Full Speed Ahead award: CBC
Unbelievable. Check this out, a fluff piece from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation…
Buying ammunition in Canada requires a firearms licence, but some people make their own ammunition, and gun and gang experts say that has led to a black market in the sale of bullets.
Note that the experts are not mentioned. Only Deputy Chief Tony Cooper is mentioned below, and he’s just stating facts about reloading, NOT ABOUT A BLACK MARKET.
“It would be nice if people had to have a licence to buy the components; currently they don’t,” said Deputy Chief Tony Cooper of the Ontario Firearms Office.
If you’re over 18, it’s legal to buy all the components needed to make bullets — primers, gunpowder, casings and bullet tips. For about $100, a person can buy enough supplies to make 1,000 “hand-load” homemade bullets.
“It’s very common … for people to hand-load. I would say it’s been something that’s been done for a couple of hundred years,” said Cooper.
See? Cooper is actually confirming that hunters have been around for a couple of hundred years, and some do reload their own ammo. Nothing surprising there. Note that he doesn’t say anything about crime, gangs or a black market of any kind.
He says hand-load bullets are commonly used by hunters and target shooters.
The fear is the hand-load bullets will get into the hands of the wrong people.
Cooper said “it’s the exception, certainly not the rule,” but it is a concern.
Who’s fear? For whom is it a concern? It is Cooper? Nope, he would have said so and would have been used as a witness by the CBC had he said so.
No one knows how many hand-load bullets make it onto the streets because there has never been an audit of casings from crime scenes.
WHAT?! How can this be a news article if it holds no news? There’s no data, no dates, no stats, no photos and certainly no link of any kind between reloaders and crimes. Let alone a black market.
Like I said: Unbelievable. My taxpayer money being wasted on disinformation. Nice.
For this and many other biased reports, you’ve earned yourselves the prize.
Today’s “Full Speed Ahead” award goes to the CBC/Radio Canada. Congratulations.
hat tip: Canadian Shooter.
April 18th, 2008 at 12:56
It’s such a “non problem” that it’s not even funny.
Wait until you see the PPT and just how many MORE regulations they want. For something that apparently is not even an issue.
How about when you catch people with illegal guns…Lock their asses up!
April 18th, 2008 at 18:07
You’re an extemist, aren’t you…
April 18th, 2008 at 18:17
Must have been a ‘no news day’ when they wrote that. Making your own ammo is the hobby part of the shooting sport. Good fun and saves heaps of $
April 18th, 2008 at 18:44
Slow day indeed. And Joel could correct me if I’m wrong, but few shooters actually do reload their own ammo.
Of all the people I’ve spoken to who own guns, very few reload. I may have found three or four people who did.
If you have a big caliber and you drive out to the gun range, you may want to pack a lunch because it’ll cost you.
April 19th, 2008 at 2:57
I don’t think it was a “no news day” Geoff. The CBC is actually making a televised documentary about this very subject. I know people who were contacted about appearing on the show, and they wisely wanted nothing to do with it. Ontario wants handguns banned, full stop. And I sent Red the Ontario CFO’s powerpoint presentation that was played for the CFO’s of every other province and territory almost a year ago. You should see half of what he has in mind.
The timing on this anti reloading media push (right down to possible June elections and Miller and McSquinty’s proposed ban on handguns) is suspect at best.
As for demographics…Most hunters and casual shooters I know, who make up most of the shooting population, don’t reload. Most hardcore collectors and competition shooters like me usuall do reload, but there are not as many of us.
My friends around here who shoot have a rifle or two in very common calibers and go through 3-4 boxes of ammo a year. Unless they would enjoy the hobby aspect of it, then it would take a while for their $500 investment into reloading to really pay itself off. About 5-6 years.
You’re right about one thing Red. With a big bore or magnum rifle, and driving to the range…Not the cheapest sport in the world.
I like the part in their presentation about how only people who pass govt approved courses could reload. Control how many people can do it, and keep tabs of who they are.
Helps to know who they are so you can inspect their houses without a warrant. And yeah. It does say that too.
April 19th, 2008 at 7:41
Meanwhile, gang members who bought a good pistol off the streets for 300$ are unbothered by authorities…
And considering that we’re more likely to see a machete attack in Montreal than a gun attack, it’s good to know that the Federal gov sent over more money for law enforcement. I’m glad SOMEBODY (Not Charest) is interested in keeping gang violence down.
April 19th, 2008 at 13:40
Yeah, its been a very good thing that the Conservatives know it’s a criminal problem, not a gun problem. You won’t find any documentaries about how the money they put into fighting actual criminals works…Or how the two year amnesty on long gun owners allowing us to have our rifles and shotguns unregistered has worked.
It’s not good news.
The media needs to keep people scared, and saying millions of shooters with unregistered guns are not shooting at you…Well that just ain’t scary!