Columbus passes ban on carrying bb guns

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  • CathyInBlue

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    Sounds like the petulant sibling with a legalistic mindset. When ordered to stop touching his sister, he just starts hovering his hands inches from her face, saying "I'm not touching you. I'm not touching you. I'm not touching you." Columbus knows that if they tried to ban real firearms, they'd have to name their city administrative building the Guy Relford Institute for Firearm Freedom, so they throw a hissy fit by banning BB guns.
     

    92ThoStro

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    Wow that is even more strict than CA IIRC. I remember it was a crime to give a minor a BB gun. And you couldn't shoot them in almost every city limits. But air soft and paintball were fine. I remember having an airsoft battle with my brother. We had the clear and orange handguns. A cop came out for a 911 call from a neighbor who saw us from her window. Said we were shooting guns. Cop just said oh those are airsoft guns, my son has one of those. And left.

    I don't know how paintball and airsoft could pertain to the 2nd Amendment. I think air rifles could.
     

    Hammerhead

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    I get the reasoning behind it. They had a rash of vandalism incidents where kids were shooting BB/pellet guns and paintballs at houses, cars, etc., so they "have to do something!"

    More nanny state BS.
     

    nate1865

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    On the news segment I saw, the police were pushing it because of all the "man with a gun" calls they were getting and were worried about what would happen if someone got shot.

    Is a young person playing with a bb gun hard to differentiate from an active shooter with a real firearm for not only average Joe Citizen but the police too? I mean that question in all seriousness - I've seen young people running around shooting air rifles / airsoft and have never thought of calling 911.
     

    Hammerhead

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    It's because of the "like real firearms, dur dur dur" and "they're taking off/painting over the orange tip" that "our officers only have a split second to decide if it's real or not" that they're doing this, or so they say.

    I'm sure the MWAG calls aren't being asked if they're hearing shots or just seeing kids running around with guns. Y'know, because all those airsoft/BB/paintball guns go bang just like my EDC sidearm does.
     

    in625shooter

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    On the news segment I saw, the police were pushing it because of all the "man with a gun" calls they were getting and were worried about what would happen if someone got shot.

    Is a young person playing with a bb gun hard to differentiate from an active shooter with a real firearm for not only average Joe Citizen but the police too? I mean that question in all seriousness - I've seen young people running around shooting air rifles / airsoft and have never thought of calling 911.

    At first I was like:dunno: because were BB guns being carried some kind of epidemic issue these days??? Then I read the above comment. On the LEO training side yes, an Officer or armed citizen has to make a split second decision. However a little bit of observation/restraint before someone jumps to conclusions(make sure you/they actually saw what you think you saw) would benefit everyone but that's not the norm these days.

    I feel the problem is society wide by both Joe/Jane Public and Joe/Jane Police. It seems like minor things (BB guns) are instantly up channeled/exaggerated to some kind of evil motive while major things are often downplayed. Sign of the times I guess. Not sure how it gets corrected at this point as far as across the board.
     

    92ThoStro

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    Why nOt just make it illegal to remove the orange tips??

    Oklahoma state actually has a law against air guns and any other weapon that emits a missile in public. So you can still do it in your back yard. The problem with this local IN ordinance is that it said city limits. So you can't even shoot a paintball gun on your own property and minors can't even carry one in public. Even though they are legally able to buy them. It's completely ridiculous.

    As far as the orange tip goes. There are *some* federal regulations for imitation toy guns that look like real ones.


    (c) "Look-alike firearm" defined

    For purposes of this section, the term "look-alike firearm" means

    any imitation of any original firearm which was manufactured,

    designed, and produced since 1898, including and limited to toy

    guns, water guns, replica nonguns, and air-soft guns firing

    nonmetallic projectiles. Such term does not include any look-alike,

    nonfiring, collector replica of an antique firearm developed prior

    to 1898, or traditional B-B, paint-ball, or pellet-firing air guns

    that expel a projectile through the force of air pressure.


    (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) or (3), each toy,

    look-alike, or imitation firearm shall have as an integral part,

    permanently affixed, a blaze orange plug inserted in the barrel of

    such toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm. Such plug shall be

    recessed no more than 6 millimeters from the muzzle end of the

    barrel of such firearm.

    But AFAIK there is no federal penalty for altering the orange tip. CA had a state law, but I don't know if it is still current...

    12553. (a) (1) Any person who changes, alters, removes, or
    obliterates any coloration or markings that are required for by any
    applicable state or federal law or regulation, for any imitation
    firearm, or device described in subdivision (c) of Section 12555, in
    any way that makes the imitation firearm or device look more like a
    firearm is guilty of a misdemeanor.
    (2) This subdivision shall not apply to a manufacturer, importer,
    or distributor of imitation firearms or to the lawful use in
    theatrical productions, including motion pictures, television, and
    stage productions.
    (b) Any manufacturer, importer, or distributor of imitation
    firearms that fails to comply with any applicable federal law or
    regulation governing the marking of a toy, look-alike or imitation
    firearm as defined by federal law or regulation is guilty of a
    misdemeanor.
     

    Spike_351

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    so what about the adult carrying a real firearm? Seem like there may be more MWABG calls for this now from someone assuming a real firearm is a bb gun.

    MWABG= Man With A Bb Gun.
     

    nate1865

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    I understand the risk that a young person runs if they seem to be touting a firearm inappropriately.

    I also understand the risk a police officer takes on if they respond rashly to a situation.

    Shouldn't education and training be the solution instead of removing freedom?
     

    CQB

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    From the end of the article:

    "Earlier in the day Tuesday, Columbus Police Department spokesman Matt Myers said the most recent version of the ordinance reflects the wishes police officials originally expressed to the city council in May."

    Reflects the wishes of police officials!?!?

    Isn't their job to ENFORCE the law? Not WRITE it?
     

    Titanium_Frost

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    From the end of the article:

    "Earlier in the day Tuesday, Columbus Police Department spokesman Matt Myers said the most recent version of the ordinance reflects the wishes police officials originally expressed to the city council in May."

    Reflects the wishes of police officials!?!?

    Isn't their job to ENFORCE the law? Not WRITE it?

    Didn't you get the memo? In the NEWUSA they know what is best.
     

    U.S. Patriot

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    Columbus, welcome to Liberal town. I grew up shooting a BB rifle in my back yard. I never shot at anyones house, or at birds. Or my dad would taken my gun from me.
     

    cobber

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    Somewhere over the rainbow
    EDIT:
    Sounds like Columbus police will now be stopping persons carrying in public to ensure that they're not under 18 and carrying one of those illegal BB guns.

    Since it's an ordinance and not a law they're enforcing, they can also use the Title 34 failure to ID law to arrest gun owners.

    (Didn't spot the age limit before...)

    :twocents:
     
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    GNRPowdeR

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    Knowing some of the local LEOs, it seems the main reasons they wanted this is to have a course of action against those whom don't choose to parent their children and ask everyone else to look out for their best interests + to try and keep from having a LEO shoot a kid that was trying to show off...

    Neither of those are good endings, but do we need to write more rules instead of getting people to MTFU (Man The ____ Up) and be a parent?

    :soapbox:

    Having two incomes is almost a necessity these days, however we should still make time to spend with our kids and help them understand that LEOs should not be their first concern when it comes to punishment...

    :ranton:
     
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