The level of "but that doesn't follow" that I was feeling on reading that article was astounding, and it started with the very first sentence.

The City Council on Wednesday approved several ordinances aimed at curbing gun and gang violence, including a ban on ammunition used in assault rifles capable of shooting helicopters from the sky.

So they're aiming at curbing gang violence by outlawing ammo that's not used by gangs at all. How many helicopters have the LA Crips shot down this year?

"there's no need for this type of weapon in an urban environment," police Chief William Bratton said at a news conference as he held up a .50-caliber bullet, easily longer than a finger.
...
Officials said the new rules make Los Angeles one of the strictest for gun rules of any big city, and Bratton said he hoped they would be enacted on a national level.

So in a couple paragraphs he went from "in an urban environment" to "on a national level." Awesome. So much for "what works in Cheyenne might not work in Chicago."

"This is not about the Second Amendment or the rights of law abiding gun owners," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said. "This is about the safety of our kids."

As of Dec. 13, there had been 354 homicides in the city. Villaraigosa said 80 percent of all homicides in Los Angeles are gun-related.

So Mayor V, what percentage of those 80 percent were not gang members? And what percentage of those 80 percent were killed with the ammunition you just outlawed? My guess on those two answers are "less than 5%" and "bagel, goose-egg, nada".

Its always for the children.

Will the last sane person leaving California please turn out the lights?

I mean, they don't have fence around the freaking place. Why do ya'll stay?

Oh yeah. The weather. I forgot. The weather is nice.

Well, have a nice day, then.

Suckers.

As a retired Army helicopter pilot I would certainly be interested in how they define ammunition capable of shooting down a helicopter. From my experience the round does not have to come from an assault rifle, a 30-30 Marlin is more than capable.

A few years ago (10-12) a couple of car-stealing punks were trying to evade the Inyo County Sheriff out in the Mojave Desert of southeastern Inyo County (near Death Valley NP). They fired at a CHP helicopter tracking them with a .303 Enfield and forced it to land. As Jim K said almost any centerfire rifle cartridge will bring down a a helicopter if it hits the right spot.

Jim K - shhhh, they are dumb enough don't need to help them :)

uh, what good is the ammunition with the rifle?

d'oh! without the rifle?

I've got a complaint!

My friend Harlan's UH-1C was shot down by VC with AKs and SKS rifles, and probably a few Arisakas, M1s, and Enfields in the mix.

According to LA, his helicopter should not have crashed in the poorly chosen LZ? Or is it that LAPD (AKA civilian) helicopters have been "up-armored" and are immune from general small arms fire, unlike many military helicopters?