NEWS: Assault Weapon Ban to Sunset

In 1994 President Clinton signed a bill enacting the "Assault Weapon Ban". However, this bill had a "sunset clause" allowing the ban to expire in ten years if it wasn't renewed, and it hasn't been. This ban ends on September 13th.



The gun ban ceased the production of 19 semi-automatic weapons except for use by the police or military. Namely:


Norinco, Mitchell, and Poly Technologies Avtomat Kalashnikovs (all models);
Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI and Galil;
Beretta Ar70 (SC-70);
Colt AR-15;
Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR, and FNC;
SWD M-10; M-11; M-11/9, and M-12;
Steyr AUG;
INTRATEC TEC-9, TEC-DC9, AND TEC-22;
revolving cylinder shotguns such as (or similar to) the Street Sweeper and Striker 12.

Of course this can be viewed as a win for gun-rights advocates. However, 68% of the nation was in favor of a renewal of the ban.

Related News Links:
www.dailystar.com
www.bradycampaign.org
www.concordmonitor.com

Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
CRIME: Keeping Americans Safe the Libertarian way
SOCIAL: Gun Control - Are all guns bad?

[edit on 9-9-2004 by Nerdling]

It would be interesting to see a poll of people who actually KNEW what the ban actually accomplished. Many in the media seem to think that the ban actually banned "assault weapons" i.e. machine guns.

How ridiculous is the notion that private citizens should be able to tote machine guns? It takes someone with extreme positions like Alan Keyes to righteously argue that cause. Most Americans -- Democrats and Republicans -- are against claiming Second Amendment protections for these guns and support the federal assault weapons ban.

www.suntimes.com...

The semi-automatic rifles and pistols that this law banned were NOT fully automatic nor capable of burst fire (pull the trigger once and three bullets come out). They are less powerful than almost any deer hunting rifle on the market and have been used in less than 1% of all gun crime in the U.S......ever.
Those on the end of the leash may be asking "Why did they ban them then!?!?!?" Good question.
Simple answer: They look dangerous!
Here are the criteria for a so called assault weapon,

Detachable magazine on a semiautomatic rifle
and any two of the following:

a folding or telescoping stock [no gun in the pack on your camping trip]
a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon [god forbid you can hold the rifle with comfort!]
a bayonet mount [Drive-by bayonet attacks must be on the rise]
a flash suppressor or threaded barrel [You MUST be blinded after that first shot by the muzzle flash!]
a grenade launcher [included to scare people, since grenades and launchers are restricted by the National Firearms Act of 1934]

and
A semi-automatic pistol with a detachable magazine
and any two of the following:

an ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip [and that makes the bullet coming out the end more dangerous?]
a threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer [you must be inaccurate, blinded or deafened]
a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the nontrigger hand without being burned [you must burn yourself!!!]
a manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded [because lighter firearms are "safer"]
a semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm [just because]

The law did NOTHING to reduce crime as the statistics show.
This is hardly "a win for gun rights activists". This is a case of our rights being restored and the sunset of an unconstitutional law.

I, for one, will be glad to see it go. It is amazing to me how many people actually think the AWB bans machine guns. It was nothing more than an attempt to ban "scary" guns that aren't "sensible" to a certain group of people.

Guys, thanks for the update. I actually did learn a lot.
Now, of course, I want a Steyr AUG


Thanks!

Lol, I saw this same news article posted up over at the time travel institute and they're screaming John titor.
Something about how this will enable the citizens to be armed for the civil war.

That's odd, if you've ever gone to my firing range which is frequented by tons of locals as well as local cops you'd swear the ban had never taken place.

WooHoo!


That law sucked...
In addition to that, Banning sucks... Especially if your banning things which law abiding citizens take seriously.

goody bye and good ridence to this INEFFECTIVE stupid ban on or rights

I'm really glad to see that this law has fallen through the cracks because , obviously most of us disagree with it whole-heartedly. Personally I own a Colt ar-15, and would refuse to hand it over if it were banned. It's only semi-auto of course, but you can fire the weapon acurately as fast as you can pull the trigger. I've never harmed anyone with it and never would (unless of course civilization crumbles). I keep a completely legal shotgun for protection. The rifle is for.... extreme situations lol. Not only am I glad that this law has faded away, but I'm glad that you all are just as pleased as I am. It's good to know that most of us aren't willing to just hand over our freedoms in exchange for a false sense of safety.

I have only one comment:

Hallelujah!

With the expiration of this idiotic assault weapons bill due to expire in less than a week, will the prices that have been driven skyhigh by supply & demand of 'pre-ban' equipment, return to the levels of over a decade ago?

I've looked at several websites, and all of them are still publishing the high-capacity magazines in the $100 range. Whereas, LEOs can still buy their polymer gold for $24.95 a piece, providing the order is on a official letterhead.

Only time will tell if the high capacity magazines will be available to the civillians at a reasonable target price. Maybe then, those magazines that have the words "RESTRICTED LE/GOVT ONLY", will be hot ticket items on eBay or other novelty stores.

Let's all hope that the prices of all weapons and accessories go down to the pre-Clinton era. I, for one, was sick and tired of having to look at the price gougers at the gun shows.

NVBadBoy

Fox unscientific poll:

Should Congress have extended the ban on assault weapons?

a. Yes (38%)
29,171


b. No (53%)
40,285


c. I defer to what police say on this (8%)
6,243


d. None of the above (1%)
681


76,380 total votes

Man, I can't believe anyone would defer to what the police say!!