Dear Editor
Much has been bantered about so-called assault firearms now that the election has been called.
No one has explained to my satisfaction what an assault firearm is. Now first, I must say I have been around firearms all my life, since I was old enough to carry my dad's old single shot 22 around the farm. Is the Rugger mini 14 an assault firearm? It is a firearm that is used a lot for predator control by farmers, ranchers, and trappers. And one that is now on the banned list by the Liberals, along with many firearms that are black and have a scary look.
These types of firearms that are mainly used for sport shooting (plinking) rather than hunting, are regulated the same as any other type of firearm in the number of cartridges that the magazine can hold.
So here's the question, is my old 12-gauge pump that my dad bought for me when I was maybe 15 or 16 years old an assault firearm? Is my 22 that I bought many years ago to sport shoot in the old Redvers gun club an assault firearm? Is my dad's old single shot 22 that would now be an antique an assault firearm?
The point is, any firearm could be called an assault firearm in the hands of someone that wants to cause damage. All the Liberals are trying to do is appease the majority of city people that have no idea if an old single shot 22 is an assault firearm or world two howitzers.
Is the guy that owns a semi-automatic 30-06 hunting rifle now the owner of an assault firearm and will he, because it is a semi-auto, then find out his hunting rifle is banned? I hear now that O'Toole will continue banning certain types of so-called assault firearms, but I have more faith in him reclassifying and removing some from the banned list that should have never been on the said list in the first place.
So is there any difference between legal licensed firearm owners owning a so-called assault firearm than owning a so-called sport or hunting rifle? I see no difference.
Gray Cowan
Alida, Sask.
