I can understand how your garden variety gun control fanboy (using that term because you liked it so much) would get it wrong about the Clinton-era Assault Weapons "Ban." Most progressives, sadly enough, are so forward-thinking that they have little to no use for history, even if that history is not even 30 years old.
Which is a recurring theme among them. They haven't learned Cold War history, so they think Marxism is cool. The Soviet Union officially dissolved about three years before the AWB was passed, so I guess it stand to reason that our intellectual betters would know so little about both.
It's a pretty poor testimony to the current White House occupant's mental faculties that he doesn't seem to remember much about it, neither.
Firstly, it didn't "ban" them. It only banned the sale of new rifles that could take a detachable box magazine and had 2 or more objectionable features--collapsible stock, pistol grip, barrel shroud, bayonet lug, threaded barrel.
Buying a new AR was still possible during this time. I know, because I put one together from a kit in 2000--a CAR-15-style rifle, with a "collapsible stock" that was in a permanently fixed position. It had no bayonet lug, and no threaded barrel. I also managed to get hold of 3 aluminum GI 30-round mags that were pretty easy to find.
And all with assistance from the Internet, which wasn't nearly as sophisticated on such matters as it is now. Arfcom was still little more than a bulletin board in 2000, but it had links to articles giving advice about getting parts for and putting together an AR-15.
Bear in mind, federal laws still applied. Model 1 Sales would not sell "pre-ban" parts to just anyone, and I still had to fill out a 4473 for my lower when it came in.
But, before I left for Alaska, I had a new, working AR-15 that I had put together myself, and right in the middle of the Assault Weapons "Ban."
Hi Emily- not actually going to use my stimulus $ but even better- as a self-employed 1099'd businessman I recently qualified for the Payroll Protection Plan- YES! NOW- I'm seriously shopping for an AR-15 in .350 Legend to do double duty here in Ohio- Deer hunt and home protection!
I didn't buy a new firearm with my stimulus check (too many car repairs needed), but I did sell a rifle to a first time gun owner that used some of his stimulus. We went to the range and he fell in love with the rifle. He also wants me to bring him pistol shopping to use the rest of the check. I would suspect that there are quite a few that spent their stimulus through a private sale.
Did I need another gun? No. Did I want one? Yes. Did I want to use our taxpayer money to stick it to the man? If course! Yes, I overpaid but it needed to be done.
I didn't buy a gun, but I did buy shooting-related stuff. I bought a holographic sight and a leather butt cuff (holds six extra rounds) for my .45-70 lever gun, a $900 spotting scope, and a new buttstock for the Ruger Precision Rifle I bought with the previous Stimulus.
David has a nice compilation of quotes from people who often depending on the audience say very different things about gun control and taking your guns.
Emily you are one of the few journalists who actually get the gun debate stats and information correct.
Although I wont turn over my customer list...I can tell you this approximately 80% of my sales are stimulus money. My customers are very clear and freely tell me they are spending the "stimmy checks" on firearms. Business has been booming, as fast as I get in inventory, it gets wiped out. I am an ammo manufacturer and as fast as I get in primers and produce ammo, it is gone. Again, customers volunteering the information that they are using stimulus money to buy ammo. I had a gentleman in tonight that is going to transfer a gun he bought online through me, and while he was here , he bought a pistol and a .22 rifle for his girlfriend. He said he had money left from their check so he would be back to get an AR. I have had AR's being sold and custom builds ordered as people get their checks. Without fail they tell me that they are doing this because of what is happening at the federal level. They "want to get them before the fed makes them illegal". Same with 30-100 round drum mags.
Ms. Emily, excellent article, your facts are all completely accurate, a talent that escapes all other media when writing about firearm violence. In 2020 there was approximately 5 million first time firearm buyers and now in the first 3 months of 2021 and additional 4.5 million FBI background checks. NRA membership has gained 150,000 new members since January 1 (with a prior membership of over 5 million). Many firearm dealers have either few or no guns to sell and ammunition is impossible to find even with all the major manufactures running production 24/7. When the democrats say they have a majority of the population supporting new gun control laws, I question who this "majority" is ? As to universal background checks, I am from Illinois, we have every single one of the provisions in Illinois's gun laws that the democrats want, that they claim will end gun violence and mass shootings, yet Chicago has the highest or second highest gun violence number in the nation, this should be adequate proof that new gun laws are not the solution to the problem. We have to address the culture problem that has no regard for the value of life. Until we as a nation return to a moral foundation, no law will change the behavior of those who chose to be criminal.
I can understand how your garden variety gun control fanboy (using that term because you liked it so much) would get it wrong about the Clinton-era Assault Weapons "Ban." Most progressives, sadly enough, are so forward-thinking that they have little to no use for history, even if that history is not even 30 years old.
Which is a recurring theme among them. They haven't learned Cold War history, so they think Marxism is cool. The Soviet Union officially dissolved about three years before the AWB was passed, so I guess it stand to reason that our intellectual betters would know so little about both.
It's a pretty poor testimony to the current White House occupant's mental faculties that he doesn't seem to remember much about it, neither.
Firstly, it didn't "ban" them. It only banned the sale of new rifles that could take a detachable box magazine and had 2 or more objectionable features--collapsible stock, pistol grip, barrel shroud, bayonet lug, threaded barrel.
Buying a new AR was still possible during this time. I know, because I put one together from a kit in 2000--a CAR-15-style rifle, with a "collapsible stock" that was in a permanently fixed position. It had no bayonet lug, and no threaded barrel. I also managed to get hold of 3 aluminum GI 30-round mags that were pretty easy to find.
And all with assistance from the Internet, which wasn't nearly as sophisticated on such matters as it is now. Arfcom was still little more than a bulletin board in 2000, but it had links to articles giving advice about getting parts for and putting together an AR-15.
Bear in mind, federal laws still applied. Model 1 Sales would not sell "pre-ban" parts to just anyone, and I still had to fill out a 4473 for my lower when it came in.
But, before I left for Alaska, I had a new, working AR-15 that I had put together myself, and right in the middle of the Assault Weapons "Ban."
I did not purchase firearms but did use it for ammo.
Hi Emily- not actually going to use my stimulus $ but even better- as a self-employed 1099'd businessman I recently qualified for the Payroll Protection Plan- YES! NOW- I'm seriously shopping for an AR-15 in .350 Legend to do double duty here in Ohio- Deer hunt and home protection!
I didn't buy a new firearm with my stimulus check (too many car repairs needed), but I did sell a rifle to a first time gun owner that used some of his stimulus. We went to the range and he fell in love with the rifle. He also wants me to bring him pistol shopping to use the rest of the check. I would suspect that there are quite a few that spent their stimulus through a private sale.
Bought one with this check; bought one with the last check too. Imma luv a gubbmint dat buys me muh guns. (Yes, sarcasm)...
Did I need another gun? No. Did I want one? Yes. Did I want to use our taxpayer money to stick it to the man? If course! Yes, I overpaid but it needed to be done.
Bought a CMMG Mk4 300 in 5.5.56×45 with the stimulus check
I bought a sig sauer 938 SAS with the stimulus money!- thanks Joe
I didn't buy a gun but I did buy some ammo.
I bought guns with the small stimulus as well as a gun and red dot option and ammo with the last stimulus
I didn't buy a gun, but I did buy shooting-related stuff. I bought a holographic sight and a leather butt cuff (holds six extra rounds) for my .45-70 lever gun, a $900 spotting scope, and a new buttstock for the Ruger Precision Rifle I bought with the previous Stimulus.
David has a nice compilation of quotes from people who often depending on the audience say very different things about gun control and taking your guns.
Emily you are one of the few journalists who actually get the gun debate stats and information correct.
https://thewriterinblack.com/2017/05/17/nobody-wants-to-take-your-guns-2/
Although I wont turn over my customer list...I can tell you this approximately 80% of my sales are stimulus money. My customers are very clear and freely tell me they are spending the "stimmy checks" on firearms. Business has been booming, as fast as I get in inventory, it gets wiped out. I am an ammo manufacturer and as fast as I get in primers and produce ammo, it is gone. Again, customers volunteering the information that they are using stimulus money to buy ammo. I had a gentleman in tonight that is going to transfer a gun he bought online through me, and while he was here , he bought a pistol and a .22 rifle for his girlfriend. He said he had money left from their check so he would be back to get an AR. I have had AR's being sold and custom builds ordered as people get their checks. Without fail they tell me that they are doing this because of what is happening at the federal level. They "want to get them before the fed makes them illegal". Same with 30-100 round drum mags.
Ms. Emily, excellent article, your facts are all completely accurate, a talent that escapes all other media when writing about firearm violence. In 2020 there was approximately 5 million first time firearm buyers and now in the first 3 months of 2021 and additional 4.5 million FBI background checks. NRA membership has gained 150,000 new members since January 1 (with a prior membership of over 5 million). Many firearm dealers have either few or no guns to sell and ammunition is impossible to find even with all the major manufactures running production 24/7. When the democrats say they have a majority of the population supporting new gun control laws, I question who this "majority" is ? As to universal background checks, I am from Illinois, we have every single one of the provisions in Illinois's gun laws that the democrats want, that they claim will end gun violence and mass shootings, yet Chicago has the highest or second highest gun violence number in the nation, this should be adequate proof that new gun laws are not the solution to the problem. We have to address the culture problem that has no regard for the value of life. Until we as a nation return to a moral foundation, no law will change the behavior of those who chose to be criminal.
I bought a Savage Axis II in 22-250 varmint
rifle. Thanks Joe.
Bought a Ruger AR-5.56 Unfortunately it was lost in a tragic boating accident along with all my other firearms.