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Jim Hironimus
White Hall
I am 73, and a former Centre County resident. I have hunted and owned firearms all my life. I also spent 20 years on active duty and was in combat in Vietnam.
When I was young, back in the 60s-70s era, we were proud to shoot a deer and only use "one shot."
We protected our homes with a "pump-style shotgun." If a burglar heard the pumping noise, to chamber a round by a home owner, that would usually scare them away.
We did have some semi-auto guns for shooting at rabbits and squirrels -- things that ran while you shot at them.
We also had double-barrel shotguns, and many hunters preferred them. If a game animal got away after two shots, it earned the right to live.
Back many years ago, some person in the gun industry decided to get with the NRA and bought some politicians and all of a sudden "assault style weapons were legal?" Now they are all over the place and sadly it is easy for criminals to steal them or make them from ghost gun kits.
I do not think that anyone is going to invade Centre or Clinton County in my lifetime. I see no need to have a gun that can hold and fire 20, 30 or even more rounds in semi or altered automatic mode.
What "real use" do they have? None but to make the gun and ammo manufactures rich and help criminals -- and let the people that never went into the military dress like them and play soldier.
Hunters and sport shooters do not need assault-style weapons for anything!