Banned
The funny thing is...It's the same gun.
First step: Join the NRA. The last time I counted, there are about 30 states that allow CCWs. Furthermore, why are you asking these questions?
If you want answers on concealed carry laws for handguns, the best place by far is:
http://www.packing.org
(Yes, it's legal some in some states. In other states it's legal with a permit.)
Pretty much any semi-automatic rifle that looks "scary" is considered an assault rifle. Concealed carry is legal in a number of states (including CT). I have a worked-over Kel-Tec P11 9mm that I carry concealed daily.
To me, All demonrat speeches are "assault weapons", and weapons of "mass distortion".
Banned
The funny thing is...It's the same gun.
From the tone of your questions, it sounds like you're not really a "gun person." Do I have that right? That's okay. If you want to become better informed about this topic that's wondeful. I wish more people would get better informed -- it's mostly the ignorant people who want to curtail our bedrock American freedoms.
Joining the NRA is a great first step -- the dues are cheap and the benefits are good. They can hook you up with some hands-on training, if you want it.
The 1994 AWB made it illegal to manufacture firearms that fit the definition of "assault weapon" under the 1994 ban.
It did not make the ownership or sale of said weapons illegal, but it did add the mandate of having to fill out a BATF trace form when making a private sale (a requirement usually reserved only for the sale of waepons by lisenced gun dealers). Since, however, the law did not specify where a private seller was to obtain said forms or where it was to be filed, the part of the regs has probably been universally ignored.
What weapons count as assault weapons?
The definition of an assult weapon for purposes of the law was:
Sorry if there are any inaccuracies in this - I wrote it from memory.
The specific short term impact of the law was three fold:
Well, French guy living in Miami, all I can say is that if you want to learn how to shoot a gun, in a perfectly safe place, Freepmail me.
I would be happy to answer all of your questions, and if you like, I can show you how to shoot a gun. It is loud, but you wear ear muffs, so it is not loud.
I can teach you in an hour or so, to be safe, and to hit what you are shooting at. I am not an instructor; just a normal American guy.
My offer is valid. I live not far from you.
You've gotten some good replies on the weapon specifics already.
You should know that the ban was not popular at all when it initially passed. The only way it made it through the House of Reps was the Sunset provision, ending it after 10 years. The idea being that it would provide an opportunity to see if it did any good.
The Democrats have already paid a heavy price once for pushing the AWB. It's passage is credited with ending the careers of many of the Dems who voted for it in the '94 house races, the Republicans took control of congress then, for the first time in 40 years.
You'll notice that the only Dems really squeeling for it are in 'very' safe Dem states or districts.
1. "Assault weapons" are not machine guns. The ban was mostly about semi-automatic rifles that had certain "evil" or "military-looking" features such as a pistol grip, a detachable magazine that can hold more than 10 rounds, and a bayonet lug. In practice what this meant for the AR-15 (a semi-automatic only version of the M-16) is that AR-15 rifles made after the ban could not have a bayonet lug (attachment for a bayonet). Manufacturers were able to follow the letter of the law and still make the AR-15 with a pistol grip style stock and an owner of a new AR-15 could legally (according to the Federal law) still attach a "high capacity" (more than 10 rounds magazine) if the magazine was made before the ban. Some manufacturers follow the letter of the law and make semi-auto rifles that look like the AK-47. The gun control crowd does not like this, so they want to "strengthen" the ban and ban all semi-automatic rifles and handguns. They want to frighten people into thinking there are millions of machine guns "on the streets," when the real goal is to ban all semi-auto firearms. There is nothing wrong with the common people having full-auto rifles, as you noticed in Switzerland, but that is another topic!
2. I think you have noticed that the gun control crowd especially wants to ban firearms that have usefulness for a militia and for personal self-defense.
3. Once politicians ban one class of weapons, they immediately try to ban the next class of weapons, and so on. If they ban semi-auto guns, next they will ban bolt-action (manually operated) rifles and revolvers. Kerry wants to ban just about any firearm anyone owns, but he poses for pictures holding a $10,000 shotgun and says he is one of the regular people.
4. Many states allow for concealed carry, while some ban it for everyone except for politicians, movie stars, etc. See www.packing.org for details about the laws for each state.
5. Republican politicians are usually more friendly toward concealed carry and other firearm issues, while most prominent Democrat politicians favor more restrictions to an outright ban on everything. The general direction is strongly for the Democrat party leadership to seek to ban all firearms, although some Democrat politicians are more moderate about this (especially in the South). A Democrat who sincerely supports the Second Amendment would never be allowed to have any position of leadership in the Democratic Party. The Republican Party has a more mixed record. The official line is to keep the current bans but not to enact any more gun control, while some Republican politicians really do support the Second Amendment and want to get rid of the current bans while other Republican politicians (especially in the Northeast) would be happy to ban everything and would never allow concealed carry.
6. I encourage you to take a gun safety course if you decide to own a gun. Buying a gun is a personal thing -- what might work for you might not be a good choice for another person. Some guns will fit well in your hands and you will be able to aim them well, while other guns will feel awkward in your hands. You should try out a type of gun before you buy one. There are some ranges that will rent you a handgun so you might be able to try different makes of gun. If you have friends who own guns I am sure they would be happy to let you try their guns, especially after you have taken a gun safety course. Probably the best thing to do after you take the gun safety course is to get a .22 caliber revolver and practice, practice, practice. When you are comfortable with that, then it would be the time to try out larger-caliber guns for self-defense. Once you have developed good habits and skills with a .22 caliber revolver, you will be ready to try a more demanding gun, and you will do better than the person who bought the "biggest, baddest" gun as his first gun. Always use common sense and you will be safe!
Gun grabbers are increasingly trying to separate the right to keep and bear arms from its constitutional underpinnings. To everyone but liberals and gun grabbers the word militia implies a body organized for military use. The Supreme Court Miller decision of 1939 held that the militia was 'A body of citizens enrolled for military discipline.' And further that ordinarily when called for service these men were expected to appear bearing arms supplied by themselves and of the kind in common use at the time."
To begin with, only the national government was represented at the trial. With nobody arguing to the contrary, the court followed standard court procedure and assumed that the law was constitutional until proven otherwise. If both sides were present, the outcome may have been much different.
However, since only one party showed up, the case will stand in the court records as is. As to the militia, Mr. Justice McReynolds related the beliefs of the Founding Fathers when commenting historically about the Second Amendment. He stated that, ". . .The common view was that adequate defense of country and laws could be secured through the militia- civilians primarily, soldiers on occasion.
"The significance attributed to the term Militia appears from the debates in the Convention, the history and legislation of Colonies and States, and the writings of approved commentators. These show plainly enough that the Militia comprised all males physically capable of acting in concert for the common defense.
It is clear that the firearms that are most suited for modern-day militia use are those semi automatic military pattern weapons that the yellow press calls "assault weapons". Since nations such as the Swiss trust their citizenry with true selective fire assault rifles, it seems to me that this country ought to be at least able to trust its law-abiding citizenry with the semi automatic version.
Self-defense is a vital corollary benefit of the constitutional right to keep and bear arms. But its primary constitutional reason for being is for service in the well-regulated militia which is necessary to the security of a free state. WE must be prepared to maintain that security against even our own forces that are responding to the orders of a tyrannical government, and the only viable way to counter a standing army's qualitative advantage is with a huge quantitative one. Don't let the gun grabbers and their politician allies separate us from the constitutional reason for the right to keep and bear arms. Miltary pattern weapons are precisly the weapons that should be MOST constitutionally protected. Even defenders of the right often neglect the constitutional aspect of it, and concentrate on their near non-existent use in crime.
These "assault weapons" bans go directly to limiting the military utility of the ordinary type of small arm issued to individuals engaged in modern day military (or Militia) activity.
And should you enc ounter the straw man argument concerning heavy machine guns, howitzers, mortars, tanks, nuclear weapons, napalm, flamethrowers, et al, these are crew served weapons that are not issued to individuals. Every individual soldier, to include medical personnel, have individual small arms available for their use and protection, that weapon today typically being a selective fire assault rifle and /or a semi auto pistol.