I often stop by my local Wal-Mart ammunition counter to see what is happening. While .22 ammunition is starting to appear on the shelves of dedicated gun stores, it’s still absent from Wal-Mart in Yuma, Arizona. But I did find .50 Browning Machine Gun (BMG) ammunition. And why not? The .50 BMG . . .
has been gaining popularity with American shooters for decades. It offers long range potential at just about the limit of easily carried ordnance. A few people have hunted with the caliber. It makes most “elephant” guns look anemic in comparison. But it is primarily used for ultra-long range target shooting and, of course, its military potential. It is precisely the sort of caliber the Second Amendment was written to protect.
Seeing .50 BMG in the Wal-Mart ammunition section shows how far the celebration of American gun culture has advanced. It is a speciality product that is hated by anti-gunners who wish to ban it, even though it has virtually never used in crimes. By the same token, .50 caliber rifles are so large, long and unwieldy that they’re not used for suicides.
Why do the hoplophobes hate the .50 BMG? Simple, really. It is a symbol of freedom, a symbol of power in the hands of the citizen. It is refreshing to see it prospering.
©2015 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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