Real guns with tips painted orange

[grady]

http://www.officer.com/web/online/Operations-and-Tactics/Wisconsin-City-Cracks-Down-On-Fake-Guns/3$46982

Well, I was going to post the article, but the last sentence said

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

And the link doesn't hotlink either. But it can be found at officer.com with a little searching.

The story said some crooks are now painting the ends of their real guns orange in order to make them look like toy guns.

Note to self: don't be fooled by this scenario. If I'm held up by someone with an orange-tipped gun, assume it is a real gun.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[ppkheat]

I have the option of making the tip on mine orange anytime I want to.........just pull the trigger.

[United93]

I have the option of making the tip on mine orange anytime I want to.........just pull the trigger.

Seriously, I am not surprised that some dirtbags would do that.

[rottkeeper]

Had to see that one coming, I'm surprised it took this long.

[Daps]

I suggest they not try that as I won't play 20 question with them, only conscience question that will be in my mind is, looks like gun, after that everything else is on automatic from there

[Phillep Harding]

If it's pointed at you and looks like a gun, it's a gun.

[Bunny]

If it's pointed at you and looks like a gun, it's a gun.

Exactly. Orange tip or not. I'd rather not take any chances.

[digitalexplr]

BG: This is a stick up, but don't worry, see my end of my gun is orange.

Me: Bang, bang, bang. The end of my isn't. What's you point?

[ccman]

O'boy this is not good.

[dnowell]

I've been hearing this one forever but have never seen any evidence that it actually happened, at least not often enough to be significant. To be honest, I think this is just another urban legend based on at most one or two real events. I'm seriously not concerned about it.

[Bark'n]

I've been hearing this one forever but have never seen any evidence that it actually happened, at least not often enough to be significant. To be honest, I think this is just another urban legend based on at most one or two real events. I'm seriously not concerned about it.

Same here,

People have been shot and killed for pointing toy guns at people in the past. The shooter has always been justified in believing it was a real gun at the time he shot.

When they examine the orange tipped gun from the corpse of the guy I just shot and find out that it was in fact a "real gun" with an orange painted tip, I'll feel even more justified and glad I survived to tell the story of the "Stupid thug who thought he was going to get away with something!"

[grady]

I think this is just another urban legend based on at most one or two real events.

Is it still an urban legend if officers are reporting it happening?

I made a mental note of it myself to hopefully prevent a split-second freeze on my part (wondering if the gun is a toy) if someone points an orange-tipped gun at me.

As long as one is prepared to treat any gun pointed at them as an immediate threat, then this tidbit can be ignored. If one has never considered this possibility, one might freeze for a moment if confronted with an orange-tipped gun. My point was to acknowledge this as something that does happen so as not to be fooled or delayed by it.

[David in FL]

BG: "Stick 'em up. Gimme your money!"

GG: "What do you mean? That's a toy gun, I'm not giving you anything!"

BG: "No, really, it's a real gun!"

GG: "No way, the tip's painted orange, that means it's a toy!"

BG: "Nuh uhhhhhh!"

GG: "Uh huhhhh!"

BG: "Here, I'll show you (removes mag)......see, it's loaded!"

GG: BANG

BG: "Dang..........I hate it when that happens..................."

[paramedic70002]

Wisconsin City Cracks Down On Fake Guns

Posted: Thursday, June 4, 2009
Updated: June 4th, 2009 05:05 PM EDT

Most Read Stories TodayMost Read Most E-mailed Stories TodayMost E-mailed E-mail This StoryE-mail Article Print This StoryPrint Article

Story by channel3000.com

MADISON, Wis. --

Madison police said that they're seeing more incidents involving realistic-looking guns -- Airsoft or pellet guns -- in recent weeks and are taking steps to avert a potentially dangerous situation.

Officers said that some crooks are brazen enough to paint the black end of a real weapon orange to make it appear like a toy. Now, local police are launching their own assault on toy guns that look like the real thing.

"It's a recipe for disaster," said Officer Mike Hanson of the Madison Police Department.

The problem for law enforcement is that they often can't tell toy guns from the real deal. This puts police and those who bring the toy guns into the streets in a dangerous position -- even if the gun is just for play, WISC-TV reported.

"We have to assume every single gun is real until we prove otherwise," Hanson said. "We're very fortunate that nothing fatal has occurred due to a fake gun yet. But the way we're seeing them out there -- flashing them, using them, not obeying police commands to drop it -- it's frightening."

Middleton police said they're seeing the same thing.

"Works just like the real thing," said Middleton Police Sgt. Don Mueller, as he demonstrated the bolt-action on a pellet gun that one of his officers recently confiscated. The gun appears to be virtually identical to a sniper rifle.

"If somebody turned to me with this weapon, I'd shoot them without any compunction," Mueller said. "These are made to look as much as possible like a real weapon."

Officers said that the guns are often just for play, but sometimes they are a status symbol for children and young adults, both in and out of street gangs. They use the guns to intimidate peers or show the block who is boss, they said.

As a result, Madison police are starting to tell children as early as first grade that the fake guns are dangerous and put both the holder and officers in dangerous positions.

Several major retailers on Tuesday said that they don't sell toy guns. Dick's Sporting Goods, one carrier of Airsoft pellet guns, wouldn't comment, citing a policy not to talk about any gun sales. A BB gun at one local big-box retailer cost less than $30. The only requirement is that the purchaser is over the age of 16, and the clerk did ask to see identification.

Even colored guns are now a concern for police because most real weapons can now be purchased in almost any color -- including pink. That eliminates any possibility to distinguish between a fake and an actual firearm, WISC-TV reported.

"What we're trying to do is keep the neighborhood safe, so it's very frustrating this is going on throughout the city of Madison," Hanson said.

[Bunny]

If it looks like a real gun and you're threatening me with it like it's a real gun, guess what? A jury of 12 reasonable people are probably going to agree with me that they would have thought it was a real gun, too.