From: nsc!jrr@decwrl.dec.com (Jerry Roe)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: Black Talon Bullets
Date: 10 Sep 92 19:28:37 GMT
Organization: National Semiconductor, Santa Clara

In article <1992Sep5.221220.14890@math.ufl.edu> sorrow@maple.circa.ufl.edu writes:
#
##I don't understand why people are concerned about the legal
##ramifications regarding the type, style, or name of the
##ammunition they choose to defend their and their loved one's
##lives with.  I myself would choose the must effective

Because it can ruin your life, that's why.  Legal after-effects can
take away everything you own (to pay for the attorney's fees) and
quite possibly land you in the hoosegow if you piss off the authorities
with your attitude.

##ammunition availiable on the commercial market to defend
##life and limb.  I am more concerned with what Mr. Bad Guy's
##intentions are rathar that any prosecuting attorney and a
##jury of my peer's.  Anyone out there who dos'nt feel the

Well, it's good to be concerned about Mr. Bad Guy's intentions, but
you *do* need to think beyond the moment you might pull the trigger,
and what the prosecutor's going to think.

##...if your worried
##about the after affects of "dusting" a bad guy then you
##should'nt even qwn a gun in the first place.
##
#
#WHAT?  There is a difference between practical and reckless.  If you load
#up your "Colt Super Python Death Dealer" with ".357 Magnum Flaming Death
#Hollowpoints" and blow away some intruder, odds are, you WILL serve some
#time in jail.  The reason?  You will be painted as a wanna-be Rambo/Hero
#who killed someone else for your own personal glory.  It doesn't matter
#what YOU think you were doing, or if the felon was armed with a 12 gauge
#and holding your child hostage, if you are perceived by the judge/jury as
#a wanna-be hero, any actions you took, although successfull, would be
#perceived as reckless.

I think that's a bit too generalized a statement.  If somebody was holding
my child hostage and I managed to neutralize him, I don't think there's a
jury in the world who would convict.  In fact, I doubt if there are too
many prosecutors who would pursue such a case.  It's unfortunate that
manufacturers keep producing products with such inflammatory names as
"Black Talon"...but it's what I use.  However, if anybody made a product
with such names as you suggest above ("Flaming Death Hollowpoints"), I
*would* stay the hell as far away as I could.  I agree, there is a
difference between practical and reckless.  As long as it's commercially
available ammo and I can justify using it with a demonstration of the
reasoning behind my choice - and had used good judgement in the incident -
and present a reasonable face to the police/prosecutor, I don't think 
I'd have too much trouble.  Failing that, I'd go hire Ayoob as an
expert witness.  {:^)

#Woe to you if you have an extensive gun collection,
#because then you are also a "gun nut" or a "survival freak" who was
#"waiting for something like this to happen".  It's twisted, but that's
#the American Way.

Again, it depends on how you present it, and maybe what's in your collection.
If it's nothing but mean-and-nasty stuff and you have "Forget the dog,
beware of OWNER" or "I shoot first and ask questions later" signs plastered
all over your front gate, then you're probably in for some unpleasantness.
As you say, keep it practical...

#
#Worrying about the after affects of "dusting" a bad guy is SMART.  Honestly,

Yep.

#...And as
#for your comment about "shouldn't even own a gun" -- people who don't
#worry about the effects of their use of lethal firepower are by FAR the
#ones who should not own firearms....your statement about disregarding the
#effects of using your weapon are rather irresponsible.

Yep again.

#
#Brian


Jerry Roe
jrr@nsc.nsc.com		...!{sun,pyramid,decwrl)!nsc!jrr