Earlier this year, the government tried and convicted David Olofson on the charge of transferring a machine gun. The Army veteran and current Army reservist, had a 20 year old AR-15 misfire at a local gun range that does not allow fully auto weapons.
For those of you that don’t follow fire arms, for the most part, AR-15 is a generic term for a civilian semi-automatic rifle similar to the military M16/M4-type weapons*. All you need to do is ask any Vietnam era GI about how often the M-16 jammed, usually at the worst possible time. Again thank you Robert McNamara for bright idea that adopting a single new rifle for all services was the most cost effective move. The undered powered 5.56 cartridge was just a bonus.
This is still a problem today even with the M4, just ask Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.
See the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) has a memo which was not admitted at trial, on the grounds it has confidential tax information in it. ATF, have you heard redaction? This memo shows the government knows about the jamming problem.
So David Olofson, a man with no prior criminal record, is facing five years in jail. His sentencing is on hold thanks to a defense motion to gain access to the government memo.
Why hasn’t the NRA made big noise in coming to the aid of this man? Even if you are pro gun control, which I am not, this not how the game should be played. Win it at the ballot box.
Lou Dobbs has the follow 4 videos on the case that are worth watching.
Click here for part 1. Click here for part 2. Click here for part 3. And click here for part 4.
*The trademark “AR15″ or “AR-15″ is registered to Colt Industries
Technorati Tags: AR-15, AR15, M4, M16, Robert McNamar, David Olofso, Lou Dobbs, ATF, Tom Coburn
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