death for his family’s safety? How will Joe’s accuracy be affected
when one of those intruders returns fire? How many rounds does the average
citizen need when being confronted by 2 or 3 intruders? I guess we all should
learn to re-load those 10 round “clips” quickly.
The
accuracy equation is compounded by stopping power. Have you ever heard the
phrase “double tap?” It originated from the British Special Air Services, one
of the most elite Special Forces units in the world. You see, our cousins from
across the pond found that their 9mm weapons often failed to disable the
average bad guy with a single shot. They learned this lesson the hard way, and
thus adapted their training to fire twice in quick succession. What many people
don’t realize is that handguns commonly don’t stop a threat with a single shot.
A frightened homeowner has a far better chance of successfully defending his
family with a rifle – one that has a lot of bullets.
Even
if you aren’t worried about stopping an attacker, there are still a lot of very
valid reasons for owning a high capacity weapon.
I’m
unsure what the farmers in rural NY are going to do when the feral hog epidemic
finally reaches their state. According to Mississippi State University, these
pests already inflict 1.6 billion dollars’ worth of damage to farms, ranches,
forests and parks annually. They are spreading rapidly. In the south, we’ve
been fighting them for years, mostly with high capacity magazines in military
style weapons – and we’re losing the war. Wild pigs aren’t like deer – you
don’t just shoot one for sport. These aren’t cute little potbellied porkers
released into the wild. We are talking about swine that are extremely
aggressive, can weigh north of 150 pounds, and sport razor-sharp, bacteria-infested
tusks. You have to eradicate the entire herd (normally 10-20 animals), which
requires a lot of bullets. They scatter at the first shot, and adults can run
with a horse. Most feral herds I’ve seen would snicker at seven rounds.
Both
sides of this debate should also consider the tens of thousands of private
professionals who play a vital role in the security of our great nation. These
folks aren’t police officers or associated with any government agency. Yet they
guard nuclear facilities, federal institutions and even parts of the United
Nations. I guess in New York they’ll be restricted to carrying a 6-shot
revolver? You know, extremists watch cable news, too. And you can bet that your
average terrorist already knows security at nuclear power plants is private,
and with the new legislation, they can’t have more than seven rounds in their
weapons. It wouldn’t surprise me if some enterprising lunatic just established
the nuclear power plants operating in the state of NY as a higher priority on
his target list.
What
about the tens of thousands of private military contractors who serve our
country? These professionals work for the Department of Defense, Department of
State and dozens of other federal agencies. The incident at Benghazi, Libya has
been in the headlines lately. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other
Americans lost their lives in a terrorist attack there on September 11, 2012.
Two of the four men killed that day were private military contractors. During
2012, more private contractors were killed in Afghanistan than U.S. military
personnel.
These
patriotic Americans are typically required to purchase their own individual
weapons and are responsible for their own training. They hold no law
enforcement license – they are just private Joes who happen to carry a rifle
for a living. They work in some of the most dangerous places on earth, faraway
lands where our government and corporations need them. They must own and use
high capacity weapons in order to train for their job. I, for one, appreciate
their help as more of our sons and daughters serving in the military would be
at risk if not for these individuals.
Speaking
of education, I need to point out the vast firearms training infrastructure
that exists in the United States. Hundreds of private facilities, employing
thousands of professional instructors, train and educate our military and law
enforcement personnel every day. The average person probably isn’t aware of
these institutions because they rarely have accidents or generate newsworthy
events.
These
private businesses train police departments, domestic and foreign military, and
even employees of federal agencies. It will come as surprise to many, but the
U.S. military doesn’t have the budget or facilities to train all of our troops.
The Pentagon contracts out some of this work to private firms, such as Gunsight
in Arizona, CSAT in Texas, or ACADEMI in North Carolina. The list could go on
and on.
Unless
you live in a major metropolitan area, chances are your local law enforcement
officers were trained at a similar private facility. A small town or rural
county can’t afford its own dedicated location and instructors – they save your
tax money by using private enterprise. When we call 911, we expect a
well-trained, competent professional to answer the call. No one wants Barney
Fife rolling up, nervously trying to pull a single bullet from his breast
pocket. These instructors are often required to own and maintain their own
firearms and skills. Don't we all want the very best for our first responders?
So
when someone makes the statement, “There’s no good reason why anyone needs a
high capacity, semi-automatic firearm,” they are simply wrong.
Joe Nobody is the
best-selling author of several books addressing self-reliance and defense. In
addition to his popular instruction guides, the fiction series Holding Their Own is a favorite among
preppers. You can find all of Joe’s works on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, ITunes
and other outlets, or visit www.holdingyourground.com.
