Mass. Gun Rules Affects Businesses
By TRUDY TYNAN
.c The Associated Press
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) - Vincent DelValle has guns - lots of guns. But like
other gun dealers in Massachusetts, he just can't sell all of them.
DelValle, manager of Strictly Defense in West Springfield, has been forced to
alter his business in the two weeks since the nation's toughest handgun
safety regulations took effect.
``It's killing the small dealers,'' said DelValle. ``We are stuck with
thousands of dollars in guns we can't sell.''
The only new handguns that can be sold here under the consumer protection
regulations announced April 3 are some models made by Springfield-based Smith
& Wesson.
That means even the high-end models of Glocks and SIG-Sauers used by
Massachusetts' police would not pass muster if they were being sold to the
general public.
The new rules ban cheap handguns and require childproof locks on any handgun
sold in the state. They also require safety warnings with each handgun,
tamper-resistant serial numbers and indicators on semiautomatic handguns that
tell if a bullet is in the chamber.
Used handguns, police weapons and models made before September 1998 are
exempt from the regulations that went into effect after manufacturers,
including Smith & Wesson, lost a two-year court fight to stop them.
Attorney General Thomas Reilly realizes many gun manufacturers don't meet the
regulations - yet.
``It is our hope that all companies will comply,'' said Ann Donlan, a
spokeswoman for Reilly. ``But there is no going back as far as we are
concerned.''
Some major gunmakers say they've been sidelined by such things as how many
serial numbers are now required on the weapon and the minimum force needed to
pull the trigger.
``It's in the details,'' said Gary Mehalik, marketing manager for Miami-based
Taurus, which has been selling pistols equipped with an internal trigger lock
since 1997. ``We are able to comply in most regards.''
But Taurus, and Glock - which makes the guns that Boston police carry - and
SIG-Sauer - which arms the state police - have all run afoul of a requirement
that it take at least 10 pounds of force to pull the trigger.
Some of Smith & Wesson's lighter guns, including its popular Sigma line, also
fail to meet the 10-pound pull test that is aimed at helping to prevent a
child from firing the weapon.
In part because more women are buying guns, most guns are now sold with a
trigger pull of 4 to 6 pounds, with target pistols having pulls as light as 2
pounds.
Jeff Reh, a spokesman for Beretta USA, based in Accokeek, Md., said Beretta
had been trying to comply with the requirements.
``Unfortunately, everyone is styling themselves as experts in gun design and
we are on the brink of ending up with a confused mix of state, local and
federal laws,'' he said.
Richard Callaghan, of Callaghan's Firearms in Marlboro, is one of several gun
dealers who have pulled all their new handguns off the shelves in response to
the new regulations.
There may be some room for interpretation of the new regulations, but
Callaghan is taking no chances. ``I am not going to jeopardize my business
and life savings for a fast buck,'' he said.
AP-NY-04-18-00 1055EDT
-------[Cybershooters contacts]--------
Editor: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Website & subscription info: www.cybershooters.org
