From: elauren@hubcap.clemson.edu (Addison Laurent)
Subject: Re: ANTI PAINTBALLERS???
Organization: Clemson University
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 02:55:41 GMT

john@kennel.FIDONET.ORG (John Hamilton) writes:

>Tuesday January 26 1993 12:54, Robert Osborne wrote to All:

> RO> You don't need a FFL for a crossbow but a crossbow is classed as a
> RO> firearm under many legal definitions of the word firearm and is
> RO> a deadly weapon under any definition of the term.   What BATF
> RO> requires or doesn't require of you is meaningless.

>Excuse me? BATF is the ONLY regulatory agency which controls the sale and
>possesion of firearms. Local and State police departments must follow the
>guidelines established by BATF. In addition, BATF has final say on the FFL.

Go try and buy a handgun in New York. Tell them that the BATF says that
it is OK.
Remember, FFLs are one thing. _LAWS_ are another. 

>BATF does not classify a crossbow as a firearm. They classify it as a high
>power bow to the best of my reading (the regs weigh more than a skid of
>paint). Ergo, I don't need an FFL to buy crossbows for resale. I do need

Right. But you might need a local permit to own one. The point was, that
not all deadly weapons required FFLs

>one to sell the usual Smith and Wesson fare. Oh, ok, I take part of it back.
>State and Local governments have been known to place additional restrictions
>on various weapons. But as a general rule, BATF has the final say unless
>overridden by the US Congress.

Nope. Not the final. (And they _are_ overridden by the Constitution, but
few point this out)

> RO> Did you know that the terminal velocity of most bullets is ~300fps.
> RO> Did you know that many people are killed each year by bullets falling
> RO> to the earth.  A bullet traveling the same speed as a paintball in a
> RO> sanctioned tournament would be deadly.

>Sorry. The specs from the Shooter's Bible on rounds like the 165 grain
>.30-06, the 180 grain .357, the 145 grain .38 Special, to name just a few,
>are way above 300 fps at nominal range (the range you'd consider it accurate
>to). Get a copy, its interesting reading even if you don't reload.

3 miles downrange? Thats what he's talking about. Not just at out to
500.

> RO> A .22 short has a 50 grain bullet and muzzle velocity of ~900fps.
> RO> My .68 ball bearing would be >400 grains and a muzzle velocity of
> RO> ~450fps. This means that my ball bearing has ~2 times the kinetic energy
> RO> of a .22 short.

>For how long after it leaves the bore? Kinetic energy at the muzzle is
>irrelevant to the target. Muzzle velocity is highly relevant. This can be
>demonstrated. Fire a lead (least likely to damage your bore) .68 ball from
>your marker at a plastic jug of water 100 feet downrange at 450 fps. First,
>I suggest to you that you may not achieve 450 fps. at the muzzle due to the
>mass of the ball. But try anyway. Next, fire a .22 short at it. Given the
>relevance of the plastic jug full of water to certain parts of human anatomy,
>which "shot" achieves a) holing penetration, and b) internal pressure.

Do the same stunt at 10 feet. Use a lighter (hollow?, nylon, etc) ball.
Or even a POINTED projectile...
(But you are right about the lead ball not coming out at 450 fps.

>Anyway, the best thing about all this is that a .68 caliber paintball at 300
>fps isn't very threatening to a player wearing proper face protection. :-)

Yeah, but that's not what this thread has degenerated into.

Addison
-- 
ELAUREN@HUBCAP.CLEMSON.EDU
I hate .sigs. 
Newsgroups: rec.sport.paintball,alt.sport.paintball