Reply #76: M16's and AK-47's are already tightly controlled, and always have been. [View All]

[benEzra]

Nobody's talking about "banning" M16's and AK-47's, because possession of an M16 or actual AK-47 outside of police/military/government service is already a 10-year Federal felony, unless you first obtain Federal authorization (BATFE Form 4).

The "assault weapon" bait-and-switch has absolutely nothing to do with actual assault rifles or other military automatic weapons. It's solely about outlawing NON-automatic rifles, rifles that happen to be the most popular civilian target rifles and defensive carbines in the United States. More people lawfully and responsibly own "assault weapons," as defined by H.R.1022, than hunt.


Ruger mini-14 Ranch Rifle, small-caliber farm/utility rifle banned by name by H.R.1022


AR-15, small-caliber non-automatic rifle and the most popular centerfire target rifle in the United States, banned by name by H.R.1022


SKS carbine, the single most popular centerfire rifle in U.S. homes, banned by pedigree by H.R.1022

None of the above guns are automatic, BTW. All fire once and only once when the trigger is pulled and will not fire again until the trigger is released and pulled a second time.

Nor are rifles of any description a crime problem in the United States:

2005 data:
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/05cius/data/table_20.html
Total murders............................14,860.....100.00%
Handguns..................................7,543......50.76%
Other weapons (non firearm, non edged)....1,954......13.15%
Edged weapons.............................1,914......12.88%
Firearms (type unknown)...................1,598......10.75%
Hands, fists, feet, etc.....................892.......6.00%
Shotguns....................................517.......3.48%
Rifles......................................442.......2.97%

2006 data:
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/data/table_20.html
Total murders............................14,990.....100.00%
Handguns..................................7,795......52.00%
Other weapons (non firearm, non edged)....2,158......14.40%
Edged weapons.............................1,822......12.15%
Firearms (type unknown)...................1,465.......9.77%
Hands, fists, feet, etc.....................833.......5.56%
Shotguns....................................481.......3.21%
Rifles......................................436.......2.91%

That's for all rifles combined, not just "assault weapons." Compare them not only to shotguns, but to hands/fists/feet, knives, and impact weapons...rifles just aren't commonly misused in this country, though that's not what the corporatist media wants you to believe.


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Dems and the Gun Issue - Now What? (written in '04, largely vindicated in '06, IMO)

The Conservative Roots of U.S. Gun Control