Letter: When is a gun a weapon?

Letter: When is a gun a weapon?
Date: Apr 10, 2006 1:15 PM
PUBLICATION: The Hamilton Spectator
DATE: 2006.04.10
EDITION: Final
SECTION: Opinion
PAGE: A16
BYLINE: Mario Valentine, Simcoe
SOURCE: The Hamilton Spectator
WORD COUNT: 146

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When is a gun a weapon?

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Re: 'Amnesty pulls guns off streets' (April 5)

Although it makes for a sensational headline, the latest "gun amnesty"
will have little or no effect on gun crimes.

I would venture a guess that all these guns turned into the police were
safely salted away for years, even decades, in attics, basements and
buried under stuff that even a dedicated thief would have trouble
uncovering.

By the definition of "firearm," most of these guns -- pellet guns and
replicas -- would not fall under the Firearms Act.

If the German machine-gun was deactivated, it would also not be classed
as a firearm.

It sounds to me that there were some highly sought-after guns turned in
that have a lot of historical value and significance.

Pity they will be destroyed. So far, none of these guns have been linked
to any crimes so why are they referred to as "weapons?"

For those gullible enough to fall for the words of Chief Brian Mullan
that these guns were at risk of being stolen, it should be remembered
that fewer than 20 per cent of stolen guns come from private dwellings.