The assault weapons ban has expired, that means we can buy real MP5s, M-4s, and AK-47s instead of converting paintball guns to look like them. 

The ban covered many things, including the full auto-ness of guns and the magazine sizes, but someone please explain the full details.

This day reminds me of a line to the Pink Floyd's song:

"with glasses high we raised a cry for freedom had arrived"

i am happy

Correct me if I am wrong, but I do not believe the AWB of 1994 had anything to do with full auto weapons.  Those remain subject to a Class III firearm license.  The AWB only prohibited large-capacity magazines and certain cosmetic features on SEMI-automatic weapons.

It was a stupid law and needed to expire, but don't count on buying full-auto AKs at K-Mart anytime soon.

Idaho doesn't need to require a background check - that's Federal law (see "Brady Bill").

And Glassjaw, the permit you are thinking of is a Class III firearms license.  That's the same thing you need to own a silencer.

Pain in the butt.

This apparently stands repeating:

The AWB has nothing to do with fully automatic weapons

Dune wrote: I just do not understand the need for fully automatic weapons. I understand collecting things, but they are useless tools in the hands of civilians.

bank robbers are civillians...its like that one movie, national security.....that sweet gun martin l. has  that thing was a beast and im sure "civilians" are like paintballers..they wanna shoot out the most bullets/paint/whatever

I own a big butcher knife.   

ScarFace22 wrote: O great now we can have more morons buy fully auto guns and have shoot outs like the north Hollywood shoot out in the 1990s. I hope that another ban is put into effect right away so people can't go out shooting things up.

The AWB had nothing to do with fully auto guns!

Good lord.  How hard is that?

Cripes, the people on this board.  A Ryder truck full of explosives?  Yeah, your house is in that kind of danger.  Moron.

Sorry, I have nothing against our right to bear arms...but that was meant for us to be able to protect our homes and our families.  An assault weapon is overkill and you all know it.  All it's doing is making it that much easier for criminals to get their hands and more dangerous weapons.

Krustee wrote: Cripes, the people on this board.  A Ryder truck full of explosives?  Yeah, your house is in that kind of danger.  Moron.

Look up "sarcasm" next time you are near a dictionary...

Sorry, I have nothing against our right to bear arms...but that was meant for us to be able to protect our homes and our families.  An assault weapon is overkill and you all know it.  All it's doing is making it that much easier for criminals to get their hands and more dangerous weapons.

Because pistol grips and bayonet lugs are so dangerous?  Maybe if the AWB actually prohibited powerful weapons it would make some sense, but the AWB was the functional equivalent to prohibiting red paint on cars.

It was a stupid law, regardless of how you feel about guns.  The only people who support the AWB either don't understand what the AWB actually did, or are just irrationally rabid.

More clarification:

merc wrote: guns that were fed legal through the ban were SEMIAUTOMATIC ar15s, SEMIAUTOMATIC ak47s, SEMIAUTOMATIC G3 battle rifles, SEMIAUTOMATIC barrett m82, just about any SEMIAUTOMATIC sub machine gun that has a fixed stock and a longer barrel... that means i at 18 could go out and buy a truck full of SEMIAUTOMATIC ak47s and SEMIAUTOMATIC m16s if i had the $ and even a few SEMIAUTOMATIC 50 cal sniper rifles...

Fully automatic weapons have been generally prohibited (without a Class III license) since 1930-something.  The AWB only addressed SEMIAUTOMATIC weapons.

EDIT - merc, of course, knew this.  Others apparently did not.

This topic always gets under my skin.

One thing to take note of is that the FEDERAL ASSAULT WEAPON BAN was lifted. Many states like New Jersey have stricter weapons laws that are not affected by the federal laws sun setting. I still cannot have any magazines that carry more than 10 rounds for any of my weapons. And I still cannot buy the AR-15 that I would like for picking off ground hogs at the farm.

As far as the North Hollywood shootout comments go, I do believe that those weapons were acquired illegally as most weapons used by criminals are. The Person who purchases a weapon legally usually wants it for home defense or sportsman like events and activities not world domination.

And for those who have the overwhelming desire to ban things that kill you can kill a person with a pen almost as easily as you can with a gun. The 9-11-01 planes were taken over by men armed with box cutters, they then flew those planes into the towers as weapons, Do you want to ban box cutters next, how about airplanes. Remember it takes a person to point the weapon and pull the trigger to make a weapon fire.

The stupid thing was that the AWB didn't take any guns off the streets, and it in no way affected the sale of military style semi auto rifles.

Take two rifles, a post ban AR 15 and a pre ban AR 15. The only difference between the two is the post ban model is missing the flash suppressor and bayonet lug. Otherwise they shoot the same bullet in the exact same way.

A gun is a gun is a gun. An AR 15 shoots bullets, just like a Marlin .22.To say that "Assault Rifles" are more dangerous to police than much more powerful hunting rifles is ignorant.

A Barret M82 sniper rifle could be called dangerous, but not many gang bangers like to carry a five foot long rifle that weighs 30 lbs and cost over $7000.

Ok, I'll admit that I was just rattling off earlier...I get that way...sometimes my mouth goes liberal without discussing with the brain first.

Anyway, I can see where a lot of people are coming from...the ban itself was a bit lame.  More for psychological comfort than anything else (i.e. ban the 'scary looking' stuff and some people feel safer).  I agree that 98% of violent crime involving firearms are from handguns, not assault weapons.

Where I really start to get annoyed is when people start rambling about "I'm using it for hunting".  What a load of bull.  You and I know that a person is not using an AR-15 or an AK-47 for hunting...for that, a person is going to use a typical 6.5-7mm bolt action.  Home protection?  Yeah, right.  For the typical person that wants home protection, a person is going to own a handgun.  Something that's easy to keep put away, yet easy to access in an emergency.  A person that wants one of the guns that was formerly banned wants it 1) for a collection piece, or 2) to take out to the woods (hopefully somewhere legal!) and start blowin' some stuff away.  And if that's what you want, well I guess that's fine.  But what purpose does it serve otherwise?  None.  Don't try to tell me that you're using a firearm like that for hunting or home security because we all know that's not true.  Stand up and say what you REALLY want it for...you want it just to have it.  It doesn't really serve any purpose other than a little personal enjoyment.

I agree - most people who own AKs own them for the heck of it.

But so what?  Does that in any way mean that we shouldn't be allowed to own them?

Clark Kent wrote: ... But so what?  Does that in any way mean that we shouldn't be allowed to own them?

Nope, doesn't mean that at all.  If a person wants one just to have it, fine...I just want that person to admit it.  Again, my main peeve is with someone trying to defend ownership of a firearm with reasons that we know aren't true.

Clark Kent wrote: More clarification: [QUOTE=merc]guns that were fed legal through the ban were SEMIAUTOMATIC ar15s, SEMIAUTOMATIC ak47s, SEMIAUTOMATIC G3 battle rifles, SEMIAUTOMATIC barrett m82, just about any SEMIAUTOMATIC sub machine gun that has a fixed stock and a longer barrel...

when did they start making semi-auto machine guns?

They never did - people just use the words wrong.  During the initial AWB discussions, the newspapers were full of tales of getting "machine guns" off the street.

People are clueless.

Clark Kent wrote: They never did - people just use the words wrong.  During the initial AWB discussions, the newspapers were full of tales of getting "machine guns" off the street. People are clueless.

i dont think u got my point...

there isno such thing as a semi-automatic machine gun, a machine gun is an adjective, and so is semi-automatic, they are completey opposite kind of, so they both can describe the same word together.

so how can a gun firing when the trigger is held down, not fire when it is held down, it just cant happen. Its like saying that i am going in reverse and forward when i puch the gas, or that when i play music, i hear noises but at the same time i hear nothing.

merc wrote: WGP guy wrote: Clark Kent wrote: More clarification: [QUOTE=merc]guns that were fed legal through the ban were SEMIAUTOMATIC ar15s, SEMIAUTOMATIC ak47s, SEMIAUTOMATIC G3 battle rifles, SEMIAUTOMATIC barrett m82, just about any SEMIAUTOMATIC sub machine gun that has a fixed stock and a longer barrel... when did they start making semi-auto machine guns? when i typed it i ment sub- machine gun style...not full auto

isnt sub machine gun a "miniature" machine gun.

oh! wait you mean the selevtive fire part of it, like when its on semi mode?

oops sorry 

]

TheHoff wrote: YOU  PEOPLE Clark Kent wrote: <random  non-directional  rant  deleted>

Clark Kent wrote: This apparently stands repeating: The AWB has nothing to do with fully automatic weapons

say it agian that pretty much only had to do with the flash hiders hi-cap mags and car stocks you could still buy assalt guns as with them things on them as long as the recever was made before 1994 after that you couldnt have the stuff above and as for autos they are still class 3 guns all laws that had to do with them are still in efect....man that sucks

Dont get yer hopes to high that the ban has expired, we all still have to worry bout this bone head of a Democrat http://www.nrapvf.org/kerry/Read.aspx?ID=4086 - http://www.nrapvf.org/kerry/Read.aspx?ID=4086  and thats if he becomes the next President.