I completely disagree with banning rifles and pistols. However, I am all for intensive background checks, psychological tests, firearm classes and tests, mandatory storage safety with inspections and licensing classifications depending on what you want to buy. The Europeans do this correctly and the US allows lunatics to own firearms.
this post was submitted on 03 May 2025
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What a pointless bill. Assault rifles have been illegal nationwide for decades.
What do you mean? Assault rifles are perfectly legal
Assault rifles are full auto or burst fire. They're not legal for civilians without a specific form of FFL, which is difficult and expensive to get. Even with an FFL you will probably run into problems with state and local laws. That's why you'll pretty much only see assault rifles at places like the ones outside Vegas where they let you pay to fire one for a few minutes.
Fully automatic weapons can be legally owned after a mere $200 application to the ATF.
The real hurdle is the closed nature of the full auto registry creates artificial scarcity and pushes the price of the gun itself up.
But, assuming you have the money, it is a straightforward process no more complicated or time consuming than legally owning an SBR.
Edit: Not sure why I'm being downvoted. Here is the transfer form. Block 4B is where you list what type of NFA item you are buying.
I think they call em "assault weapons" and they're basically anything high capacity and semi auto and black and scary. Basically no recent discourse about assault whatever has actually referred to burst or auto weapons.
I think you're probably right that those are what the law is targeting, and Newsweek is simply lying in this article.
I went and read the text. The TLDR is the law was targeted to semiautomatic weapons, but the text itself defined those as "assault rifles".
The text proposed banning "assault rifles" and within the bill it laid out a definition for the purposes of the bill:
"Assault rifle" means a semiautomatic rifle
(1) With an overall length less than thirty inches;
(2) That has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than ten rounds, except for an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition; or
(3) That accepts a detachable magazine or that may be readily modified to accept a detachable magazine and has one or more of the following characteristics:
(A) A folding, telescoping, or detachable stock, or a stock that is otherwise foldable or adjustable in a manner that operates to reduce the length, the size, or any dimension, or otherwise enhances the concealability of the weapon;
(B) A pistol grip or thumbhole stock;
(C) Any feature capable of functioning as a protruding grip that can be held by the non‑trigger hand;
(D) A flash suppressor;
(E) A shroud that is attached to or partially or completely encircles the barrel and permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the second hand without being burned, but excluding a slide that encloses the barrel;
(F) A bayonet mount;
(G) A grenade launcher; or
(H) A threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward hand grip, or silencer.
More likely they have no idea what the difference is
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Smart move.
Well yeah, they might need those guns to topple fascists…
In that case, let's ban them
- Republicans most likely
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So the media again is helping stir the pot. When you use vague language like "assault-style" weapons, it makes it open to wide interpretation as to what an "assault-style" weapon is. You. the reader, are assuming and envisioning the AR-15, the AK-47 but it can also include semi-automatic hand guns or some types of shotguns. If you want to put a ban on something quit tip toeing and define the weapons you want to ban and their variants using specific language such as semi-automatic rifle, fully-automatic rifle, barrel length, etc. They should also quit banning by cosmetics to define "assault-style" weapons. You can easily change your fully-automatic rifle to look like a Nerf gun (fully automatics are illegal anyway). Here's a bit more on the term:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_weapon
People should actually read the laws on the books and quit relying on the media or their politicians to do the reading for them. They may find there's already several bans on "assault-style" weapons because specific language is used. People should also focus on the loopholes instead and campaign to get those closed. Politicians won't do it so long as the NRA keeps shoving cash into their pockets.
If you want to put a ban on something quit tip toeing and define the weapons you want to ban and their variants using specific language such as semi-automatic rifle, fully-automatic rifle, barrel length, etc
That's how you get weird-ass weapons designed specifically to work around the law though. E.g in Russia they regulate harder any weapon that has rifling on more than half of the barrel (otherwise it's considered a hunting shotgun iirc), so of course there are tons of Russian civilian weapons that are basically military stuff with shitty rifling and locked to semi auto
It does turn into a game of "one-up" but this is why you get actual weapons experts to advise on the language of the law and not business owners and lawyers who have no idea what a gun is other than it makes them a lot of money or its scary.
You will get zero people that have real knowledge and understanding of weapon systems advising legislators on ways to ban them.
Well I guess we'll just keep running in circles about this issue then won't we.
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What in hell is an "assault pistol" please ?
I think we all stopped charging the enemy waving a pistol during WW1 didnt we ? This feels like something from a Blackadder episode.
It's referenced in the newsweek article. I read the wiki which says Hawaii have defined it, but the wiki links dont actually go to a definition.
The vast majority of pistols sold are semi auto, and they all have a pistol grip which, as I understand it are 2 of the main characteristics used to define assault weapon in the US
Confused foreigner.
The confusion is why the assault weapons ban in the 90's failed. They did not specify semi-automatic handgun, revolver, or pistol grip short barrel shotgun. You are correct. "Assault pistol" is extremely vague. In my opinion, politicians do this to appease the NRA and the gun nuts while completely disregarding what responsible gun owners are asking for. Most responsible gun owners want the loopholes closed. The politicians can just shrug and say "Well we tried!" Or use it as an excuse to kick incumbents out that didn't kiss the ring.
Most of this theater is at the federal level. The state level is what will make the difference which is why I encourage people to check the firearms sections of their laws.
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Each state has their own definition of what an assault rifle is, and that's what decidedes what's banned. (Bans are by state, and most have no ban.)
For some its a pistol grip, a detachable mag, and one of like 3 other features. Two or more of those and its an assault rifle.
Pistols are regulated seperately.
None of what you said is true. Assault rifles were effectively banned for civilians by the national firearms act in 1934, and reinforced by the firearm owners protection act in 1986.
You seem to be confusing "assault rifle", which has a legal definition and are illegal nationally, with "assault weapon" which is a poorly defined term (it's basically a "scary looking gun" ban) and no longer illegal federally since the 1994 AWB expired in 2004.
What's funny/sad/confusing about that is AR pistols. It basically comes down to the stock.
That is to say- manufacturers will have a product ready to skirt any ban in the hours after a bill is signed.