Should Permit Be Required to Buy Bullets?

Last month Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Feuer, along with elected officials from several surrounding cities, announced plans for a series of local laws to deal with gun safety and availability of ammunition.

A key component of the proposals is a plan to create a permit system to buy bullets. Unlike the current system that merely requires an entry in a log book, prospective buyers would have to pass a background check, buy a permit and leave a thumbprint at a gun store.

However, advocates of gun use complain that the plan is unfair and unnecessary.

Should a permit system be set up for the legal purchase of bullets?

City Councilman Mike Feuer:

“The state law already prohibits convicted felons and other dangerous criminals from being able to own or possess a weapon. Yet, it’s possible for someone who is convicted of a felony to walk into a store and buy bullets. . . . One would be able to get a permit if one was not convicted of a felony or other dangerous crime that prohibits one from owning a gun. . . . When we’re dealing with an inherently dangerous product we ought to be treating it seriously and treating its acquisition seriously.”

San Fernando Mayor Raul Godinez:

“I myself am a gun owner. . . . Most of them are collectibles, but I do use them for target practice. . . . By requiring the permit . . . the store owners know all they have to do is to verify the person has the permit. . . . It’s not keeping people from buying it . . . [although] it’s still going to be a slight inconvenience for us to get a permit. . . . I’d still be able to buy my ammunition, but those who shouldn’t won’t be able to.”

Craig Edwards of West Hills, president of the National Rifle Assn. San Fernando Valley Members’ Council:

“Basically it’s an imaginary solution to a nonexistent problem. . . . Simply because ammunition can be purchased all over Southern California in various areas . . . all a gang member has to do to is get a girlfriend with no criminal record to get a permit and they could get all the ammunition they need.”

Brian Schwartz, owner of Liberty Firearms of Van Nuys:

“I think it would be ineffective. . . . If a criminal wants ammunition, they’ll go to the streets to get it. It’s not difficult for a criminal to get what he wants because he is willing to do anything to get it. . . . This will basically make it harder for someone who wants to protect himself to get ammunition.”

Luis Tolley, western regional director of Handgun Control Inc.:

“Councilman Feuer is proposing a whole package of ordinances, and taken together we think they will be very helpful in reducing gun violence, especially if they are able to get other cities and counties to follow with similar legislation.”

Al Angele, executive director of the California Organization of Police and Sheriffs:

“If a law like that passed, almost overnight there may be a black market of individuals making ammunition--which is a relatively easy thing to do in their garages--and selling it on the black market.”