Source: http://smartgunlaws.org/fifty-caliber-rifles-policy-summary/
Timestamp: 2015-05-24 09:03:53
Document Index: 356280339

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 922', '§ 922', '§ 16790', 'art. 5', '§ 55', 'art. 9', '§ 613', '§ 16460', '§ 53', '§ 7', '§ 53', '§ 53', '§ 5', 'art. 9', '§ 613']

Fifty Caliber Weapons Policy Summary
An ordinance adopted by the City and County of San Francisco, California in 2004 prohibits the sale or transfer of any “50 caliber firearm or 50 caliber cartridge.” “50 caliber firearm” is defined as any firearm capable of firing a center-fire 50 caliber cartridge, and includes 50 caliber handguns. The ordinance has been superseded by state law with respect to 50 caliber rifles, but continues in effect with respect to 50 caliber handguns and cartridges.22 The features listed below are intended to provide a framework from which policy options may be considered. A jurisdiction considering new legislation should consult with counsel.
Violence Policy Center, Voting From the Rooftops: How the Gun Industry Armed Osama bin Laden, Other Foreign and Domestic Terrorists, and Common Criminals with 50 Caliber Sniper Rifles 7-12 (Oct. 2001), at http://www.vpc.org/graphics/rooftop.pdf. [↩]Id. at 8. [↩]Violence Policy Center, Clear and Present Danger: National Security Experts Warn About the Danger of Unrestricted Sales of 50 Caliber Anti-Armor Sniper Rifles to Civilians (July 2005), at http://www.vpc.org/studies/50danger.pdf. [↩]Id. at 5; Violence Policy Center, One Shot, One Kill: Civilian Sales of Military Sniper Rifles 41-42 (May 1999), at http://www.vpc.org/graphics/snipcov2.pdf; Voting from the Rooftops, supra note 1, at 62-68. [↩]18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(1), (c)(1). By contrast, federally licensed dealers can only sell or transfer handguns to persons age 21 or older. 18 U.S.C. § 922(x)(1), (3), (5). [↩]Office of Special Investigations, U.S. General Accounting Office, Weaponry: Availability of .50 Caliber Semiautomatic Rifles 6-7 (June 30, 1999), at http://www.gao.gov/assets/90/88915.pdf. See also Violence Policy Center, Criminal Use of the 50 Caliber Sniper Rifle Fact Sheet (2013), at http://www.vpc.org/snipercrime.htm (last visited July 8, 2013). [↩]Violence Policy Center, Iron River: Gun Violence and Illegal Firearms Trafficking on the U.S.-Mexico Border 20 (Apr. 2009), at http://www.vpc.org/studies/ironriver.pdf. See Colby Goodman & Michel Marizco, U.S. Firearms Trafficking to Mexico: New Data and Insights Illuminate Key Trends and Challenges, in Shared Responsibility: U.S.-Mexico Policy Options for Confronting Organized Crime 187 (Eric L. Olson, David A. Shirk & Andrew Selee eds., 2010), at http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/Shared%20Responsibility%2012.22.10.pdf. [↩]International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), Taking a Stand: Reducing Gun Violence in Our Communities 27 (Sept. 2007), at https://www.theiacp.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=%2Fs0LiOkJK5Q%3D&tabid=87. [↩]Tom W. Smith, National Opinion Research Center (NORC)/University of Chicago, Public Attitudes Towards the Regulation of Firearms 3 (Mar. 2007) (discussing the results of the “2006 General Social Survey” NORC/University of Chicago), at http://www.icpgv.org/pdf/NORCPoll.pdf. [↩]For additional information on armor-piercing ammunition, see the section on Ammunition Regulation. [↩]Voting From the Rooftops, supra note 1, at 12-20. [↩]See generally Violence Policy Center, Sitting Ducks: The Threat to the Chemical and Refinery Industry from 50 Caliber Sniper Rifles (Aug. 2002), at http://www.vpc.org/studies/duckcont.htm. [↩]See generally Violence Policy Center, Just Like Bird Hunting: The Threat to Civil Aviation From 50 Caliber Sniper Rifles (Jan. 2003), at http://www.vpc.org/graphics/birdhuntingstudy.PDF. [↩]Violence Policy Center, Vest Buster: The .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum – The Gun Industry’s Latest Challenge to Law Enforcement Body Armor 19 (June 2004), at http://www.vpc.org/graphics/S&W500%20final.pdf. [↩]Cal. Penal Code §§ 16790, 30500-31115. California’s ban on 50 caliber rifles was adopted after a number of local cities and counties in California imposed local bans on these weapons. See, e.g., Los Angeles, Cal., Municipal Code ch. V, art. 5, § 55.18; San Francisco, Cal., Police Code art. 9, § 613.10-1. [↩]Under the definition of “destructive device,” California also bans the possession, sale, offer for sale, and knowing transportation of incendiary and tracer ammunition that is equal to or less than .60 caliber, for use in rifles, including .50 caliber rifles. Cal. Penal Code §§ 16460, 18710, 18730. Connecticut also bans distribution, transportation, importation, sale and transfer of armor piercing or incendiary 50 caliber bullets. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-202l. [↩]Registration is critical to any law that exempts pre-ban weapons. Without such a provision, it would be nearly impossible to enforce a possession ban because there would be no way to determine the date an individual acquired possession of a banned weapon. [↩]D.C. Code Ann. §§ 7-2502.02(a)(7), 7-2505.01, 7-2505.02(a), (c). [↩]Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-202a(1)(A)(i). [↩]Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53-202a – 53-202o. [↩]Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety §§ 5-101(r)(2)(ix), 5-102 – 5-143. [↩]San Francisco, Cal., Police Code art. 9 § 613.10-1. [↩]See our summary on the Registration of Firearms for features of comprehensive registration laws. The most comprehensive system of regulating the purchase, possession and ownership of firearms combines registration of firearms with licensing of gun owners. Additional information on licensing of firearm owners is contained in our summary on Licensing Gun Owners & Purchasers. [↩]
Tags: 50 caliber, fifty caliber, fifty caliber weapon