To the Editor:
The purpose of this letter is to inform you that The Dartmouth had verbal permission to take photos of our display case of handguns for your article "Do guns kill? Or are people to blame?" in your Wednesday, January 10, 2001 issue.
When The Dartmouth was contacted in reference to a photo in connection to our business, we were informed that we have the opportunity to clarify the photo attached to the article and the attached caption which was published in The Dartmouth. We have chosen to exercise this option.
There are seven Heckler & Koch handguns pictured in the photo, but there is only one weapon with an external trigger lock. We can only assume that the reasoning behind the photo's attached caption "THE WAY OF THE GUN: Guns lie ready for action" is an assumption by your staff that the other weapons are not locked. Although this fact may appear to be true, the weapons which appear to be without a trigger lock are indeed locked. These weapons are locked by a manufacturer's internal lock, Heckler & Koch's patented HK Lock Out device. This lock will not allow the hammer, slide or trigger to be operated unless the supplied manufacturer's key is used to unlock the weapon. These locks were developed in response to the public's demand for safer handguns. In fact, the weapons which appear to be unlocked are safer than the weapon shown with an external lock! In addition, Heckler & Koch also provides external locks with the pictured weapons. External locks can be broken and, therefore, the weapons without internal locking devices can be fired. Attempting to force the slide rearward while a weapon's internal lock is engaged will result in damage to the weapon.
