Posted on 10/31/2003 5:58:27 AM PST by Long Cut
The ArmaLite® Post-PostBan Rifle Program
Fact: Unless reauthorized or replaced with a worse program, the Assault Weapon Act of 1994 will expire in September, 2004.
Possible outcomes are:
Reauthorization, i.e. no change in the law.
Replacement with a worse law, even to the possibility that production is halted.
Expiration of the law.
Expiration for only a short time, and then be reauthorization or worse.
The AW Ban is a cosmetic law, and wed all like to own rifles without the blemishes that it established. If the law expires, theres plenty of time to wait for a new rifle with pre-ban characteristics. If any of the other three outcomes occur, a delay could be a real mistake. The purpose of the PPB program is to prepare purchasers for any outcome.
The program offers customers a way to avoid the risk of delay, yet also have the benefits of a change in law. The opportunity is provided by the design of ArmaLites® 2003 rifles.
1. Beginning immediately, ArmaLite® 2003 rifles (with a pinned muzzle brake, or none installed) ship with a certificate that will provide customers a pin-on flash suppressor and installation instructions at no charge. Unless earlier legislation makes it illegal for customers to install the device, flash suppressors will ship in summer 2004 to allow time to get the rifle modified even if theres an opportunity of only a few days.
Until the law changes, the flash suppressor will provide a reminder to every customer that it is essential to get out the vote in 2004.
2. For customers who wish to go an extra step and install a bayonet lug, ArmaLite® will continue to sell pin-on sight bases with bayonet lugs, and will provide installation instructions for gunsmiths. All ArmaLite® clamping front sight bases are easily removable, with no pin-holes in the barrel, so pin-on bases can be easily installed.
3. For customers who wish to be able to convert their rifle to a Pre-Ban configuration immediately upon expiration, ArmaLite® will produce and sell AR-10 collapsing buttstocks (the AR-10 requires a special collapsing buttstock). It is likely that prompt installation of such a buttstock will allow customers to make other changes at a more leisurely pace.
Installation of options 2 and 3 both are already available for law enforcement customers (with proper rifle markings). Civil customers must await a change in the law, and flash suppressors, bayonet lugs, and collapsing stocks will all be accompanied by clear information about the law to prevent a violation.
4. Pre-2003 rifles with pinned front sight bases or threaded-pinned-welded brakes, or customers who wish threaded brakes on 2003 models instead of pinned ones, require gunsmith or factory replacement of those parts. ArmaLite® offers the components for sale, and will perform conversions at normal shop charges.
Mark A. Westrom
President
Well, actually, it was. But I think by now you should have enough good answers to prompt you to start your own armory. Try it. You'll enjoy it. Nothing like the smell of gunpowder in the crisp morning air down at the local range.
Welcome to FR, where men are men and women are glad of it.
Errr, this might be a stupid question but why would anyone want to have such a weapon?
What do you mean by "such a weapon"? It is just a semiautomatic firearm of the kind used to hunt with for nearly 100 years.
Where does this stop?
What are you talking about? Modern military small arms are generally less powerful than their civilian counterparts. Except for the full auto weapons, which aren't very popular among civilian gun owners anyway.
Should we encourage selling outdated Army tanks to the general public?
YOU brought that up, no one else did. No one is seriously proposing to do that, either.
And please . . . don't say it's for hunting.
And how many people do you know who want to buy a tank for hunting?
To avoid any of these in the United States:
No, they are a b!%&# to park. They should be reserved for surf fishermen, makes navigating beaches easier.
Silly question, silly answer.
They'll spend millions (plus whatever Hollywood spends) to avoid being showed for the imbecilic hoplophobes they are.
Well, for pre-ban models anyway, but that's because they were made "special" by the ban. My postban M15A2 (Armalite's designation for their AR-15 model) cost around the same as prebans went for before the ban.
Don't get me wrong, I think you should be able to have an AR with a bayonet lug & a flash hider if that's what you want. I just don't see much utility in it for the average shooter. My point is, I guess, that the AW ban was a bust, it did little to nothing.
The Brady Bunch has figured that out, which is why they are trying to "close the loopholes" left in their silly cosmetic ban. Thankfully, most of American has gotten past their anti-"Matty Mattel Looking" Ugly Gun hysteria, and soon, God willing, this whole thing will be a past issue.
Armalite is also thinking about making a version with a Picatinny rail, and a .308 version.
We educate. They lie, lie, and they lie. And since they're appealing to emotional histeria, they sway voters.
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