Editor’s note: This letter is in response to Wally DuChateau’s column, “A few comments about guns,” published Sept. 26.

For the most part I would agree with the beginning of Wally’s article about guns, but would add that not all liberals are against guns and not all conservatives are for them. It is an individual choice that has little to do with politics.

Aesthetically, guns truly are finely engineered machines, designed and created by individuals in response to a need and a specification. I have worked with guns, civil and military, for nearly 50 years and I respect guns as machines alone.

Where I think Wally goes a little too far is the statement about the availability of fully-automatic AK-47’s – owning a full-auto weapon is for the most part, illegal and will result in jail time if someone has one. I say full-auto weapon because it isn’t just the AK-47 that can be made fully-automatic but nearly any gun, if you have the knowledge, the parts, the time, the money and the gunsmithing ability to do it.

Bump-stocks can produce a similar effect on almost any semi-automatic rifle, but not all semi-automatic rifles are considered to be assault rifles. However, there really isn’t any reason for a civilian to be in possession of a fully automatic weapon or a bump-stock except in extremely controlled circumstances.

Wally, please do not add to the already rampant misinformation, mainly political ‘weaponizing’, that is out there about the ‘assault rifle’ issue and the availability of fully-automatic weapons. Check your information with Ralph Tuttle first, I’m sure he will put you on the right path, it is after all, his business that you are talking about.

David Griffin

Buckley