New York City’s most infamous pro-communist, Mexican-owned newspaper, the New York Times decided to author a fantasy-filled op-ed in support of the Obama Administration’s backdoor attempt to grossly exceed the ATF’s legal boundaries in an attempt to ban M855 ball ammunition.
M855 is one of the most common lead-core rifle cartridges sold, and fired by the most popular rifle sold in the United States, the AR-15.
Bearing Arms editor Bob Owens decided to “fisk” the dishonest op-ed, Protect the Police From Armor-Piercing Bullets, via Twitter, and the results weren’t pretty for the Times.
Hi, @nytopinion, I’d like to take issue with the lies in your latest op-ed on “armor-piercing” ammunition. http://t.co/21aQL6yoqZ
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
The nation’s police forces should be the first to rally behind a federal proposal to ban the sale and manufacture of the 5.56-millimeter steel-core bullet. The bullet can be used in newly adapted handguns to provide lethal force to pierce the vests and body armor used by law enforcement officers.
.@nytopinion In the first P, you claim M855 has a “steel core.” That is a lie. M855 is 80% lead, with a lead core. pic.twitter.com/Y7CMgpuvS5 — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion You also lie by omission in the first P, refusing to state the fact that ALL rifle ammo will pierce pistol-grade armor.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion The 3rd lie in your first P is that AR-15 pistols are “newly adapted.” They’ve been around for years. — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
Until now, the powerful “M855 green tip” bullet has been legal for use in AR-15 semiautomatic rifles, typically used by target shooters and hunters. But the gun industry’s reckless development of new handguns that use the bullet — criminals prefer handguns over rifles — has led the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to sensibly propose banning it in the name of greater gun safety.
.@nytopinion moving to the lies in your 2nd P, M855 is not “powerful.” ALL 5.56 ammo is “intermediate” caliber, wimpy for rifle cartridges.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion Among wimpy 5.56 cartridges, M855 is among the weakest and least effective, as a matter of ballistic fact. — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion The M855 you call “powerful” is so weak the military began efforts to replace it in 1993, after it failed repeatedly in combat.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion Currently, EVERY branch of the militaty has abandoned M855 in combat for its lack of stopping power in short-barreled firearms.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion The Army created an entirely new bullet, called the M855A1. It is nothing like the M855 in construction. — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion SOCOM (Special Operations Command) created the MK262 to get around the failure of M855 to stop enemy soldiers.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion The Marines abandoned M855 in favor of MK318 ammunition. — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion Do you know what M855 is used for in the military? short range target practice. It’s not good for much else.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
Actually, this isn’t fair. Some AR-15s actually shoot M855 pretty accurately out to 300-400 meters, so it is useful for mid-range target practice, small game hunting, and predator control as well.
Yes, @nytopinion. M855 was adopted as a “less lethal” option to the bullets we used in Vietnam that stopped bad guys so well. — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion If you were paying attention–which you never do–you’d know that M855 is the LEAST dangerous 5.56 bullet made. Period.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion ALL rifle bullets will punch straight through pistol-grade armor. M855 does LESS damage than any other kind. — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
By supporting a ban on M855, you ensure only more lethal bullets remain on the market, @nytopinion. Do you hate police? Many lefties do…
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
I guess I should get back to the second P of your op-ed, @nytopinion. Ther ewas no “reckless development” of AR-15 pistols. That’s pure B.S. — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion AR-15 pistols are not used in crime. They are 5 lbs, 23″ inch and not concealable.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion AR-15 pistols also create a blinding flash. They are range toys for wealthy hobbyists, and nothing more. — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
You can of course build them cheaper, but most AR-15 pistols cost around $1,000 and up. They aren’t something you’ll find very often except in the hands of enthusiastic AR-15 collectors, which tend to be gainfully-employed, fiscally-stable members of the middle class.
.@nytopinion At this moment in American history, there is no evidence that a single cop has been shot through his vest with an AR-15 pistol.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion At this moment in American history, there is no evidence that M855 will EVER be a threat to police as ammo for an AR-15 pistol. — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion As a matter of fact, the Fraternal Order of Police says that M855 and AR-15 pistols simply aren’t threats to officers.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
This fact is well-documented.
This is CLEARLY an attempt by Obama at backdoor gun control, @nytopinion. What else do you call going after the most common ammo? — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
But lets get back to your proven factual lies, @nytopinion. We’re in the 3rd P, right?
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
You assert, @nytopinion, that M85 is “armor-piercing.” You fail to mention the law does not remotely support that view. — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion The law that determines if a bullet is “armor-piercing” is the Law Enforcement Officers Protection Act of 1986.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
As we’ve noted here previously, LEOPA 1986 has a very specific definition of what constitutes “armor piercing” ammunition. 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(17)(B) provides:
(B) The term “armor piercing ammunition” means— (i) a projectile or projectile core which may be used in a handgun and which is constructed entirely (excluding the presence of traces of other substances) from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper or depleted uranium; or (ii) a full jacketed projectile larger than .22 caliber designed and intended for use in a handgun and whose jacket has a weight of more than 25 percent of the total weight of the projectile.
.@nytopinion LEOPA ’86 was authored by a NY Senator who wanted police officers protected from purpose-designed HANDGUN ammunition. — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion LEOPA specifically defines “armor piercing.” Did you bother to look at the definition? OF COURSE NOT.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion The definition of “armor-piercing” in LEOPA requires the bullet to be made ENTIRELY of one of a list of hardened metals. — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion LEOPA also requires that bullet to have 25% of the projectile’s weight be the jacket of the bullet.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
Put bluntly, @nytopinion, you’re supporting a factual lie by calling M855 “armor-piecing.” — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion The fourth P of your op-ed is a false. As previously noted, M855 is not a threat, according to the Fraternal Order of Police.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion It’s also worth noting that Obama never campaigned for gun safety. You don’t even know what that phrase means. — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion 5th P exposes once again to the fact that you were too lazy to learn what “armor piercing” means in the law.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion If you’d read LEOPA ’86, you’d know that the lead in the bullets means it CAN’T be classified as AP. Freaking morons. — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
As far as the 6th P, there is NOTHING wrong with Congress regulating a rogue agency. ATF refuses to abide by LEOPA, and should be neutered.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion As for the final P, all FFLs at gun shows do conduct BG checks as a matter of law. You’d know that, if you were educated. — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
.@nytopinion Likewise, there have never been the “Internet sales of guns.” That is entirely a myth. Online sales require FFL transfers.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
This ends the lesson, @nytopinion. Have a nice day. — Bob Owens (@bob_owens) March 8, 2015
CORRECTION: In one of the Tweets I’d claimed that Delta Force used CAR-15s with 10.5″ barrels and M855 ammuntion. SGM (retired) Kyle Lamb of Viking Tactics informs me that they used CAR-15s with 14.5″ barrels in the Battle of Mogadishu. He would know, as he was one of the Delta operators on that mission. He also said that the M855 worked in Somalia “if you hit them in the vitals.”
I’m pulling that tweet as a correction.
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