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Letter from Barrett firearms to LAPD
California NRA Members' Councils ^ | 12-11-02 | Ronnie Barrett

Posted on 02/04/2003 6:32:45 PM PST by Inspector Harry Callahan

Chief William J. Bratton
Los Angeles Police Department
150 North Los Angeles Street

Re: LAPD 82A Rifle, Serial No. 11**

Dear Chief Bratton,

I, a U.S. citizen, own Barrett Firearms Mfg. Inc., and for 20 years I have built .50 caliber rifles for my fellow citizens, for their Law Enforcement departments and for their nation's armed forces.

You may be aware of the latest negative misinformation campaign from a Washington based anti-gun group, the Violence Policy Center. The VPC has, for three or so years, been unsuccessful in Washington, D.C. trying to demonize and ban a new subclass of firearms, the .50 caliber and other "too powerful" rifles. This type of nibbling process has been historically successful in civilian disarmament of other nations governed by totalitarian and other regimes less tolerant of individual rights than the United States .

The VPC's most recent efforts directs this misinformation campaign at your state, attempting to get any California body to pass any law against .50 caliber firearms. In March 2002 the VPC caused the California State Assembly, Public Safety Committee to consider and reject the issue by a 5 to 0 with 1 abstaining vote.

Regrettably, the same material has been presented to your city council. I personally attended the council meeting in Los Angeles regarding attempts to bar ownership of the .50 caliber rifle in your city. I was allowed to briefly address the council. The tone of the discussion was mostly emotionally based, so the facts that I attempted to provide were ineffective to the extent they were heard at all. The council voted to have the city attorney draft an ordinance to ban the .50, and further, to instruct the city's representatives in Sacramento and in Washington D.C. to push for bans at their respective levels.

At that council meeting, I was very surprised to see an LAPD officer seated front and center with a Barrett 82A1 .50 cal rifle. It was the centerpiece of the discussion. As you know, there have been no crimes committed with these rifles, and most importantly, current California law does not allow the sale of the M82AI in the state because of its detachable magazine and features that make it an "assault weapon." This rifle was being deceptively used by your department. The officer portrayed it as a sample of a currently available .50 cal rifle, available for sale to the civilians of Los Angeles. One councilman even questioned how this rifle was available under current laws, but as I stated, facts were ineffective that day.

Your officer, speaking for the LAPD, endorsed the banning of this rifle and its ammunition. Then he used the rifle for photo ops with the Councilmen each of whom, in handling the firearm, may have been committing a felony. I was amazed.

Since 1968, with the closing of the U.S. Springfield Amory, all of the small arms produced for the various government agencies are from the private sector. Every handgun, rifle or shotgun that law enforcement needs comes from this firearms industry. Unless the City of Los Angeles has plans of setting up its own firearms manufacturing, it may need to guard the manufacturing sources it has now.

When I returned to my office from Los Angeles, I found an example of our need for mutual cooperation. Your department had sent one of your 82A1 rifles in to us for service. All of my knowledge in the use of my rifle in the field of law enforcement had been turned upside down by witnessing how your department used yours. Not to protect and serve, but for deception, photo opportunities, and to further an ill-conceived effort that may result in the use of LA taxpayer monies to wage losing political battles in Washington against civil liberties regarding gun ownership.

Please excuse my slow response on the repair service of the rifle. I am battling to what service I am repairing the rifle for. I will not sell, nor service, my rifles to those seeking to infringe upon the Constitution and the crystal clear rights it affords individuals to own firearms.

I implore you to investigate the facts of the .50, to consider the liberties of the law-abiding people and our mutual coexistence, and to change your department's position on this issue.

Sincerely,
BARRETT FIREARMS MANUFACTURING, INC.

Ronnie Barrett
President


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism
KEYWORDS: banglist
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The United States Constitution
1 posted on 02/04/2003 6:32:45 PM PST by Inspector Harry Callahan
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To: Inspector Harry Callahan
Hmmm.. The Socialist Republic of Kalifornia strikes again.
2 posted on 02/04/2003 6:41:12 PM PST by cavtrooper21 (Shoot 'em if they stand, cut 'em if they run!)
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To: Inspector Harry Callahan
SOME police really don't like any citizen being armed.

The Ohio stae patrol has enjoyed veto power in the CCW issue despite Republican (RINO) governors.

3 posted on 02/04/2003 6:42:59 PM PST by hoosierham
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To: Inspector Harry Callahan; xsrdx
Most excellent letter.
4 posted on 02/04/2003 6:45:47 PM PST by weaponeer
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To: Inspector Harry Callahan
Guarantee of a republican form of government
Address:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/835849/posts
5 posted on 02/04/2003 6:46:01 PM PST by tpaine
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To: bang_list
.
6 posted on 02/04/2003 6:49:04 PM PST by Inspector Harry Callahan
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To: Inspector Harry Callahan; *bang_list
BUMP
7 posted on 02/04/2003 6:51:23 PM PST by dogbrain (Should the police even HAVE guns....?)
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To: Inspector Harry Callahan
Since 1968, with the closing of the U.S. Springfield Amory, all of the small arms produced for the various government agencies are from the private sector. Every handgun, rifle or shotgun that law enforcement needs comes from this firearms industry. Unless the City of Los Angeles has plans of setting up its own firearms manufacturing, it may need to guard the manufacturing sources it has now.

[...]Your department had sent one of your 82A1 rifles in to us for service. All of my knowledge in the use of my rifle in the field of law enforcement had been turned upside down by witnessing how your department used yours. Not to protect and serve, but for deception, photo opportunities, and to further an ill-conceived effort [...] against civil liberties regarding gun ownership.

[...]I will not sell, nor service, my rifles to those seeking to infringe upon the Constitution and the crystal clear rights it affords individuals to own firearms.

!!

8 posted on 02/04/2003 6:55:09 PM PST by coloradan
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To: Inspector Harry Callahan
Great letter... makes my want to go out and buy a .50 just to show my support for this Patriot.
9 posted on 02/04/2003 6:55:30 PM PST by Mulder (Guns and chicks rule)
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To: Inspector Harry Callahan
Since the VPC always points out that a 50 caliber rifle can shoot through armored tanks, can shoot down aircraft, and can be used for all kinds of other scary military uses I want to ask one simple question.

What does a policeman need a 50 caliber BMG rifle for?

10 posted on 02/04/2003 7:09:26 PM PST by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty" not the "Statue of Security.")
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To: cavtrooper21
Can the States of the United States come together and vote to do away with a State? Kalifornia does not speak for the rest of the country nor does it abide by the laws of the land...seem like if we voted them in the union we could vote them out!
11 posted on 02/04/2003 7:11:26 PM PST by jrd
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To: Inspector Harry Callahan
Anyone who voluntarily lives in Kalifornia deserves what he/she gets in my humble opinion.
12 posted on 02/04/2003 7:12:40 PM PST by ItisaReligionofPeace (The one and only.)
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To: Inspector Harry Callahan; Uncle Bill
IHC bump!
13 posted on 02/04/2003 7:28:23 PM PST by nunya bidness (Your ad here!)
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To: ItisaReligionofPeace
Wish it were so, but Kalifornia has a loud and whiny voice in both DC and the media. More sound than substance, as it were... I keep hoping for the BIG earthquake that will set them adrift on the wide blue sea, never to be seen (or heard from) again!
14 posted on 02/04/2003 7:36:48 PM PST by cavtrooper21 (Shoot 'em if they stand, cut 'em if they run!)
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To: ItisaReligionofPeace
The ones who stay and fight the unjust laws should have your respect. They are fighting your battle before it gets to you.
15 posted on 02/04/2003 7:38:35 PM PST by Shooter 2.5
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To: Inspector Harry Callahan
Flight or fight for Kalifornia bump.
16 posted on 02/04/2003 7:42:37 PM PST by Stew Padasso
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To: FreedomCalls
"What does a policeman need a 50 caliber BMG rifle for?"

Our militarized "law enforcement" has become the standing army our founders feared.
17 posted on 02/04/2003 7:47:03 PM PST by Atlas Sneezed
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To: Inspector Harry Callahan
sign me up... the guy has stones and I'm gonna buy one. Now I jest gotta find me a deer that needs some killin with a .50 cal.

I hope he sends the gun back and tells them to fix it themselves.

18 posted on 02/04/2003 7:50:19 PM PST by Dick Vomer
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To: Mulder
"Great letter... makes my want to go out and buy a .50 just to show my support for this Patriot."

Total agreement. I wish I had the $5,000 for a Barrett cause this guy is top shelf in his product and patriotism.
19 posted on 02/04/2003 8:00:05 PM PST by WorkingClassFilth (Defund NPR, PBS and the LSC.)
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To: Beelzebubba
I have expressed that exact same sentiment before. I'm glad that someone agrees with me. Police were never intended to be militarized like they have become. I have stated in the past that the whole Ruby Ridge incident could have been avoided by not sending in the SWAT team but by sending in a pot-bellied old sheriff to knock on Randy Weaver's door and say "Hey Randy, what's up? Ya know you missed yer court date the other day." Then Randy would have said, "No I didn't." and the sheriff could have said "They changed the date on you. You didn't know?" and all would have been well. But the minute you surround the place with BATF SWAT commandos, you have to expect things to turn out differently.
20 posted on 02/04/2003 8:03:34 PM PST by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty" not the "Statue of Security.")
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