Thursday, December 27, 2012

The AWB of 2013

Dianne Feinstein holding an AR15 rifle
Dianne Feinstein recently released high level details of her new proposed "assault weapons ban" (AWB) on her website.  As expected, she has rewarmed the original 1994 law for which she was partially responsible but also made some critical changes.

Here are a few of the details.
  • Ban the sale, transfer, importation, or manufacturing of:  
  • 120 specifically named firearms- Certain other semi-automatic rifle, handguns, shotguns that can accept detachable magazines and have one military characteristic 
  • Semi-automatic rifles and handguns with a fixed magazine that can accept more than 10 rounds
This is considerably more restrictive than the original ban of 1994.  She is banning the the sale of both semi-automatic handguns and rifles that accept detachable magazines and have one "military characteristic".  She hasn't defined the list of "military characteristics" yet, however it has changed from the list used in 1994.  The list will likely include a pistol grip, detachable magazine or calibers such as 9mm, 45 ACP, .223/5.56, 7.62x39, etc.  If that is the case pistols like the Glock, S&W M&P, Beretta M9, etc. would be banned as well as most modern semi-automatic rifles.

She's also gone the extra step of identifying firearms yet to be designed that might skirt the intent of the law.  She added firearms that have fixed magazines (aka non-removeable) that hold over 10 rounds to the bill.  For example, Glock could make a pistol with a non-removeable magazine that could be loaded through the top with stripper clips and held 19 rounds.  This would have been legal under the 1994 law, but not under the proposed 2013 law.

This law could in fact ban most modern handguns and rifles.

The law also makes the sale or transfer of banned firearms illegal.  You will never be able to sell or trade your banned firearms.  It has not specified yet, however we can assume that if you're unable to transfer your banned firearms they will likely be destroyed once you die.

But it gets worse:
  • Moving from a 2 military characteristic test (1994 law) to a 1 military characteristic test 
  • Eliminating "easy to remove" bayonet mounts and flash suppressors from the military characteristics list 
  • Bans firearms with thumbhole stocks and bullet buttons
By moving to a 1 characteristic test they can ban all rifles with a pistol grip.  There is no more need for using bayonet lugs or flash suppressors as characteristics since all it takes is one - the pistol grip or detachable magazine to ban a firearm.

She also specifically bans thumbhole stocks and bullet buttons as potential work-a-rounds to the law.  Under the 1994 law manufacturers could still make rifles that had many of the same features as a banned firearm by using a thumbhole stock.  This new law is designed to prevent any work-a-rounds.  AR15's, AK's, Mini-14's, M1A's, even the Remington 750 Woodmaster deer rifle and the Browning BAR deer rifle could be banned under this law because they have a detachable magazine.  Yes, they may be coming after your semi-automatic deer rifles this time.  The website claims "900 specifically named firearms" would be excluded from the law, but we've not see that list.  Heck, the Ruger 10/22 may be included in the ban for all we know.

But wait, we're not done yet.
  • Grandfathering of legally owned firearms possessed on the day of enactment
That sounds good, right?  We're still not done yet.
  • Requires that grandfathered firearms be registered under the National Firearms Act (NFA) 
  • Background check through the FBI is required  
  • Type and serial number of the firearm will be kept by the government 
  • Positive identification of owners including pictures and finger prints will be required 
  • Certification by your local law enforcement (signature) stating you may own the firearms in their jurisdiction 
  • Dedicate funding to the ATF to implement registration
The new law would allow us to keep our banned firearms but we would have to register them under the NFA (National Firearms Act).  There are a few problems with this.

First - she's calling it what it is - REGISTRATION.  Registration is the first step to confiscation and may be argued is unconstitutional.  That will have to be decided by the courts should the law pass.

The NFA has 9 examiners and I believe they've been approved for a total of 12.  Right now there is a 8 month wait to get a firearm registered under the NFA and that's with only a few thousand registrations a month being processed. Under this law literally MILLIONS of registrations would hit within weeks.

Who's paying for this?  Are we going to borrow more money from China to register our guns or will Obama simply print more money to cover the expenses?  New databases will have to be built, the FBI will be SLAMMED with background checks and processing of finger prints, local LEO's will be inundated with requests for approvals/signatures.  Do they plan to pay the states to hire full time staff to process these millions of requests?

Some states do not allow citizens to own NFA firearms.  Will citizens of such states have to turn in their firearms?

If you want to take your NFA registered AR15 to a rifle class out of state, or if you want to take it on a hunting trip out of state, you won't be able to simply throw it in the trunk and go.  NFA firearms can not be legally moved across state lines without the owner filing a 5320.20 form with the ATF.  It can take 4 months or more to get approval to transport your NFA firearm across state lines.  Given there will be considerably more requests for 5320.20's, you can expect that 4 months to turn into 8 months or more.  The ATF might actually be required to start charging for processing to keep up with the incredible costs of doing all this paperwork.

In short, if this law passes most modern handguns and rifles will likely be banned.  You will have to register your Glock and M&P with the NFA if you want to keep it.  If you want to travel out of state with your handgun or rifle you will have to file a request with the ATF and wait months for approval or risk being in violation of the NFA and being arrested.  Such an arrest would cause you to lose your gun rights forever.  If you have a collection of firearms as an investment, your investment will be lost as you will not be able to transfer or sell any banned firearm.

Please, act now to protect your rights.  If you sit silent and allow this bill to pass, you will forever lose your rights to this new law.  Please follow this link which will take you to the Congressional website where you can send a letter to your representatives and the President quickly and easily.

Congress.org - Write your Representatives




29 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. I am a 57 year old grandmother of 8. I REFUSE TO REGISTER ANY GUN, INCLUDING MY GREAT GRANDFATHER'S REVOLVER!

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  2. A lot of people think this bill has no chance, but regardless, we must treat it as if it could by responding loud and clear. Write your congressman and join the NRA!

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  3. If they want my guns, They'll get my bullets first.

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  4. Letters sent to everyone representing me. Wasted breath since they're all hardcore liberals, but at least I did what I could.

    Also spreading the word to others to pressure their politicians.

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  5. Don't think this bill won's pass. Dont depend on the house or courts to block this. There is enough anger and support and gun-control momentum to pass this bill in Jan. This isn't a assault weapon ban. This is a MODERN WEAPON BAN. Dont' just read it and vent on facebook. Please take that 5 min to write to your congressmen. Support the NRA/SAF/GOA by writing a check. Those guys need our help to kill this right NOW. If you are too lazy to type I'm going to leave the letter I wrote. Just copy and paste. Share this website with as many people as you can.

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    1. [ Good Morning,

      I am writing to request reasonable gun control measure to prevent tragedies like the Newton massacre. However I do not support another assault weapon ban especially the one proposed by Sen.Dianne Feinstein. I am requesting that you dont support/vote for Sen.Feinstein's bill that would essentially ban all modern firearms including handguns. Please read the details and ask for clarification on confusing parts of the bill.

      This is a great opportunity to review our gun policy but don't do it with this "knee-jerk" legislation.

      Please do not support Sen.Feinstein's proposed bill.
      Thank You ]

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    2. Thank you, sharing this with everybody I can get to listen!

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  6. Its time for us to band together and end this. This is the straw for me. I'm done. I will not comply. I will not register anything. I will not turn in anything. I will not do it. I will fight.

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  7. Here is an e-mail I sent to Sen. Feinstein via her webpage:

    Dear Senator Feinstein:

    I am a lawyer and a gun owner. If you truly believe that it is time to ban or register under the National Firearms Act of 1934 essentially all "modern" firearms then do it honestly and properly; by proposing a Constitutional Amendment to repeal or re-write the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. If you feel that our 18th century rights are obsolete in the 21st century then say so plainly. But before you do please re-read the Federalist Papers and George Washington's second congressional address. Please note the genocides that occurred in other countries after they banned private ownership of modern firearms (Turkey in 1915, Germany in 1939, Cambodia, Russia, China and Uganda). Is a theoretical, speculative and statistically insignificant decrease in gun violence worth the sacrifice of the one constitutional right that guarantees the people the means of preserving all the other constitutional rights in the Bill of Rights?

    Climbing on the backs of dead children in front of the nearest TV camera (as you did on "Meet the Press" on the Sunday after the Newtown tragedy) to promote your narrow political agenda is wrong and misguided. You are a United States Senator who should act deliberately and carefully to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

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  8. All of our founding fathers are turning in their graves.

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    Replies
    1. I was just saying this to my dad this morning. Lol.

      But seriously. This is totally retarded.

      If people took a single second to think about what they're proposing, they'd see it's absolute complete bull****!

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  9. I would register my weapons but due to an unfortunate accident all my guns are at the bottom of Lake Erie. To bad....

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  10. I wonder if she'll register her concealed carry weapon.

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  11. History has a tendency to repeat itself, sorry to say what repeated consequence this will mean on USA soil this time. It is all about egotistical bass turds wanting all to bow to them. The horror seen in African nations will be seen here if the USA citizen is disarmed.

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  12. I think ANY ban on ANYTHING having to do with guns or the 2nd Amendment is UN-Constitutional and illegal, so say "We The People" and I think we should make our displeasure with this act very loud and very long. I will be 64 come January 12, 2013 and I am sick to death of liberals, communists, socialists, all of which make up the current administration, telling me how to live my life and what I can or can not do. I will NOT register my guns. We said NO in 1776 and I say we stand up, stand together, and say NO again, in what ever way we need to do so!

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    Replies
    1. I think a revolution every 200-250 years is a good thing

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  13. Some of you over the great ocean might be getting a bit confused. I'm a Polish ex-military firearms instructor, and I tell you this is a SPECIAL time in YOUR history! As far as I can tell, the US is among the few last countries where possession of firearms is a RIGHT, not a PRIVILEGE! Here, we still tackle this post-com era mentality of government and police supervision over the populous and strict limitation on firearm possession. It is absolutely beyond me, how can some of you still stand idle when in broad daylight you are being stripped bare of your fundamental rights.

    What takes you the mere effort of going to a gun shop took me $3500! in licenses and permits over the course of 16 months with numerous instances of intimidation from the police etc. (the typical wage here in Poland is $500 a month so I think you get the picture). That's only to be able to go to that gun shop and actually be able to buy something :)

    Another example, I lived in the UK for 2 years (2006-2008) and personally experienced what strict gun bans and gun paranoia are like. Stats are stats and when the UK government introduced the weapons ban of 1998 following the Dunblane massacre, gun crime in the UK has DOUBLED! by 2001 :) The paranoia installed in the population is so dense that when I went out to my back yard (surrounded by a 10' wall) to shoot an AIRSOFT gun, the mere sound of the shots got my house raided by armed police the next morning. I was accused of "Causing public concern" and was given an option to either give up all my airsoft guns (officially called REALISTIC REPLICA FIREARMS by the UK gov) or get deported back to Poland. Can you imagine, all this hassle for a toy gun ;)

    As I said, this is a SPECIAL time for you lot in the US, so wake up and get active!

    Stand fast!
    B Norman

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  14. Fight them!!! I am from Greece and most of Greek and other European gun owners consider USA's 2nd amendment as our last light of freedom in an ALREADY ENSLAVED EU. Watch out fellow Americans your government is becoming more and more "european-style" which means you are facing SEVERE LOSS OF FREEDOM. What I am reading here is legislation that replicates at least by 70% my local laws for firearms ownership which TOTALLY SUCK! DO NOT GIVE UP YOUR RIGHTS IT'S HARD TO GAIN THEM BACK.

    From enslaved Athens,
    Captain Andreas

    PS: Tim excellent job on your channel keep it up!

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  15. One more addition to my comment. Members of the Greek Gun Owners Union (www.pefop.org) started a rally to convince Greeks to join NRA to assist American gun owners in every way possible, and I am proud to say most of us are NRA members!

    Keep it up and ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ!

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  16. If you dont think this will think twice.We thought in 94 it would not happen it did act now before its too late.

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  17. what else can we do at this point?

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  18. I am a father of a 2 and 6 yr old as well as a multi gun owner. It killed me when these innocent childern were murdered as well as when the various shooting have taken place over the last years. What also kills me is when people/leaders try to fix problems that will only create more problem (throwing gas on the fire). If our leaders would start concentrating on holding the guilty responsible for their actions(not just shootings, all crimes) then people would think twice before doing something with a firmarm like the shooting that we have seen lately. If we would concentrate on raising up children the way that we should (ref. read your bible) then these children would not grow up scarred and performing these terrible acts. Just some food for thought!

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  19. May I suggest the brain dead leaders simply make gun owners secure there firearms in a safe or lock box to prevent unlawful use. I have not heard any such resolution from the brain dead law makers. as most crimes with a firearm are committed with a stolen fire arm. law abiding citizens are not at fault and should not be subject to Dianne Feinstein and the gaggle of idiots gun ban.

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    Replies
    1. That's already the law in some states. It has no effect, except to create another delay to ownership that affects poor people the most.

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