IN THE SUMMER OF 1964, A SERIES OF SHOOTINGS TOOK PLACE IN PHILADELPHIA WHICH INFLUENCED OVER 75 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION TO TURN IN FAVOR OF A LAW REQUIRING A POLICE PERMIT FOR THE PURCHASE OF ANY GUN. AT THAT TIME, THE LAW IN PHILADELPHIA REQUIRED A PERMIT ONLY FOR A CONCEALED HANDGUN. IN ONE OF THE SERIES OF MURDERS, A POLICE OFFICER HAD BEEN KILLED BY A WOMAN WHO HAD A POLICE RECORD IN NEW JERSEY. THE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT HAD BEEN PUSHING FOR THE PASSAGE OF A GUN CONTROL ORDINANCE, WHICH WOULD PROHIBIT ANYONE WITH A CRIMINAL RECORD FROM POSSESSING A GUN. THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION (NRA) LOBBIED SO SUCCESSFULLY AGAINST THIS BILL THAT THE BILL WENT NO FURTHER THAN THE INITIAL HEARING. THE MAYOR THEN URGED THE PASSAGE OF A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT BILL -- ONE WHICH WOULD REQUIRE A PERMIT FOR THE PURCHASE OF ANY NEW GUN. ANOTHER SHOOTING CONVINCED MANY CIVIC AND BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY TO PRESS FOR PUBLIC SUPPORT OF THIS LEGISLATION. THEY WERE ABLE TO MUSTER ENOUGH FORCES TO COUNTERACT THE NRA LOBBYING, AND THE ORDINANCE PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. IT WAS THE FIRST LAW EVER ENACTED IN THE NATION TO REGULATE THE PURCHASE OF RIFLES AND SHOTGUNS AS WELL AS HANDGUNS. THOUGH MANY OF ITS OPPONENTS CALLED THE BILL A FLOP, THE STATISTICS SHOW THAT IT PREVENTED 110 CONVICTED CRIMINALS FROM PURCHASING GUNS LOCALLY. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION REPORTS SHOWED THAT THE NUMBER OF MURDERS DROPPED 17 PERCENT FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, WHILE THE NATIONAL TOTAL ROSE 9 PERCENT. A SIMILAR STATEWIDE LAW HAS GONE INTO EFFECT IN NEW JERSEY. HOWEVER, THESE LAWS ARE NOT AS SUCCESSFUL AS THEY COULD BE BECAUSE SURROUNDING AREAS DO NOT HAVE EQUALLY STRINGENT LAWS. (BAC)