Stopping the spread of deadly assault weapons

In January, Senator Feinstein will introduce a bill to stop the sale, transfer, importation and manufacturing of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition feeding devices.

• Bans the sale, transfer, importation, or manufacturing of:
  • 120 specifically-named firearms;
  • Certain other semiautomatic rifles, handguns, shotguns that can accept a detachable magazine and have one or more military characteristics; and
  • Semiautomatic rifles and handguns with a fixed magazine that can accept more than 10 rounds.
• Strengthens the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban and various state bans by:
  • Moving from a 2-characteristic test to a 1-characteristic test;
  • Eliminating the easy-to-remove bayonet mounts and flash suppressors from the characteristics test; and
  • Banning firearms with “thumbhole stocks” and “bullet buttons” to address attempts to “work around” prior bans.
• Bans large-capacity ammunition feeding devices capable of accepting more than 10 rounds.
• Protects legitimate hunters and the rights of existing gun owners by:
  • Grandfathering weapons legally possessed on the date of enactment;
  • Exempting over 900 specifically-named weapons used for hunting or sporting purposes; and
  • Exempting antique, manually-operated, and permanently disabled weapons.
• Requires that grandfathered weapons be registered under the National Firearms Act, to include:
  • Background check of owner and any transferee;
  • Type and serial number of the firearm;
  • Positive identification, including photograph and fingerprint;
  • Certification from local law enforcement of identity and that possession would not violate State or local law; and
  • Dedicated funding for ATF to implement registration.

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Translation: BOHICA

Basically, it looks like:

1) Virtually All semi-automatic long guns are going to (attempt to) be banned

2) Existing long guns will be grandfathered, but you will be legally obligated to register the weapon and yourself with the authorities

3) *Standard* pistol magazines are to be similarly banned/grandfathered.

Note that this bill specifically goes after firearms with “one or more military characteristics.” Note that when the USSC said in the Miller case that it was Constitutional to ban sawed-off shotguns, it was Constitutional because such a shotguns *wasn’t* military, and that the purposed of the 2nd A was to make sure that guns appropriate for the militia were available (and that, somehow, a sawed-off shotgun had no military purpose). So Feinstein is going specifically after those guns that the 2nd Amendment was written to protect.

ADDITIONAL: I may be wrong, but I *think* “grandfathered weapons be registered under the National Firearms Act” means that your semi-auto plinker will now be a Class III firearm. This means that the moment you register it, you give up your 4th Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure. As anyone with a Class III firearm will attest, the BATF can show up at will, at any time and unannounced to the location where the firearm is registered and demand to see it, paperwork and storage accommodations, no warrant needed. Get ready to have agents of the government welcome themselves into your home for whatever reason they may dream up at a moments notice.