[Atlas Sneezed]

I don't think we can blame Reagan for that, which is all I'm trying to say.

---

In moral terms, you are probably right, in that he did not intend a citizenry disarmed of militia arms. But in political terms, the buck stops with the guy whose signature is at the bottom of the bill. (If I were President, I'd ask before signing any bills: "anything new in here since we last analyzed this?")

[spunkets]

"I have been told that Bushmaster Firearms Company is prohibited from using their composite receivers with even a steel lined composite barrel since under the current law, a composite barrel with a steel liner may be still considered to be "plastic.” "

Is Bushmaster into make pistols? This doesn't apply to rifles.

Here's the '88 law synopsis. It was incorporated into 18USCchap44 sec922

***************************************** H.R.4445 Public Law: 100-649 (11/10/88) SPONSOR: Rep Hughes (introduced 04/21/88) SUMMARY AS OF: (REVISED AS OF 10/21/88 -- Senate agreed to House amendment with an amendment) Jump to Search Words/Phrases Undetectable Firearms Act-> of <-1988-> - Amends the Federal criminal code to make it unlawful to manufacture, import, sell, ship, deliver, possess, transfer, or receive any firearm: (1) which is not as detectable as the Security Exemplar (after the removal of grips, stocks, and magazines) by walk-through metal detectors calibrated and operated to detect the Exemplar; or (2) of which any major component, when subjected to inspection by x-ray machines commonly used at airports, does not generate an image that accurately depicts the shape of the component. Defines the term "Security Exemplar" to mean an object that is suitable for testing and calibrating metal detectors and is, during the 12-month period beginning on the date of enactment of this <-Act->, constructed of 3.7 ounces of stainless steel in a shape resembling a handgun. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, at the close of such 12-month period and at appropriate times thereafter, to promulgate regulations to permit the manufacture, importation, sale, shipment, delivery, possession, transfer, or receipt of <-firearms-> that are as detectable as a security exemplar which contains 3.7 ounces of stainless steel or such lesser amount as is detectable in view of advances in state-of-the-art developments in weapons detection technology. States that no provision of this <-Act-> shall not apply to: (1) the manufacture, possession, transfer, receipt, shipment, or delivery of a firearm by a licensed manufacturer for the purpose of examining and testing such firearm to determine whether it would be prohibited by this <-Act->; and (2) any firearm which has been certified by the Secretary of Defense or the Director of Central Intelligence as necessary for military or intelligence applications and is manufactured for and sold exclusively to military or intelligence agencies of the United States. Permits the conditional importation of <-firearms-> for the purpose of examination and testing to determine whether the importation of such <-firearms-> will be allowed under this <-Act->. Provides an exemption from such prohibition for any firearm possessed in the United States before the enactment of this <-Act->. Provides criminal penalties for violations of this <-Act->. Prohibits the Secretary from authorizing the importation of <-undetectable firearms->. Directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct research to improve the effectiveness of airport security metal detectors and airport security x-ray systems. Directs the Attorney General, the Secretary, and the Secretary of Transportation to conduct studies to identify available equipment capable of detecting the Security Exemplar while distinguishing innocuous metal objects. Repeals such prohibition ten years after the effective date of this <-Act<-.

***********************************************

You can go here for the law. Just type in 18 for title, 44 for chap and 922 for sec. A more readable, but maybe less acurate copy is at...

This refers to handguns, all that nonsense about it refering to rifles is rubbish.

Here's the reauth...

H. R. 3348
AN ACT
To reauthorize the ban on undetectable firearms.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. REAUTHORIZATION OF THE BAN ON UNDETECTABLE FIREARMS.
Section 2(f)(2) of the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 (18 U.S.C. 922 note) is amended--
(1) by striking `15' and inserting `25';
(2) in subparagraph (B)--
(A) by striking `and (h)' and inserting `through (o)'; and
(B) by striking `and (g)' and inserting `through (n)'; and
(3) by striking subparagraphs (D) and (E) and inserting the following:
`(D) section 924(a)(1) of such title is amended by striking `this subsection, subsection (b), (c), or (f) of this section, or in section 929' and inserting `this chapter'; and
`(E) section 925(a) of such title is amended--
`(i) in paragraph (1), by striking `and provisions relating to firearms subject to the prohibitions of section 922(p)'; and
`(ii) in paragraph (2), by striking `, except for provisions relating to firearms subject to the prohibitions of section 922(p),'; and
`(iii) in each of paragraphs (3) and (4), by striking `except for provisions relating to firearms subject to the prohibitions of section 922(p),'.'.
Passed the House of Representatives November 5, 2003.
Attest:
Clerk.