Cheap 'idiot-proof' rifle killed Phila. officer" - dialogue with reporter Sam Wood

[King 5.45]

My heart aches for the PPD and this guy's family and friends, but when are Philly scribes going to stop taking full advantage of tragedies to advance illogical half-truths and fantasies?

First off, read the article title:

Posted on Mon, May. 5, 2008

Cheap “idiot-proof” rifle killed Phila. officer

By Sam Wood
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

It's called the "poor man's deer rifle."

Inexpensive, deadly, and fairly common, the gun that killed a Philadelphia police officer Saturday was originally designed for the Soviet Army in the mid 1940s.

The SKS carbine - considered simple and rugged - weighs about 8.5 pounds and can be bought legally for as little as $179. Instructions for cleaning and routine maintenance can be found on YouTube.

Considered "idiot proof," the SKS carbine became favorite of hunters in the American South when hundreds of thousands of them flooded the surplus market in the 1980s, authorities said.

Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski, 39, was in pursuit of a trio of armed bankrobbers when one of gunmen shot and killed the 14-year police department veteran.

The three gunmen were fleeing in an SUV after a heist that netted $38,000 from a Port Richmond bank. Liczbinski, first to spot the robbers, was close behind them.

The Jeep came to a stop. Liczbinski got out of his police cruiser.

"I'm going to let him have it," said ex-con Howard Cain before pulling the trigger on the semi-automatic.

Cain squeezed off five shots. Liczbinski collapsed.

The three gunmen ditched the SUV four blocks from where the officer lay dying.

Police cornered Cain, still brandishing his SKS, near the Roosevelt Boulevard. They shot him dead.

"Every gun tells a story," said Tony Robbins, of the ATF. "This one has its story, too."

The SKS sells for less than $200 in a legal gun shop or gun show, said Robbins, a special agent in charge at the Philadelphia field office of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms.

"They're very cheap, but very deadly," Robbins said. "They're also pretty intimidating. They have a lot of firepower. That's why you'll see 'em the street"

The gun that killed officer Liczbinski was outfitted with a 30 cartridge magazine and fired a 7.62x39mm bullet, Robbins said.

An box of 800 surplus rounds can be bought on the internet for about $100.

Though unusual, "those rounds are out there," Robbins said. "These knuckleheads had 'em."

Cain, a convicted felon, would have been prohibited from purchasing or owning any gun, Robbins said.

Robbins would not comment on how Cain came to possess the gun or if the ATF has been able to trace the weapon.

"We're working on the origin of the gun," Robbins said. "We have substantial leads. Anything further than that, I really can't say."

The SKS dates to the mid-40s and was originally designed for the Soviet infantry. The Red Army replaced the SKS with the AK-47. The Chinese military bought the SKS manufacturing equipment and produced more than 8 million of them.

Contact staff writer Sam Wood at 215-854-2796 or at samwood@phillynews.com.

[larrymeyer]

And oversea the AK can be brought for $50 US dollars which is why everyone has one

[pex]

can be bought legally for as little as $179.

You can still get them for 120 + tax + 5$ BG check fees as I saw at the store the other day...

Instructions for cleaning and routine maintenance can be found on YouTube.

Knowledge is bad!!!

An box of 800 surplus rounds can be bought on the internet for about $100.

Though unusual, "those rounds are out there," Robbins said. "These knuckleheads had 'em."

Awfully low price for a 'rare' 7.62x39. I'll be contacting the author to find out where I can get 800 rounds of 7.62x39 for 100 bucks.

[mikepro8]

All of the initial reports said an AK... now this guy does a whole article on the SKS... which was it?

Also, they were made "cheap and idiot proof" for a reason. Conscription. If you make them cheap, you can make a ton of them. If you make them "idiot proof" you dont have to train a conscript for days on its functioning. - but, I am sure all of you here know that. Im sure the author in his infinite wisdom figured that out when he did his research.

[625]

These articles written by hacks are at least fun to pick apart.

It's called the "poor man's deer rifle."

Wonder what they would call mine with it's "detachable banana clip"? That's hack writer lingo, btw.

Inexpensive, deadly, and fairly common,

Redundant, that's for sure. Last I checked, most guns are "deadly" if you fire a round at someone.

Considered "idiot proof,"

By who?

hundreds of thousands of them flooded the surplus market in the 1980s

Yea, and people were forced to buy them. Flooded. Nice word, hack.

"I'm going to let him have it," said scumbag, murderer Howard Cain

Did he really say that? Somehow I don't believe it.

"They're very cheap, but very deadly," Robbins said. "They're also pretty intimidating.

Uh, oh. Don't tell these guys about the CZ-52. Those guns use "cop killer" bullets. As for the SKS, it's just a butt-ugly military rifle. But yea, it takes on a personality of it's own when you modify it to accept those high-cap mags. I have trouble keeping mine in my safe, it just wants to murder someone. I think that's what it's saying, but I can't understand it because I don't speak Chinese.

An box of 800 surplus rounds can be bought on the internet for about $100.

We wish they were still that cheap!!

Though unusual, "those rounds are out there,"

7.62X39 is unusual? I don't know what to say about that complete nonsense. This is coming from an ATF agent, so that would explain a lot.

[Mastiff4570]

so in case anyone cares what pisses me off is who cares if you can buy it legally since you can damn well bet if the ATF does not yet know were it came from it could have been stolen and more than likely he got it illegally since th law already prohibits him from owning one!! i mean seriously did the idiot who wrote this think oh waht its already illegal for him to have one so if we ban them again or whatever he can still get one!!!!!!! OH DUH HE IS A CRIMINAL HE DOES ILLEGAL THINGS!!!!!!!!

Sorry rant is over and i always thought that K mart bought 30/30s were the poor mans deer rifel cause this is in Philly and in PA a semiauto is not a deer rifle!!!!!!!!

And since when is the 7.62x39 Rare? i see them left and right at gun shows and gun stores?

[King 5.45]

Awfully low price for a 'rare' 7.62x39. I'll be contacting the author to find out where I can get 800 rounds of 7.62x39 for 100 bucks.

If he lets you know, remember that I get first dibs for having put you onto it in the first place.

[Philadelphia]

The idiot is the reporter. If the rifle killed the officer, charge the rifle with a crime. Look at that headline. Makes no sense.

I'll help the reporter out. "Three scumsucking thugs use rifle to kill officer. Officers should be issued rifles and shotguns on patrol."

[King 5.45]

The idiot is the reporter. If the rifle killed the officer, charge the rifle with a crime. Look at that headline. Makes no sense.

I'll help the reporter out. "Three scumsucking thugs use rifle to kill officer. Officers should be issued rifles and shotguns on patrol."

Au contraire, mon frère. It takes two to tango, editor and writer. The editor represents the best interests of the newspaper, which are obviously to print misleading, sensationalist stories with no basis in logic. We know the gun, didn't kill, you know it, I'm even willing to bet that the reporter knows it, too, but they're planting trash in the minds of impressionable readers.

[PennsyPlinker]

You know, if word processors weren't idiot proof, none of us would have had to read that article. Maybe one of us could point that out to the author.