CO state senator says it was “a good thing” that Aurora killer James had 100-round magazine.

[RandySF]

During a Wednesday hearing over a bill to repeal one of Colorado’s recently passed gun-safety laws, Republican state senator Bernie Herpin shocked attendees — and gravely offended an Aurora theater shooting victim’s father — by saying it was “maybe a good thing” that Aurora theater shooter James Holmes had a 100-round magazine.

In 2013, the Colorado state legislature, spurred on in part by the horrific mass shooting at an Aurora movie theater the previous year, passed two gun-safety laws. One mandated universal background checks for gun purchases, while the other limited most ammunition magazines to 15 rounds.

The laws were immediately controversial and ultimately led to three Democratic state senators losing their seats, either through the threat or the reality of recall elections mounted by gun rights enthusiasts.

As a result of one of those recalls, a Republican by the name of Bernie Herpin ascended to the Colorado state Senate. Surprising no one, Herpin introduced a bill to overturn the recently passed restriction on ammunition magazines.

A nearly identical law has already been voted down in the Dem-controlled Colorado state House of Representatives and is certain to fail in the state Senate, which is also controlled by Democrats. But the state Senate held a hearing on Herpin’s bill all the same.


http://www.salon.com/2014/02/13/gop_state_senator_in_colorado_says_it_was_a_good_thing_that_aurora_killer_james_holmes_had_100_round_magazine/

[2banon]

1. unbelievable

[Fridays Child]

2. Herpin's picture should be right next to Holmes'--the perps, side by side.

He is reinjuring every victim of that massacre.

[proudretiredvet]

3. In a strange way there is some truth to this.

The military does not use 100 round magazines for good reason. They jam and very often too.
If I remember right this shooter experienced a magazine malfunction and had to change to a different weapon.
I know this is a hot subject but truth is still truth. Having carried many different versions of an M-16 for over two decades and fired several hundred thousand rounds of ammo through them I have absolutely no use for any magazine over 30 rounds on that platform. The higher capacity magazines have a very high rate of malfunction. I put them in the useless and dangerous category. I would much rather carry 5 20 round mags or even 7 15 round mags that will work well every time than take a chance with a hundred round drum mag.
OK I'll get my flame retardant underwear on now and shut up.