http://www.house.gov/waxman/Guns/50/Sta/sta.html
the video is a good demo of a 50 cal semi auto rifle...
http://www.house.gov/waxman/Guns/50/Video/video.html
the report has some interesting parts too... http://www.house.gov/waxman/Guns/50/Report/report.html
>>>>>>>>>>>>
May 3, 1999
Statement by Rep. Henry Waxman
Long-Range 50 Caliber Sniper Weapons
Good morning. I want to thank the General Accounting Office, the Violence Policy Center, and Arizona Ammunition Inc.
for being here today. I also want to thank Rep. Dan Burton, Chairman of the Government Reform Committee, for his
cooperation and the courtesy he has extended to us in making this room available.
This is not, of course, an official hearing of the Government Reform Committee. Only Chairman Burton and other
Republican members are authorized to convene official committee hearings. Instead, this is an unofficial hearing
organized by the Democratic members of the Government Reform Committee.
In particular, I want to commend Rep. Rod Blagojevich for his leadership in making today's hearing possible. In
February, he initiated our Democratic inquiry into firearms. Today is the first in a series of events where we will release
the results of our ongoing investigation.
This morning's focus is on a legal and extremely powerful weaponÑthe semi-automatic fifty caliber long range sniper
rifle. This weapon has a firing range of four miles and is extraordinarily accurate for at least one mile. And it is capable
of destroying automobiles, helicopters, and other specialized vehicles.
Three months ago, we asked investigators at the GAO to conduct an undercover investigation to determine the
accessibility of both the semi-automatic fifty caliber rifle and a particularly powerful type of ammunition called API, or
armor piercing incendiary, bullets. <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>We also asked that they try to trace actual ownership and use of this weapon.[/quote]
The
GAO Special Agents assigned to this project have completed their undercover investigation and will provide us with a
briefing on their findings in a few minutes.
Before hearing those findings, I want to make a personal observation. I had and continue to have a real reservation about
making our investigation public. My concern is that providing information about the semi-automatic fifty caliber rifle
might have the opposite effect of what we intend. The disaster at Littleton has caused demand for the TEC-DC9 to
increase. There is a risk that publicizing the dangers of fifty caliber sniper weapons could have a similar effect.
I believe, however, that the risks of speaking out are less than the dangers of remaining silent. GAO has found that this
semi-automatic sniper weapon is already in the hands of:
International and domestic terrorist organizations,
Alleged assassins,
A mentally ill cop killer,
"Survivalists" and "doomsday" cults stockpiling hundreds of weapons, and
International drug cartels.
It almost seems that the only people who don't know about these guns and the threat they pose to public safety are
millions of law abiding Americans who will be outraged by GAO's findings.
So, despite my hesitation, I believe it is important that this information be made public. We must build public awareness
so that we can keep these weapons of war out of the civilian market.
In preparation for this hearing, the minority staff completed a report on the long-range fifty caliber sniper rifle. This
report outlines the history of the development of the weapon, as well as its use by the military in the Gulf War. It also
analyzes the findings of the GAO investigators. This report is available on the side table.
Before we turn to GAO's statement, I want to give everyone a sense of what we're talking about today. What is this
weapon? What is it used for? And what is it capable of? When we first began to ask these questions, we found out that
the fifty caliber sniper weapon was primarily a military weapon. In fact, it was used extensively during the Gulf War to
take out vehicles, bunkers, and other facilities.
As part of the investigation, the U.S. Marines invited the minority staff to Quantico to see the weapon in action at their
test-firing range. We have a video that shows what we learned about the weapon from the Marines. This video was made
possible by the efforts of Captain Ukeiley, who is the Officer in Charge at the Scout Sniper Instructor School at
Quantico; Staff Sergeant Bryan Zickefoose, who helped brief us; and Major Mike Walker, who set this up and organized
everything. We thank them for their help. I would like to play the video now.
With that, I'll conclude my comments, and I look forward to hearing about GAO's undercover investigation.
Please review the reports on 50 caliber weapons and ammunition
Please review the audio tapes made by GAO undercover investigators
Please review the video demonstration from the US Marine Corps
the video is a good demo of a 50 cal semi auto rifle...
http://www.house.gov/waxman/Guns/50/Video/video.html
the report has some interesting parts too... http://www.house.gov/waxman/Guns/50/Report/report.html
>>>>>>>>>>>>
May 3, 1999
Statement by Rep. Henry Waxman
Long-Range 50 Caliber Sniper Weapons
Good morning. I want to thank the General Accounting Office, the Violence Policy Center, and Arizona Ammunition Inc.
for being here today. I also want to thank Rep. Dan Burton, Chairman of the Government Reform Committee, for his
cooperation and the courtesy he has extended to us in making this room available.
This is not, of course, an official hearing of the Government Reform Committee. Only Chairman Burton and other
Republican members are authorized to convene official committee hearings. Instead, this is an unofficial hearing
organized by the Democratic members of the Government Reform Committee.
In particular, I want to commend Rep. Rod Blagojevich for his leadership in making today's hearing possible. In
February, he initiated our Democratic inquiry into firearms. Today is the first in a series of events where we will release
the results of our ongoing investigation.
This morning's focus is on a legal and extremely powerful weaponÑthe semi-automatic fifty caliber long range sniper
rifle. This weapon has a firing range of four miles and is extraordinarily accurate for at least one mile. And it is capable
of destroying automobiles, helicopters, and other specialized vehicles.
Three months ago, we asked investigators at the GAO to conduct an undercover investigation to determine the
accessibility of both the semi-automatic fifty caliber rifle and a particularly powerful type of ammunition called API, or
armor piercing incendiary, bullets. <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>We also asked that they try to trace actual ownership and use of this weapon.[/quote]
The
GAO Special Agents assigned to this project have completed their undercover investigation and will provide us with a
briefing on their findings in a few minutes.
Before hearing those findings, I want to make a personal observation. I had and continue to have a real reservation about
making our investigation public. My concern is that providing information about the semi-automatic fifty caliber rifle
might have the opposite effect of what we intend. The disaster at Littleton has caused demand for the TEC-DC9 to
increase. There is a risk that publicizing the dangers of fifty caliber sniper weapons could have a similar effect.
I believe, however, that the risks of speaking out are less than the dangers of remaining silent. GAO has found that this
semi-automatic sniper weapon is already in the hands of:
International and domestic terrorist organizations,
Alleged assassins,
A mentally ill cop killer,
"Survivalists" and "doomsday" cults stockpiling hundreds of weapons, and
International drug cartels.
It almost seems that the only people who don't know about these guns and the threat they pose to public safety are
millions of law abiding Americans who will be outraged by GAO's findings.
So, despite my hesitation, I believe it is important that this information be made public. We must build public awareness
so that we can keep these weapons of war out of the civilian market.
In preparation for this hearing, the minority staff completed a report on the long-range fifty caliber sniper rifle. This
report outlines the history of the development of the weapon, as well as its use by the military in the Gulf War. It also
analyzes the findings of the GAO investigators. This report is available on the side table.
Before we turn to GAO's statement, I want to give everyone a sense of what we're talking about today. What is this
weapon? What is it used for? And what is it capable of? When we first began to ask these questions, we found out that
the fifty caliber sniper weapon was primarily a military weapon. In fact, it was used extensively during the Gulf War to
take out vehicles, bunkers, and other facilities.
As part of the investigation, the U.S. Marines invited the minority staff to Quantico to see the weapon in action at their
test-firing range. We have a video that shows what we learned about the weapon from the Marines. This video was made
possible by the efforts of Captain Ukeiley, who is the Officer in Charge at the Scout Sniper Instructor School at
Quantico; Staff Sergeant Bryan Zickefoose, who helped brief us; and Major Mike Walker, who set this up and organized
everything. We thank them for their help. I would like to play the video now.
With that, I'll conclude my comments, and I look forward to hearing about GAO's undercover investigation.
Please review the reports on 50 caliber weapons and ammunition
Please review the audio tapes made by GAO undercover investigators
Please review the video demonstration from the US Marine Corps
