Biden’s recent anti-gun statements lack truth and logic.

Biden’s Gun Control Speech: Separating Fact from Fiction

Biden’s recent gun control speech at the National Safer Communities Summit in Connecticut has sparked controversy. While his concluding remark of “God save the Queen, man” grabbed attention, it was not the only questionable claim he made.

In his speech, Biden argued that putting a pistol on a brace turns it into a higher-caliber weapon, essentially transforming it into a short-barreled rifle. However, this claim is misleading and lacks evidence.

The Truth About Stabilizing Braces

A “stabilizing brace” does not magically turn a pistol into a gun. It is important to note that a pistol is already classified as a gun.

Furthermore, stabilizing braces have only been used in two mass public shootings, and there is no concrete evidence that they significantly impacted the outcome of these attacks.

What many people fail to realize is that stabilizing braces were originally designed to assist veterans with hand disabilities in holding handguns. They provide support and help individuals maintain control when the gun recoils. This crucial information is often overlooked.

Even among law-abiding gun owners who are not disabled, the use of stabilizing braces to improve aim and stability is not inherently negative or dangerous.

If Biden is genuinely concerned about the potential dangers of more powerful guns with less recoil, he should also address alternative methods of obtaining such firearms, apart from stabilizing braces.

For instance, rifles are already powerful weapons, with the majority of rifle bullets being more potent than a .223 caliber. Criminals seeking reduced recoil can simply opt for a rifle, as their heavier weight helps dampen the recoil.

Moreover, attackers looking for a compact yet powerful weapon have alternatives to handguns. They can easily modify a rifle by sawing off part of the barrel. The penalties for such modifications are unlikely to deter someone already facing multiple life sentences for murder.

Examining the Facts on Short-Barrel Rifles

Biden’s claim that short-barrel rifles are the weapon of choice for mass murderers is unfounded. Out of approximately 100 mass public shooters in the last 25 years, only two involved handguns with pistol braces. Handguns without braces were used in the majority of mass shootings, followed by rifles and a combination of rifles and other guns.

Another questionable statement made by Biden is his assertion that the United States is sending dangerous weapons, particularly assault weapons, to Mexico. While it is true that Mexico’s president blames America for the country’s high murder rate, the reality is more complex.

The Truth Behind Mexico’s Gun Problem

According to data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), around 70% of criminally-owned guns in Mexico traced from 2009-2014 originated from the United States. However, these figures are based on a limited number of guns seized and submitted for tracing by Mexican authorities.

Recent data from the ATF for 2016 to 2021 suggests that the percentage of guns traced back to the U.S. has declined to around 50%. Additionally, fully automatic guns and grenades used in Mexican murders are not easily obtained from U.S. gun stores. They are often sourced from other countries, such as Guatemala, China, and various South American and Middle Eastern nations.

It is crucial to acknowledge that machine guns, grenades, and other weapons are frequently stolen from the Mexican military and sold to cartels.

Unfortunately, the media and their fact-checkers often overlook Biden’s false claims about guns and Mexico’s violent crime problem. While they occasionally address his inaccuracies, they fail to address the broader impact of these falsehoods on public opinion surrounding gun ownership.