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Mike Freeman of CBS Sports has a column today that, while withholding judgment about whether Marvin Harrison was involved in the shooting outside his North Philadelphia bar last week, questions why Harrison owned the Belgian gun that is at the center of the investigation.
Freeman gives some details about the gun, a Fabrique Nationale 5.7 firearm, noting that it has been advertised for its ability to pierce 48 layers of Kevlar at 50 meters.
Writes Freeman: “Does it bother anyone that an NFL player allegedly owns a gun in which its main attraction to potential buyers is the fact that its ammunition can penetrate body armor? Body armor most times worn by police?”
It’s probably safe to say that it bothers the NFL. The league’s official policy on guns for all employees, including players, states, “In some circumstances, such as for sport or protection, you may legally possess a firearm or other weapon. However, we strongly recommend that you not do so.”
May 5th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I dunno about Harrison but I’ve fired one of these before, and like Savage said, they are frickin cool. As handguns go they’re just a nice piece of engineering.
It very well could be that he’s just a gun enthusiast. Does look pretty bad from a circumstantial point of view though.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Savage,
reading > you. Harrison didn’t use a 50 cal to shoot anyone. A 5.7×28 is a smaller projectile than a 9×19mm used in typical 9mm handguns. It comes out of the barrel (the 5.7) at around 2100fps. My 40 caliber S&W only comes out at around 1250, depending on ammo, still has plenty of knock-down/stopping power.
The 5.7 round is also used in the P90 machine gun….
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Rating: 4.75 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I’m with krisj51 here. The league has NOTHING on Marvin Harrison for owning the gun in the first place. Especially if the gun is not illegal.
Now, the NFL has every right to take issue with the fact that Marvin Harrison might have fired that gun … but not that he owned it. “Strongly recommend that you not do so” is, frankly, a joke.
I am against guns. But I’m just sayin that the NFL policy means nothing.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Freeman obviously didn’t do his homework. A quick Google search tells me that, yes, the FiveseveN handgun can in fact pierce body armor, but only when using military standard ammunition! The SS190 armor piercing round, is only distributed to the military and law enforcement agencies and it’s sale to civilians is strictly forbidden.
Here is even a link to a blog by an Arizona Police Officer describing the inaccuracies surrounding this particular gun: http://burnerblog.com/2005/01/31/the-fn-fiveseven-being-called-a-cop-killer-gun-by-the-brady-gun-nuts/
Personally, I’m a huge Colts fan and if Marvin was involved in the shooting, then yes, he sould face punishment just like everyone else. But until we know the facts of this case, let’s not get carried away like my pal Mike Freeman over there. Innocent until proven guilty if I’m not mistaken…..
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
5.7mm is .22 caliber not .50.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
My employer does not get to tell me whether I can own a firearm. Little late for them to try, also.
The NFL policy is pee-cee. It also kind of admits it has a low opinion of the faculties of its players.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
The gun is not a .50 cal handgun. Such a gun would be firing 12.7mm shels not 5.7mm. Also the armor penetration is ONLY for the military grade shell, which Harrison should not be able to buy. Quick check on the web shows that the mention of its penetrating kevlar is tied to that particular cartridge. So harrison would have to be stupid to think what he has would do the same.
Also are we working under the assumption that criminals never ever wear armor? me thinks that would be false.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
No, it doesn’t bother me at all. Thanks for asking, Freeman.
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Freeman Needs to grow up.
Why should it even matter what type of gun it was. As a person that collects weapons I can say I have guns that, with the right ammo, will do more than just penetrate Kevlar. People collect firearms and that should not be an issue.
What should matter is that the firearm was used in the commission of a Crime
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
The primary attraction to the FN Five-Seven is the fact that it can carry a large number of rounds (21), is extremely accurate due to the high muzzle velocity, is light with a controllable recoil, and built by a company known for quality - FN manufactures almost every machinegun used by the US military. The fact that it can penetrate Kevlar is a byproduct of it’s high velocity. Almost any rifle bullet will penetrate body armor as well yet I don’t hear those weapons being accused of being “cop killers”. The article is a perfect example of media sensationalism at it’s worst.
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Rating: 4.35 / 5 with 6 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
All Americans should own firearms. The government sent US SOLDIERS door to door in New Orleans taking peoples firearms (and ability to defend themselves. Without giving reciepts, so these people could never get their firearms back.) If US Soldiers come to your door demanding firearms, that armor piercing ammo will be looking pretty damn, good.
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Rating: 1.6 / 5 with 13 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Is the gun legal to own? If no, then he has a problem. If yes, shut up. He has a right to own any legal gun he wants, without having to justify why he wants to own said gun. Anti-gun weenies tick me off.
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Rating: 2.6 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Before all you anti-gun Brady bandwagon liberals come running out with your pitchforks and torches I’ll give you the rest of the story about the FN 5.7 handgun. Besides the fact that it can pierce body armor, it has a magazine capacity of 20 rounds and the bullet is 5.7 MILLIMETERS in diameter, not 0.50 inches a.k.a. 50 cal. It’s 100% LEGAL (read that again whether you like it or not) to OWN, POSSESS and CARRY in PA. Why would anyone want to carry it? Because they’re either a moron that bought into the hype of “body piercing armor” or a true marksman. Seeing that the “victim” was shot at multiple times and only caught a bullet in the hand, I’m not using the latter as a reason why Marvin Harrison owned this gun.
Someone asked why they would need a gun that can pierce body armor. The most important reason is that it’s their right to granted by the Constitution. Just like you have the right to your dumba$s opinion, a law abiding citizen has the right to carry a gun that pierces body armor, and/or own a machine gun, and/or a .50 cal rifle that can shoot through engine blocks. Whether Marvin Harrison is law abiding or not, save it for another debate. Just because you don’t want or need a machine gun, .50 cal rifle or a FN 5.7 doesn’t mean the rest of us don’t. So until you are told by the government to STFU because they took away the freedom of speech, keep your hands off our rights to lawfully own and possess firearms granted by the right to bear arms.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 12 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
If it where up to me,Gun laws for the citizens of the United States of America would have been limited to sigle shot musketts for hunting purposes only. I have lost a dear freind to a shooting. It was not a “Thug” it was by a person that thought 9mm where cool. Many of us that write posts here probibly would agree that the “average joe American” is a bumb ass. Giving guns to dumb asses is never the smart thing to do. Even a non-dumbass can ocationally let their emotions effect their better judgment at times.
Good luck going on a killing spree with a sigle shot muskett. Our for-fathers really screwed the pootch.
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Rating: 2.35 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Two things need to be remembered here:
1. Whoever shot the gun belonging to Harrison fired multiple times. This wasn’t a gun accidentally going off, or just a warning shot. This was a mailicious attempt to harm someone. The fact that the shooter is a bad shot and the victim was only shot in the hand does not lessen the intent.
2. It was reported that a young girl was hit by glass when a bullet struck a car window. I’m sure this was just superficial, but innocent people were in the vicinity when shots were fired.
If Harrison is proven to be the shooter, how can he not be suspended along side PacMan?
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Rating: 4.35 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
The fact that he owns this gun is not the issue. The fact that this gun was used in a shooting is a huge problem. Whether or not he was the one doing the shooting, if his firearm is used, he can be arrested and charged. Maybe he will not be charged for the murder, but he’ll definitely get into some sort of trouble for being an accessory to the crime. You’re telling me that he was walking out of HIS club, following a belligerent customer, bullets came out of a gun that HE owns, striking that cutomer, and he had nothing to do with it? What was his gun doing at the scene of the crime anyway?
Oh, and nerdmann - all Americans should own firearms? You’re retarded. Do you understand how much of a mess this country would be?
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Rating: 3.65 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I’ve seen & handled the FN 5.7MM and based on that I’m inclined to say that Harrison owned one because it costs big bucks and is currently the “designer gun” that’s in vogue.
I’ve carried a handgun in a professional capacity for the better part of 30 years. I pretty much share Matthew Quigley’s view of handguns, but if that’s what I have to fight with, make mine a 1911 in 45ACP, thanks all the same…
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
It’s not a .50 caliber, it’s a 5.7 millimeter which is closer to .22 caliber. Meaning it’s essentially a pistol that shoots a rifle round. I’m fairly certain that the ammunition available for civillian purchase does not achieve the same armor-penetration as the military rounds, but it is, nonetheless, a pretty ridiculous gun for a civillian to own.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Yeah, guns “frickin cool,” but they’re not economical. You could save a ton of cash and send the world the same message by buying a t-shirt that says “I have a small penis.”
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Rating: 1.8 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I am not a gun owner, I have never had the desire to own a gun. That being said, I can absolutely understand a person in Harrison’s position owning a handgun for self-defense.
If he chooses to purchase a rare high end handgun from Belgium for this purpose, that too is his choice.
The problem comes in when you chase someone down a street and fire that rare high end handgun at a person 5 times ….
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
“High hit probability
Extremely low recoil results in virtually no muzzle jump.
The Five-seveN® pistol is easily controllable as it remains aligned on the target.”
Guess Marvin missed out another endorsement deal.
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May 5th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
The original report described Harrison’s gun as one firing a .50 caliber (or 12.7mm) round. The FN Five-seveN fires a 5.7mm round, making it less than half the size of a .50 caliber round. The standard 9mm round, which is on the small end of the spectrum by handgun standards, is still larger than the 5.7mm. What makes the 5.7mm unique is it’s length, making it more like a rifle round than one fired from a pistol. It is a very narrow round, allowing up to 20 to be loaded into a magazine. However, due to it’s size (or lack thereof) it is not very powerful. It’s a very specialized round that relies on high velocity rather than size to damage its target, a questionable approach that is best discussed in another comments section on another website. But regardless, there is a HUGE difference between a 5.7mm round and a .50 caliber round. Practically speaking, the two are completely opposite.
Also, while military and law enforcement versions of the round (SS190) do have sufficient capability to penetrate body armor, all versions available to civilians (SS196, SS197) do not have such a capability. The 5.7×28mm is one of the most misunderstood types of ammunition, especially amongst the media, and thus we have reports of .50 caliber armor-piercing ammunition that is nothing but. Were Harrison to have fired an SS190 round, that would be a big deal. But that has not been established yet.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
The real questions here:
1. Why would Mike Freeman of CBS question Harrison’s “right” to own the gun to begin with?
2. Does it bother anyone that Freeman sensationalizes, distorts and propagandizes the “main reason” someone would own that gun? Just because the gun is advertised to penetrate body armor, it’s quite a stretch to then assume it was Harrison’s “main reason” for buying it. If Florio is any kind of lawyer, you’d think he’d know that much, wouldn’t you? (Which raises another question: Why would Florio post such a lopsided piece if he didn’t have some sort of agenda?)
THOSE are the questions I find disturbing. And I don’t even own a gun. But I do own a copy of the US Constitution.
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Rating: 3.65 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Pacman likes the Fabrique Nationale 5.7 firearm. It can pierce 48 layers of Kevlar, and 6 losers in a strip club.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Here’s a thought: Marvin Harrison is a millionaire. Millionaires have a lot of weird crap. When you’re rich, you can buy this sort of thing. He’s a collector. Sorry but a .50 caliber, exotic firearm is not all that weird. No more weird than rich dudes putting bowling lanes in their homes… or Emmitt Smith having tile mosaic of himself - in Dallas Uniform - at the bottom of his pool. I mean, what’s the bowling alley for? And what does a flat, child’s coloring book version of yourself at the bottom of a pool communicate to the kids?
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)