Posted on 09/14/2004 2:46:02 AM PDT by Monitor
A 10-year-old ban on assault weapons expired across the United States on Monday with a political firefight but no apparent rush to rearm by gun enthusiasts.
At The Shooters Shop in West Allis near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, salesman Peter Kinkead said that by noon he had received more than 20 phone calls in addition to walk-in inquiries.
"People are using us as a resource, asking what the law covers. Now that the ban expired I think we'll see more security guards who will come in and be able to purchase a proper (ammunition) magazine for their work," Kinkead said.
At Badger Outdoors in West Milwaukee owner Wally Allan said he had not heard a lot of talk among customers.
"I think it hasn't really sunk in but we might hear from people once it does. I still have the same guns I had before; mostly handguns and shotguns for hunting. We don't see a big demand for the kind of guns that were affected by the ban," he said.
With the expiration of the ban, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives sent out a letter to weapons importers clarifying the post-ban rules.
"There is no longer a federal prohibition on the manufacture, transfer and possession of SAWs (semiautomatic assault weapons)," the bureau said.
In Tennessee, at Nashville's Gun City USA, firearms instructor Robert Schlafly said there had been no surge in orders or interest, adding it may be too early to tell what will happen.
In the long run, he predicted the end of the ban will drive down prices since new inventories will appear on the market.
"To me the ban was just a way for (former President Bill) Clinton to get more votes," Schlafly said. "It's all politics. It didn't hurt the firearms industry but people were mad."
KERRY TAKES AIM AT BUSH
The 1994 law, which expired just after midnight Sunday because the U.S. Congress elected not to renew it, banned the sale, manufacture and importing of powerful military-style assault weapons, along with magazines holding more than 10 rounds and certain other features such as devices to suppress the flashpoint.
Weapons made before the ban remained legal to possess and sell during the 10-year period. The ban had heavy backing from law enforcement interests but was bitterly opposed by the gun lobby, including the powerful National Rifle Association, which said it did little to take guns from anyone intent on mayhem.
In Washington, Democratic presidential challenger John Kerry (news - web sites) accused President Bush (news - web sites) of choosing "powerful and well-connected friends" over police officers and families by secretly backing the gun lobby in its opposition to a renewal of the law.
Now, he said, "when a killer walks into a gun shop, when a terrorist goes to a gun show somewhere in America, when they want to purchase an AK-47 or some other military assault weapon, they're going to hear one word: 'sure."'
Bush spokesman Scott McClellan called Kerry's remarks "another false attack" and said the best way to stop gun violence is to vigorously prosecute gun crime.
At ArmaLite Inc., a gun manufacturer in Geneseo, Illinois, the head of the company said the ban's expiry meant "thousands of dollars of (his) inventory was rendered outmoded."
"The market will generally prefer the models with all the bells and whistles," said Mark Westrom, president of the firm. He said uncertainty about whether the ban would remain in place had forced him to continue making compliant weapons until now.
"We've just started seeing something of an increase in orders (for now legal models) but it is not stunning and we would not expect it to be," he said. "People are not going out and lining up."
I have duct taped all of my doors to keep out the expected flood of UZIs and AK-47s.
The link below (BBC online) is probably the most disgusting misrepresentation of the AWB sunset I have seen thus far..
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3644044.stm
According to this article, fully automatic assault weapons are now legal in America.. ( I wish )
Remove your duct tape.
Uzis, AK-47s, and all full automatic weapons (REAL assault rifles) remain banned. Here is another example of the left successfully framing the terms of the debate, similar to 'pro choice' instead of 'pro abortion'.
This category of rifle, in fact should be called 'assault rifle looking' or even 'ugly gun'. There is no military in the world that uses these semi-automatic versions of full auto weapons in an assault role.
There is one but its very rare... but thats ok, and its in the semi auto version, becuase full auto well your shooting into sky after few rounds...
anywho
Actually, even the semi-auto guns are still banned. They are just banned from import, and not from US manufacture or possession. The idea that the media portrays, that you can go out and buy even a semi-auto Russian or Norinco military style weapon for less than $100 (as you can most anywhere else in the world)is nonsense, thanks to the BATFE "no-sporting" test.
Full auto are not banned. Just have to find a transfer out there. Better have lots of money. ;)
Well I REALLLLLLY hate to disappoint anyone, but I went and picked up my EVIL "Assault" rifle (with ALL of the EVIL features) at lunch today (mad rush to the gun store). What is worse is that it is a model that was previously resticted for Law Enforcement use. The actual civilian models will likely be more expensive and won't be available for a couple of weeks.
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