 Jalisco New Generation gunmen used .50 caliber rifles during an ambush on Mexico City’s police chief in June. | .50 caliber rifles are used by military sharpshooters for long-range sniping. These rifles can be lethal at distances of over a mile and fire bullets capable of punching through armor, passing through the engine block of a truck, or taking down a helicopter with a well placed shot. |  |
 | .50 caliber rifles are legal in 47 states, including on the border in Arizona and Texas. The weapons are readily available for around $8k, no questions asked. It's said to be very easy to get items over the border because most of the enforcement is focused on south to north movement, not north to south. |  |
