"Even a poor-quality Tokarev used to cost 200,000-300,000 yen, yen" says another of Weekly Playboy's gang sources. "Now you can get a really good Makarov for 50,000 yen."
Google says:
50 000 Japanese yen = 417 U.S. dollars
So Japan has more draconian gun laws and cheaper milsurp than england OR the USA.
"Yet gun prices are barely above American retail, and fully-automatic weapons can cost less than a handgun."
Your faith in the accurate reporting of those who are, amazingly, even less informed than our own reporters and media is amazing. I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if a semi-auto Airsoft pistol fell into the same category for a reporter as a nice Ma Deuce. The situation is obviously laughably bad, but I still instinctively have a hard time believing something with an auto sear goes for less than a regular pistol.
Then again, if I read in a newspaper that the sun was expected to rise in the east tomorrow morning, I'd still find a compass and set my alarm.
"The situation is obviously laughably bad, but I still instinctively have a hard time believing something with an auto sear goes for less than a regular pistol."
I wouldn't. You forget, Stingray, the proximity of England to EUnuchistan, and the recent collapse of the Soviet bloc. There have been a number of full-auto incidents in England within the last several years, perhaps the most famous one occurring at a New Years party in 2003. They're smuggling them in trucks carrying frozen pizzas. (You have to wonder how many shipments customs missed, don't you?) I mean, if it's a five-year sentence if you're caught with a Lorcin, why not buy an Uzi?
I understand your skepticism WRT the media, but this does not raise my BS meter given all I've seen going on over there.
Plus, you missed the point of the second news story. Lots of pistols in the £50 range, not the £800 range for "military style" pistols. (I would assume full-size, 15 round capacity 9mm pistols like a Beretta 92.)
Sort of reminds me of the old carpenter joke, "I've cut this board three times, and it's still too short!"
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JS-Kit/Echo comments for article at http://smallestminority.blogspot.com/2007/08/cognitive-dissonance.html (6 comments)
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http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fd20070513t1.html
"Even a poor-quality Tokarev used to cost 200,000-300,000 yen, yen" says another of Weekly Playboy's gang sources. "Now you can get a really good Makarov for 50,000 yen."
Google says:
50 000 Japanese yen = 417 U.S. dollars
So Japan has more draconian gun laws and cheaper milsurp than england OR the USA.
Well, my Bulgarian Mak was about $180, so they ain't quite there.
Yet.
For ¥50,000 it had better come with a holster and an extra magazine, not to mention a box of ammo.
"Yet gun prices are barely above American retail, and fully-automatic weapons can cost less than a handgun."
Your faith in the accurate reporting of those who are, amazingly, even less informed than our own reporters and media is amazing. I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if a semi-auto Airsoft pistol fell into the same category for a reporter as a nice Ma Deuce. The situation is obviously laughably bad, but I still instinctively have a hard time believing something with an auto sear goes for less than a regular pistol.
Then again, if I read in a newspaper that the sun was expected to rise in the east tomorrow morning, I'd still find a compass and set my alarm.
"The situation is obviously laughably bad, but I still instinctively have a hard time believing something with an auto sear goes for less than a regular pistol."
I wouldn't. You forget, Stingray, the proximity of England to EUnuchistan, and the recent collapse of the Soviet bloc. There have been a number of full-auto incidents in England within the last several years, perhaps the most famous one occurring at a New Years party in 2003. They're smuggling them in trucks carrying frozen pizzas. (You have to wonder how many shipments customs missed, don't you?) I mean, if it's a five-year sentence if you're caught with a Lorcin, why not buy an Uzi?
I understand your skepticism WRT the media, but this does not raise my BS meter given all I've seen going on over there.
Plus, you missed the point of the second news story. Lots of pistols in the £50 range, not the £800 range for "military style" pistols. (I would assume full-size, 15 round capacity 9mm pistols like a Beretta 92.)
Of course, then there's the MOST TERRIFYING GUN IN THE WORLD!!!!
Ok, fair enough on the imports. But I still don't think a reporter could tell the difference between a lorcin and an uzi. ;)
"Do it again, only HARDER!"
Sort of reminds me of the old carpenter joke, "I've cut this board three times, and it's still too short!"
Note: All avatars and any images or other media embedded in comments were hosted on the JS-Kit website and have been lost; references to haloscan comments have been partially automatically remapped, but accuracy is not guaranteed and corrections are solicited.
If you notice any problems with this page or wish to have your home page link updated, please contact John Hardin <jhardin@impsec.org>