quote:
you never realized the 1994 AWB banned NOTHING. Notta, zip, zilch. That "precise" definition based on ambiguous cosmetic features wasn't very precise which is why the loons that wrote the law still complain that manufacturers violated the "spirit" of it. The focus should be on making sure such terms are known to be emotional pandering and never see the light of day in any piece of legislation. Your focus implies that the ground already lost is gone for good.

Just a quick trip over to wiki shows:

Title XI-Firearms, Subtitle A-Assault Weapons, formally known as the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act, but commonly known as the Federal Assault Weapons Ban or the Semi-automatic Firearms Ban, barred the manufacture of 19 specific semi-automatic firearms, classified as "assault weapons" (a non-technical term), as well as any semi-automatic rifle, pistol, or shotgun capable of accepting a detachable magazine, and which has two or more cosmetic features, such as a telescoping or folding stock, a pistol grip, a flash suppressor, a grenade launcher, and a bayonet lug.

This law also banned possession of newly manufactured magazines holding more than ten rounds of ammunition.

The ban took effect September 13, 1994, and expired on September 13, 2004, due to a sunset provision. Since the expiration date, it is again legal to own or possess the subject firearms as well as magazines capable of holding more than ten rounds of ammunition. The National Rifle Association and other organizations argued that the ban was unconstitutional and that it violated the Second Amendment.

Any time you have a market demand for an illegal product you will get two things:

1. A black market in banned products
2. Legal products on the market that violate the spirit of the law

You can't stop the signal, Mal.

quote:
Your focus implies that the ground already lost is gone for good.

No, my focus is on the specifics of any bill presented that would serve to infringe on our right to bear arms. What they call it is immaterial to me. What, exactly, they intend to outlaw is the material argument.

But, yes, the 1994 law did ban some very specific things:

In this expired U.S. law, the legal term assault weapon included certain specific semi-automatic firearm models by name, and other semi-automatic firearms because they possessed a minimum set from the following list of features:

Semi-automatic rifles able to accept detachable magazines and two or more of the following: Folding or telescoping stock
Pistol grip
Bayonet mount
Flash suppressor, or threaded barrel designed to accommodate one
Grenade launcher mount
Semi-automatic pistols with detachable magazines and two or more of the following: Magazine that attaches outside the pistol grip
Threaded barrel to attach barrel extender, flash suppressor, handgrip, or suppressor
Barrel shroud safety feature that prevents burns to the operator
Unloaded weight of 50 oz (1.4 kg) or more
A semi-automatic version of a fully automatic firearm.
Semi-automatic shotguns with two or more of the following: Folding or telescoping stock
Pistol grip
Fixed capacity of more than 5 rounds
Detachable magazine.

The ban defined the following semi-automatic firearms, as well as any copies or duplicates of them in any caliber, as assault weapons:

Name of firearm / Preban federal legal status

Norinco, Mitchell, and Poly Technologies Avtomat Kalashnikovs (AKs) (all models) Imports banned in 1989*
Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI and Galil Imports banned in 1989*
Beretta AR-70 (SC-70) Imports banned in 1989*
Colt AR-15 Legal
Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN-LAR, FNC Imports banned in 1989*
SWD (MAC type) M-10, M-11, M11/9, M12 Legal
Steyr AUG Imports banned in 1989*
INTRATEC TEC-9, TEC-DC9, TEC-22 Legal
Revolving cylinder shotguns such as (or similar to) the Street Sweeper and Striker 12 Legal

As ridiculous as that list may look, that is what I'm talking about. Attack the list, don't attack the nomenclature. Attacking the nomenclature is falling into their trap, imo.

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Posted by Clames

Member since Oct 2010

16645 posts

Posted on 3/6/14 at 6:30 pm to WildTchoupitoulas

Let me fix you since it seem Wiki is pretty much the extent of you knowledge on this topic.

quote:
...barred the manufacture of 19 specific semi-automatic firearms, classified as "assault weapons" (a non-technical term), as well as any semi-automatic rifle, pistol, or shotgun capable of accepting a detachable magazine, and which has two or more cosmetic features, such as a telescoping or folding stock, a pistol grip, a flash suppressor, a grenade launcher, and a bayonet lug.

Let's make this part clear for you, none of these weapons were outright banned. In fact it was still legal to manufacture, posses, and sell those exact same weapons during the 1994 AWB either by making use of grandfathered parts or slight changes in the details of assembly. If you wanted to buy an AR-15 with bayonet lug, bird cage, pistol grip, and folding stock (not exactly common back then) then you could legally do so. You just paid a bit more.

quote:
This law also banned possession of newly manufactured magazines holding more than ten rounds of ammunition.

Not really. Millions that were newly made just prior to the law's effective date were legal to buy and possess. Millions more were imported from overseas too. Stamping "Restricted Law Enforcement/Government Use Only" doesn't really mean as much as you think it does.

quote:
Since the expiration date, it is again legal to own or possess the subject firearms as well as magazines capable of holding more than ten rounds of ammunition.

Except it was never illegal to own or possess such firearms during the 1994 AWB.

Sooner or later you'll figure out that the terminology matters and attacking it also attacks those who depend on that same terminology to push their agenda. You still haven't figured out that "assault weapon" isn't limited to rifles, shotguns, and funny looking pistols but also includes the ubiquitous Glock 26 et al.

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