Greetings, fellow weapon enthusiasts, and welcome to my first article in this venerable publication. I must admit I had quite the difficult time selecting a weapon for such an auspicious occasion. I spent many hours deliberating the kind of impact I wanted to deliver (no pun intended) with this article. Should it be an explosive? Should it be a battle rifl e? Should it be a vehicle? Or mounted on one? After much deliberation, the choice became clear. For you, dear reader, I have selected one of my very favorite weapons. I have been fortunate enough to fi re this wonderful device on a few occasions, and it has been well worth the price of its formidable ammunition. Today I present to you the most powerful handgun currently manufactured, the Smith & Wesson model 500.

Our MUNITION OF THE WEEK:

THE APS UNDERWATER ASSAULT RIFLE

Designed by Vladimir Simonov and incorporated into the Soviet Union’s arsenal in the 1970’s, the APS underwater assault rifle improved upon the stopping power and range offered by the SPP-1 underwater pistol. The rifle weighed 7.5 lbs loaded, had a length of 32.4 inches with the stock extended and a magazine size of 26 rounds. The effective range of the APS varied depending on the depth at which it was fired (For example, at 16 ft under the surface, the rifle was able to reach distances of 98 ft). The rifle fired needlelike 5.66 mm cartridges from the unusual magazine, the shape of which was designed to best accomodate the longer than normal ammunition.

The APS was used by Russian “guard frogmen,� the SPN PDSS, a unit created to guard naval bases as the threat of underwater sabotage from “attack frogmen� increased in the 1970’s. The APS proved effective in submerged combat at penetrating reinforced dry-suits and breathing apparatuses. In addition, it proved a worthy tool for deterring anti-frogmen dolphins, which are equipped with a nose mounted device that is capable of injecting large amounts of carbon dioxide into divers. Since discontinued, the APS was an important step in the process of designing a reliable underwater assault rifle.

Our MUNITION OF THE WEEK: THE FN HERSTAL P90 SUBMACHINE GUN

Designed by the Belgian firearms manufacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal, the Project 90 (P90) Submachine gun entered service in 1994 to satisfy NATO document D/296 which called for the creation of a new personal defense weapon (PDW). The P90 weighs 6.6 lbs fully loaded, has a total length of 19.7’’ and a 50 round magazine that loads into the top, parallel to the barrel. It has a maximum range of 220 yards. FN Herstal’s submachine gun bridges an important gap between handguns and rifles. This is because of its ability to accurately deliver a special 5.7 x 28 mm cartridge that is capable of piercing standard Warsaw Pact body armor while remaining small enough to be utilized in close quarter battles. The P90 has been incorporated into several different organizations, including the United States Secret Service, the Peruvian Navy special Forces and the Singaporean Commandos. The P90 has been dubbed the “forerunner� of the PDW concept that has emerged in the last four to five years.

By: Jeremie M. Jordan and Bella Vilshanetskaya

On January 22nd of 1973 it was decided that banning the right to choose to have an abortion violates the constitutional rights of women. Thirty three years later, we are still arguing about it, but recently a change has come along.

On November 7th, the state of South Dakota will be deciding whether or not to outlaw abortion. Because our campus is peppered with wonderful women who believe in women’s rights, this past Friday, October 6th, there was a Potluck for Choice held in Spalt 007. Great effort was put in by the Womyn’s Center coordinators Beth Jones and Meredith Root. The 25ish guests in attendance were asked to donate at least one dollar to help support Planned Parenthood of South Dakota to fight this preposterous proposal. The food was reportedly yummy as well. On the subject of the ban, a student in attendance said, “The implications of the government putting laws on our bodies go far beyond one’s personal stance on abortion.� It’s not about babies, it’s about choice. Small people behind big desks shouldn’t be able to make our decisions for us. It is one of the goals of the Womyn’s Center to educate not only females, but the entire campus about issues concerning and affect- ing women today.

Pro-choicers have their cake and eat it, too.
Photo by Kari Thompson