TLANTA - In a visit to a city still reeling from two highly publicized murderous rampages, Texas Governor George W. Bush yesterday said he supported ''reasonable'' gun control measures like those backed by Republicans in Congress this year.
The GOP presidential candidate said he supports raising the age for gun ownership from 18 to 21 and banning certain high-caliber ammunition clips.
Bush also said he would support closing the loophole that allows unlicensed dealers to sell guns at shows without background checks for purchasers - provided, he said, that new background checks could be done instantaneously.
Democrats are insisting on up to three days for an FBI background check.
''I support them all; they all are reasonable measures,'' Bush said during a campaign stop here, adding that he is still committed to the idea that ''innocent people, law-abiding citizens ought to be allowed to own a gun.''
Bush was asked by a reporter about provisions in a Republican bill that will be negotiated in Congress next month, and while he has generally supported the GOP congressional consensus on gun control measures, aides said he had not been asked about some of the specific provisions.
Yesterday, Bush said he believed it was possible to ''have reasonable laws to keep the guns out of the hands of people who shouldn't have them. That's why I support instant background checks.''
But he echoed a common sentiment among Republicans that enough has not been done to enforce current laws.
''When we find someone illegally selling a gun, there should be a consequence,'' Bush said.
Democrats immediately pounced on Bush's statements, saying he was trying to obscure his right-wing record on gun control.
They noted that Bush opposes mandatory child safety locks on guns and had signed legislation allowing most citizens to carry concealed weapons as well as legislation that preempted the ability of cities in Texas to file lawsuits against the gun industry.
They also repeated criticism Bush received from opponents in Texas this year that he did little to push a bill in the Legislature that would have mandated background checks at gun shows.
''George Bush hasn't moved an inch on his gun safety position,'' said Roy Romer, general chairman of the Democratic National Committee. ''His record is lock, stock, and barrel with the NRA. The proof is in his record.''
Gun-control advocates also criticized Bush's record as governor yesterday.
''The governor is vehemently anti-gun control and he has done more to promote gun violence than to prevent it,'' said Nina Butts, spokeswoman for Texans Against Gun Violence.
Bush, however, did sign a juvenile crime bill during the 1995 legislative session making it a crime to allow minors access to guns.
He also signed a bill making jail time mandatory for juveniles caught with firearms.
Nonetheless, Bush's efforts to keep guns out of the hands of children have not mollified supporters of stricter gun control.
''I suspect that what's happened here is the governor is realizing this is a very important issue to the American people and he is trying to back away from his very long record of supporting the gun lobby,'' said Joe Sudbay, director of state legislation at Handgun Control Inc.
Georgia GOP chairman Chuck Clay said many Republican voters, particularly those in suburban areas such as wealthy Cobb County outside Atlanta, which Bush visited yesterday, supported moderate gun control measures.
''There's no Republican monolith on gun control,'' Clay said.
