What Will Gun Controllers Do When Americans Ignore an ‘Assault Weapons’ Ban?

reason.com ^ | June 21, 2016 | J.D. Tuccille

[Malone LaVeigh]

But in the wake of Omar Mateen's bloody rampage in Orlando, gun control advocates think that overcoming the passionate opposition of firearms owners and imposing a ban on a difficult to define class of "assault weapons" is a swell idea whose time has come. This prohibition will somehow be different.

[realcleanguy]

Reloading will eliminate some of this, but the supplies will become scarce so an underground market will arise. And countries like China and Eastern Europe will be all over this. But I think that an underground manufacturing system will become established fast. Personally I’m not someone really into guns, although I am a Vet, but just like drugs, alcohol and other products that the government bans, the smuggling will begin. When the first assault weapons ban happened Eastern Europe flooded the black market with assault weapons into the US. It will happen again

[Salgak]

I have spam cans of Mosin Ammo dated 1945. They ALSO shoot fine. . .

[CitizenBob]

Just as citizen driving speed does NOT change when the posted limit is changed - neither will their actions change when bad laws are passed which subvert the US Constitution.

Bad laws (i.e. prohibition) do NOT change citizens behavior, however they instantly turn a large number of citizens into “criminals” and create a massive enforcement problem.

Several years back when Obama threatened Exec. Actions on gun control, the Sheriff’s Association met locally, regionally. then statewide. Their decision conveyed to us locally - they will NOT enforce any Exec. Orders nor Actions which subvert the US Constitution and our 2nd amendment rights.

[vette6387]

“I suspect tho the police will step things up consdierably since any ‘raid’ will be consider high risk.”

A couple of “raids” would be the end of the line for the cops. They would become enemies of the people and a number would loose their lives if they tried further confiscation attempts. With something on the order of 300 million guns, the cops are outnumbered at the getgo. Plus, as someone pointed out, many cops are on the posiltive side of the 2A themselves.

[Ancesthntr]

“Underground machining. Turning those semis into FAs.”

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It can’t be all that difficult to manufacture a “happy switch.” I’ll bet that a competent machinist can bang out at least a few dozen per day...and only the first one will be expensive, once you’ve broken the law like that, all the rest are free.

[Ancesthntr]

“Between the 20 + trillion rounds already in the hands of citizens”

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Uh, not quite. That would imply about 6,500 rounds per person throughout the entire country.

With 100 million gun owners, and 1,000 rounds per, you have 100 billion rounds, enough to start and finish a not so small war.

[Charles Martel]

What someone like Piers Morgan will not bother telling you also is that following the 1997 pistol ban in the U.K. (in the wake of Thomas Hamilton’s bloody rampage in Dunblane), people simply made handguns in tire shops and elsewhere and bought them from the Eastern Europe illegal gun trade(certainly did not need expensive Olympic target shooting pistols or rare collection pieces).

That's true. When getting caught with an old revolver carried as big a penalty as other firearms that had been illegal for far longer, it became an "in for a penny, in for a pound" scenario for criminals. Nasty little pieces of hardware like the Czech Škorpion machine pistol started turning up in reports by regional police departments to Scotland Yard.

[RC one]

they’ll happily turn us all into felons, strip us of our civil rights, disenfranchise us, unemploy us and then bring the full weight of the national militarized police force to bear against us.

[archy]

Here’s a “for instance”.......the Upper on a Thompson (MiA1) is a massive, heat treated hardened hunk of steel that withstands continual slam firing (the firing pin is machined into the very heavy bolt). I just don’t see how current techniques can duplicate that.

You may not be aware that during WWII the weapons-desperate Brits who had previously declared the Thompson as being a gangster's weapon unfit for an Army led by gentlemen turned to the American firm of Savage and, hoping to speed production, financed the development of an aluminum lower and upper receiver for the Tommygun, quite suitable for today's cnc and home machine tools and materials; both the eatrly M1928 and later-war M1/ M1A1 versions have been made. Some info and details

They're kind of pretty, too.

[Lion Den Dan]

Here’s a “for instance”.......the Upper on a Thompson (MiA1) is a massive, heat treated hardened hunk of steel that withstands continual slam firing (the firing pin is machined into the very heavy bolt). I just don’t see how current techniques can duplicate that.

May I offer the M3 Sub Machine Gun AKA Grease gun. A section of barrel, a piece of exhaust pipe, a piece of cold rolled steel, a spring and some minor skill with an arc welder. Add a magazine and some sheet metal and away you go. An afternoon project for the handy. Even more rudimentary are some of the weapons built by the Mau Mau back in the day.

[archy]

And if Hitlery should become president, we will certainly be a lawless society.

Just follow our leader's example. Lawless and ruthless are just the starting places; murderous follows very shortly thereafter.

[rockrr]

I assume so too. Pity that there are so many out there with stockpiles that will easily outlast them...;’}

[DesertRhino]

It really isn’t a force multiplier. It means in about 2 seconds everyone is out of ammo. The USMC abandoned it and went to 3 shot burst and haven’t looked back. And the semi mode is the preferred.

Full auto is amateur hour in any sane scenario.

I know it seems fun, but a full auto AR never outguns a semi AR. A bit less sexy, but with the money you save just go to the lingere section at Walmart and buy yourself something.

[Gaffer]

The pic you have shown is a 1928 version which is really more complicated in machining than a military M1A1. For one thing, the innards are a complete hogout for the M1A1. The most difficult part in a 80% machining job is the broach cut for the extractor.

In the M1A1. The bolt is massive. A hunk of metal that slides back and forth. Slam fire with firing pin machined into it. No innards, just a hunk of steel.

To me the 28s are nice, but the M1A1 is a much simpler, more elegant weapon.

[Gaffer]

Yes....you’re right...the most steel in it is barrel and the bolt. Very cheap to make at the time. I think all that could be resurrected more easily that computers and 3D...but what the hell do I know. I’m just an old fart country boy my wifey tells me.

[The Toll]

If all it takes is one terrorist killing 50 people for Democrats to demand a change to American law, I suppose 50 million gun owners should be able to persuade them to change it back swiftly.

[Gaffer]

True.

[archy]

Simple there will be a 6 month long media blitz to demonize us then the raids will begin under the guise of national security and public safety then we all get treated like Ammon Bundy and David Coresh.

Within six months, there will be very few newsreaders and media owners left alive.

Remember, when you execute someone by firing squad, do not position them directly in front of the wall or embankment, ricocheting stone or bullet fragments may harm those in the firing party. Instead, use the corners of buildings, allowing the bouncing balls to be deflected away at 45-degree angles.

[DesertRhino]

No, SA isn’t just as good as full auto. It’s actually far better in every way. Possibly excepting standing off a banzai charge. And even then, you had better be making hits so SA wins again.

If you aren’t on a tripod, it isn’t more effective.

Your weapon runs cooler, ammo lasts longer, you get far more hits (the part that actually matters) The list goes on...
If a rifle company hits a lone goober who opens up full auto with a handheld rifle, they laugh and kill him fast. If he is using aimed fire, that becomes damned scary.

[Salgak]

Only assuming 1000 rounds per owner. I know plenty of people with FAR more than that. Heck, I have an unopened CRATE of Mosin ammo, that’s 880 rounds right there. And an unopened spam can, plus ~200 round in the ammo box.

That’s ONE of my guns, and I’m already pushing 1500 rounds.

The estimated number of guns in the US is in excess of 300 million,