Quote: At midnight tonight, a 10-year federal ban on some types of assault weapons will almost certainly expire, and the proprietor of Christian Soldier, Rob Shiflett, expects a stream of customers for newly legal civilian versions of AK-47s and M-16s. The ban, enacted under Bill Clinton, outlawed Uzis, AK-47s, and other brands of guns produced after 1994; accessories that made rapid firing easier (such as higher capacity ammunition clips, pistol grips and folding stocks); and silencers. Guns that incorporated the banned features but that were manufactured before 1994 remained legal.

So bring out the champagne and go buy an UZI or an AR15 or whatever-come midnight!

Only in America baby!

w00t Now then...I need a rifle

got a refrence for the article?

Yes sir, lemme have a look at that AK-47 on the shelf over here......

Mind if I take it for a spin?

You could always own an AK47, but it needs to be "Pre-ban". Now any company can sell them, brand new. Colt fireams is probably in tears of joy. Can you imagine how many new rifles people will buy?!


Basically, as the law states, an "Assault Rifle" is a semi-automatic firearm with a military appearance. It must have one of the following. All of these things are NOW LEGAL!

Folding or telescopic stock

Pistol grip protruding conspicuously beneath the stock

Bayonet mount

Flash suppressor or threaded barrel

Grenade launcher

Here is a quote for all you lawyers or people who feel like reading all this legal jargin.

Quote: Below are the definitions, as written, in the United States Code: Title 18, Chapter 44, Section 921 of the United States Code states: The term ''semiautomatic assault weapon'' means - (A) any of the firearms, or copies or duplicates of the firearms in any caliber, known as - (i) Norinco, Mitchell, and Poly Technologies Avtomat Kalashnikovs (all models); (ii) Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI and Galil; (iii) Beretta Ar70 (SC-70); (iv) Colt AR-15; (v) Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR, and FNC; (vi) SWD M-10, M-11, M-11/9, and M-12; (vii) Steyr AUG; (viii)INTRATEC TEC-9, TEC-DC9 and TEC-22; and (ix) revolving cylinder shotguns, such as (or similar to) the Street Sweeper and Striker 12; (B) a semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of - (i) a folding or telescoping stock; (ii)a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon; (iii)a bayonet mount; (iv) a flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor; and (v) a grenade launcher; (C) a semiautomatic pistol that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of - (i) an ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip; (ii)a threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer; (iii)a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the non-trigger hand without being burned; (iv) a manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded; and (v) a semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm; and (D) a semiautomatic shotgun that has at least 2 of - (i) a folding or telescoping stock; (ii) a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon; (iii)a fixed magazine capacity in excess of 5 rounds; and (iv) an ability to accept a detachable magazine. Exemptions to the law: Title 18, Chapter 44, section 922 states: (1) It shall be unlawful for a person to manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon. (2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the possession or transfer of any semiautomatic assault weapon otherwise lawfully possessed under Federal law on the date of the enactment of this subsection. (3) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to - (A) any of the firearms, or replicas or duplicates of the firearms, specified in Appendix A to this section, as such firearms were manufactured on October 1, 1993; (B) any firearm that - (i) is manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action; (ii) has been rendered permanently inoperable; or (iii) is an antique firearm; (C) any semiautomatic rifle that cannot accept a detachable magazine that holds more than 5 rounds of ammunition; or (D) any semiautomatic shotgun that cannot hold more than 5 rounds of ammunition in a fixed or detachable magazine. The fact that a firearm is not listed in Appendix A shall not be construed to mean that paragraph (1) applies to such firearm. No firearm exempted by this subsection may be deleted from Appendix A so long as this subsection is in effect APPENDIX A CENTERFIRE RIFLES - AUTOLOADERS Browning BAR Mark II Safari Semi-Auto Rifle Browning BAR Mark II Safari Magnum Rifle Browning High-Power Rifle Heckler & Koch Model 300 Rifle Iver Johnson M-1 Carbine Iver Johnson 50th Anniversary M-1 Carbine Marlin Model 9 Camp Carbine Marlin Model 45 Carbine Remington Nylon 66 Auto-Loading Rifle Remington Model 7400 Auto Rifle Remington Model 7400 Rifle Remington Model 7400 Special Purpose Auto Rifle Ruger Mini-14 Autoloading Rifle (w/o folding stock) Ruger Mini Thirty Rifle Large Capacity Magazines Title 18, Chapter 44, Section 921; (31) The term ''large capacity ammunition feeding device'' - A) means a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device manufactured after the date of enactment of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 that has a capacity of, or that can be readily restored or converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition; but B) does not include an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition. The United States Code also describes other types of firearms: Title 18, Chapter 44, Section 921; The term ''shotgun'' means a weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of an explosive to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger. The term ''short-barreled shotgun'' means a shotgun having one or more barrels less than eighteen inches in length and any weapon made from a shotgun (whether by alteration, modification or otherwise) if such a weapon as modified has an overall length of less than twenty-six inches. The term ''rifle'' means a weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of an explosive to fire only a single projectile through a rifled bore for each single pull of the trigger. The term ''short-barreled rifle'' means a rifle having one or more barrels less than sixteen inches in length and any weapon made from a rifle (whether by alteration, modification, or otherwise) if such weapon, as modified, has an overall length of less than twenty-six inches. The term ''antique firearm'' means - (A) any firearm (including any firearm with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system) manufactured in or before 1898; or (B) any replica of any firearm described in subparagraph (A) if such replica - (i) is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition, or (ii)uses rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition which is no longer manufactured in the United States and which is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade; or (C) any muzzle loading rifle, muzzle loading shotgun, or muzzle loading pistol, which is designed to use black powder, or a black powder substitute, and which cannot use fixed ammunition. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term ''antique firearm'' shall not include any weapon which incorporates a firearm frame or receiver, any firearm which is converted into a muzzle loading weapon, or any muzzle loading weapon which can be readily converted to fire fixed ammunition by replacing the barrel, bolt, breechblock, or any combination thereof. The term ''semiautomatic rifle'' means any repeating rifle which utilizes a portion of the energy of a firing cartridge to extract the fired cartridge case and chamber the next round, and which requires a separate pull of the trigger to fire each cartridge. The term ''handgun'' means - (A) a firearm which has a short stock and is designed to be held and fired by the use of a single hand; and (B) any combination of parts from which a firearm described in subparagraph (A) can be assembled. Exemptions as defined in Title 18, Chapter 44, Section 922 (v) (1) It shall be unlawful for a person to manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon. (2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the possession or transfer of any semiautomatic assault weapon otherwise lawfully possessed under Federal law on the date of the enactment of this subsection. (3) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to - (A) any of the firearms, or replicas or duplicates of the firearms, specified in Appendix A to this section, as such firearms were manufactured on October 1, 1993; (B) any firearm that - (i) is manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action; (ii) has been rendered permanently inoperable; or (iii) is an antique firearm; (C) any semiautomatic rifle that cannot accept a detachable magazine that holds more than 5 rounds of ammunition; or (D) any semiautomatic shotgun that cannot hold more than 5 rounds of ammunition in a fixed or detachable magazine. The fact that a firearm is not listed in Appendix A shall not be construed to mean that paragraph (1) applies to such firearm. No firearm exempted by this subsection may be deleted from Appendix A so long as this subsection is in effect. (4) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to - (A) the manufacture for, transfer to, or possession by the United States or a department or agency of the United States or a State or a department, agency, or political subdivision of a State, or a transfer to or possession by a law enforcement officer employed by such an entity for purposes of law enforcement (whether on or off duty); (B) the transfer to a licensee under title I of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 for purposes of establishing and maintaining an on-site physical protection system and security organization required by Federal law, or possession by an employee or contractor of such licensee on-site for such purposes or off-site for purposes of licensee-authorized training or transportation of nuclear materials; (C) the possession, by an individual who is retired from service with a law enforcement agency and is not otherwise prohibited from receiving a firearm, of a semiautomatic assault weapon transferred to the individual by the agency upon such retirement; or (D) the manufacture, transfer, or possession of a semiautomatic assault weapon by a licensed manufacturer or licensed importer for the purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the Secretary. (w) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), it shall be unlawful for a person to transfer or possess a large capacity ammunition feeding device. (2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the possession or transfer of any large capacity ammunition feeding device otherwise lawfully possessed on or before the date of the enactment of this subsection.

thats america for you, we have the second ammendment for a reason

The police and authorities are gonna have a harder time now, with assault rifles available to the public. How long do you think before criminals are gonna get them? Retarded government...

i honestly don't know what to think about this (the lifting of the ban). has anyone seen any PD responses to this?

What about an electric cannon (aka minigun)? Are they legal now?

I liked the stupid little ban. It was stupid, it was little, it was barely passed, it was good.

Now I have to bulletproof my car.

Quote: Assault weapons are not the weapons of choice among drug dealers, gang members or criminals in general. Assault weapons are used in about one-fifth of one percent (.20%) of all violent crimes and about one percent in gun crimes. It is estimated that from one to seven percent of all homicides are committed with assault weapons (rifles of any type are involved in three to four percent of all homicides).

So, .20% BEFORE the ban. Does it really make a difference?

Quote: There are close to 4 million assault weapons in the U.S., which amounts to roughly 1.7% of the total gun stock

With all these pre-ban rifles floating around, I don't think you'll see much difference.

they should ban oozies, no point for em.
unless, you go drive by hunting.........with deer i mean, not gangstas.

Quote: Originally Posted by HawkEye_Pierce (v) a grenade launcher;

I can see it now.
"Grab the launcher son, we're goin' huntin'."

I don't think we'll be seeing much difference, to be honest. Gun shows would before (and will now) sell you the a semiautomatic AK-47 with a full stock, semiauto fire and ten-round magazine. It's basically the same thing. Stick the Kalashnikov in your trunk, lock it, then walk back into the gun show. There you can also buy a thirty or sixty-round magazine for it - slap it in and you're set. If you know your way around guns and you're a decent machinist you can make that Kalashnikov full-auto.

Or you could just import them illegally, if you have the cash. Most criminals that use these things aren't your average hoodlum - they're well-organized with a pretty good financial base; military-grade weaponry isn't cheap.

Or you could just be some guy who likes to sit in his backyard and pop rounds off an AR-15. Different strokes for different folks.

This ban was enacted with good intentions - I don't see what use anyone would have for Uzis, etc. Home defense doesn't cut it with me because the best weapons for the interiors of buildings are (a) flamethrowers or (b) shotguns. Automatic shotguns have been readily available for a long time, check your local sporting-goods ads. But honestly I think it made little difference. Criminals that want military-grade weapons are going to get them.

A Street-Sweeper sounds nice...

Automatic weapons are still illegal, no? So, what difference does it make?

Quote: Automatic weapons are still illegal, no? So, what difference does it make?

It's not all that hard to convert a semiauto to a full-automatic; see above.

Quote: Originally Posted by jcarkeys Automatic weapons are still illegal, no? So, what difference does it make?

Automatic weapons are still LEGAL in any of the 35 (I think) states that allow a Class Three Federal Firearms License.

Here in New York, they are not, But go to a state like Texas and you can own a machine gun, mortars, etc.

Quote: Originally Posted by HawkEye_Pierce So, .20% BEFORE the ban. Does it really make a difference? With all these pre-ban rifles floating around, I don't think you'll see much difference.

i agree. furthermore, after doing some additional reading, it sounds as if it doesn't really matter. it appears that the original ban was full of loopholes : http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20040913_848.html

disclaimer: i don't particularly care for guns. however, i do support the 2nd ammendment to our constitution: http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitut...ml#amendmentvi
as for what constitutes a militia: http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/10/311.html

i don't think that the soution to gun related violence lies in the abridgement of our constitutional rights. i think a part of the solution resides with a system of screening that works to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally unstable without infringing upon the rights of law abiding citizens.

Quote: Originally Posted by Spectrum The police and authorities are gonna have a harder time now, with assault rifles available to the public. How long do you think before criminals are gonna get them? Retarded government...

I am not seeing the logic in this one Spectrum. As it is now, the majority of the people that own these are law breakers anyways and would get the gun with or without a ban.

Great!

Jim-Bob: "Deke, hand me my UZI....that there rabbit ain't lookin' at me right!"

Deke: "Here ya go, cuzzin'. I loaded it with Teflon coated "Cop Killer " rounds in case he's armoured."

Jim-Bob: "Thank god them gov'ment folks lifted that ban.....that ol' 22 rifle was just to wimpy."


Second Amendment, my ass.......Looks like I got out of police work just in time.