The Violence Policy Center (VPC) has launched a campaign targeting .50-caliber rifles, aiming to reclassify them under the National Firearms Act (NFA) and ban their future production and sale for civilians. This mirrors their previous efforts in 2022 when they advocated for the reclassification of certain handguns as machine guns during President Joe Biden’s administration.
The VPC’s recent study claims that firearms recovered from Mexican organized criminal organizations primarily originate in the United States. It argues that “the U.S. gun market … compels that traffic” and criticizes “the gun industry’s design choices.” These allegations echo arguments made by Mexico in a case recently presented to the U.S. Supreme Court, which did not appear to sway the justices.
Despite these assertions, skepticism surrounds suggestions about firearms traced back to U.S. origins due to Mexico’s $10 billion lawsuit against the U.S. firearms industry. The ATF tracing system only identifies firearms with U.S. markings, leaving untraced many weapons recovered in Mexico.
Furthermore, experts cited in America’s First Freedom suggest cartel firearms often originate from regions outside the U.S., such as Eastern Europe and China, or are supplied by corrupt Mexican military officials.
The VPC’s report lists crimes involving .50 BMG rifles in Mexico but provides limited evidence linking these firearms to U.S. sources. Of seven English-language documents cited, only two directly associate firearm acquisition with the United States.
This renewed focus on .50-caliber rifles follows decades of unsuccessful attempts by VPC to link these firearms with domestic threats like terrorism and organized crime within America.
As VPC continues its campaign against .50-caliber rifles, questions remain regarding its effectiveness and impact on actual firearm-related violence.
