It is about time our do-nothing Congress does some simple math. Banning semi-automatic firearms won't stop mass shootings by itself, but it sure will reduce the carnage of each event.

Based on the shooter's type of semi-automatic weapon, magazine capacity, and his skill, the sustained rate of fire could be reduced by a factor of 5 to 10 (over 80 percent less). This is based on comparing a military assault rifle versus a bolt action rifle. So, for El Paso and Dayton, maybe only six dead and less than a dozen wounded, versus 32 dead and dozens wounded.

In addition, bullets from a military assault rifle cause significant maiming type damage to the wounded. Maybe for all the gun owners that use the Second Amendment as their argument for having no common sense gun laws we should restrict all guns to be flintlock in design, as our forefathers had when the amendment was written. 

Ed Pellegri

Waterford