In the wake of major mass shootings like that in Las Vegas, gun control supporters have brought attention back to a wide range of gun control measures. Universal background checks, assault weapons bans, and numerous other measures are floated, and end up going nowhere given the heated opposition of gun rights supporters.

But while many of these measures would help with day-to-day gun violence (which, along with suicide, is responsible for 99% of all gun deaths) – none of them would have helped in Las Vegas. What might have helped?

A high Capacity Magazine Ban, banning magazines with a capacity over 10 rounds, would have reduced casualties in Las Vegas by over half, and perhaps by as much as 90%.

After the Sandy Hook shooting, I analyzed every mass shooting in the US between 1980 and 2012 – and in each case I reviewed what forms of gun control, if any, might help. One finding stood out – the majority of mass shooters commit suicide, and they tend to commit suicide after running out of bullets and being forced to reload.

The Las Vegas shooter committed suicide as well. If mass Shooters Commit Suicide as a result of the brief thoughts or impulses that occur during the reload cycle, then how many lives would have been saved by forcing the shooter to reload 10 times more often? In studying previous mass shootings, it turned out that a high capacity magazine ban could have saved over 50% of all lives lost.

Many Americans have absolutely no interest in gun control – Bill O’Reilly recently posted that “This is the price of freedom.” But for those with an interest in improving upon the status quo, there’s a lesson here: rather than wasting energy on a wide range of proposals, those interested in curtailing mass shootings should focus on EFFECTIVE measures, not feel-good measures. A high capacity magazine ban is unlikely to pass anytime soon – but placing the focus on a single effective policy instead of broad, sweeping measures helps set the stage for eventual success.

Cue the rebuttals:

There are millions of high capacity magazines in the US already! A ban would stop further sales, and since magazines are cheap a buyback could reduce the volume available while driving up the price of those remaining (making them harder to obtain)

Bad guys don’t follow the law! – Ending the public sale of new magazines will rapidly diminish their availability to the black market. Magazines are simple, but need to be machined precisely or they will tend to cause jams.

Shooters will just reload more often! – Analysis of over 60 mass shootings shows that the vast majority of shooters Commit Suicide after reloading a handful of times. Limiting the amount of damage possible per reload cycle thus reduces the overall damage.

You’re depriving individuals of their 2nd Amendment rights – No less a figure than Antonin Scalia held that the 2nd Amendment is subject to limits and regulations. Bump stocks aside, fully automatic weapons have been banned for individual ownership since 1934 (as a result of misuse of Tommy guns by Al Capone and other mobsters). The question has never been about unfettered access to arms – in this case suitcase nukes would be an arm that one could bear. The question has always been one of striking the appropriate balance between gun rights and the dangers they introduce in society.