Goin' Tactical

If there's one thing no society needs it's "black guns." There is a whole family of these things out there, "tactical" semi-automatic assault rifles that can be yours for just a few hundred dollars.

Those patterned directly on the Colt M-16 require a "restricted" gun licence but there are plenty of others, just as sinister and Rambo-manly, that you can get with an ordinary, non-restricted licence.  Follow the link above, take a look.

I use the word "sinister" deliberately. That's what sells these guns, the idea that you too can join the warrior class. They're short, really easy to conceal. They're black. They've got Picatinny rails, ready to mount your scope, laser sight, red-dot sight or accessory flashlight in case you get a hankering to start blasting away in the darkness. Like the kid in the photo above with his accessorized Bushmaster.

And, if you don't have a couple of grand to plonk down, don't worry. You can get a Chinese SKS, with folding bayonet, on sale right now for $199.

People who buy these black guns often claim they're for hunting. Yeah, right. Take a look at this baby, priced at a modest $599. It's a knock-off of the German, WWII MP-40.

That's a shoot-from-the-hip blaster. You won't be heading out to take a deer with that. It just screams "Wehrmacht" all day long.  It's very inaccuracy makes it more dangerous, not less.

I'm not an anti-gun zealot. I have rifles, real hunting rifles, that I periodically take to the range for an hour of target shooting. They're not for "self-defence." It takes me more than 20 minutes just to get everything unlocked, assuming I can locate the keys and figure out what key works on which lock.

I think there's a place for rifles, some rifles. There's a place for handguns - cops, armoured car crews, competition shooters - but that's about it.

We need to ratchet down access to a lot of these firearms. If you want a tactical rifle, join the army. If you want a handgun, demonstrate that you have a legitimate need for one.

It's time the federal government cracked down on black rifles and automatic pistols - but don't hold your breath.

UPDATE:

New Zealand prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, vows to reform her country's lax gun laws.

“Our gun laws will change,” she said. “There have been attempts to change our laws in 2005, 2012 and after an inquiry in 2017, now is the time for change.” 

She said five guns were used by the primary perpetrator of the attack, including two semi-automatic weapons and two shotguns. The shooter was in possession of a gun licence obtained in November 2017.

Australia banned semi-automatic rifles. Britain has strict gun control. Now, New Zealand is going to follow. That leaves Canada the last bastion of assault rifle access.