In this week's flyer from Cabala's there are three long guns which look suspiciously like assault weapons. Two are semi-automatic rifles and the third is a 12-gauge shotgun. The Beretta CX4 fires 9 mm handgun ammo and has a 10-bullet magazine. Given that the effective range of this weapon is 50-75 meters, tops, what is the intended hunting target, a sleeping family of rabbits?
The second rifle, a DPMS Oracle firing high-powered 0.223 caliber bullets, is a restricted centerfire weapon with a 5-shot magazine. It is described as a "tactical" weapon, as is the Palias tactical pump 12-gauge shotgun.
As far as I can tell, the shotgun's heat shield, tactical choke, laser-accepting mount and "battle" sights are better suited to rapid-firing police and military swat teams, rather than being turned on an unruly gaggle of geese, per chance.
Honestly, it strikes me that these kinds of weapons have limited use in a hunting or target-shooting context and are more likely to appeal primarily to testosterone-imbalanced alpha males who feel a need to make an impression. I thought we were better than this.
Des Colohan, MD
Charlottetown
