Help me with my reluctance...

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monotonous_iterancy

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I have been out of the loop regarding guns for the past few years. I'm fairly young, spent a few years at college, and now live in a more populated area. I have never used a formal range, and it's a bit intimidating because I don't know what to do. However, my question is not about range usage. I have been thinking of taking some of my guns out of storage and getting back into shooting as a hobby. I have also been considering adding a VSKA to my collection, as I have never owned an AK.

However, seeing the legal situation now, it makes me somewhat reluctant. I haven't been paying attention to the legal situation for years, so I've been getting up to speed. A few days ago, I learned that the bump-stock ban was not only a ban on sale, but a ban on possession - no grandfathering. I am a little shaken by this, because I was under the impression that requiring someone to turn in or destroy a previously legal firearm or accessory counted as an ex-post facto law and was forbidden. Apparently, I was wrong. I know that the 1994 AWB had a grandfather clause, and much of the reason that I have an AR-15 is so that I can have a grandfathered one if they are ever banned.

I also see that the status of pistol braces is precarious, apparently. I had considered getting an AK pistol, but I like the VSKA. Now, I'm not sure if it is a good idea to buy one. I don't want to spend a great deal of money on a rifle that I may have to get rid of due to a change in the law.

In short, my confidence in the legal security of ARs and AKs I may own is shaken. How realistic of a concern is this?
 
Devote some of your energy and finances to vanilla guns like pump shotguns, bolt action rifles, and revolvers.
If the unfolding legality questions are a concern, plain models like those will most likely be last to be impacted.
 
monotonous_iterancy said:
I was under the impression that requiring someone to turn in or destroy a previously legal firearm or accessory counted as an ex-post facto law and was forbidden.
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Nope, that’s not ex post facto. The easiest example is:
Monday: you do something
Tuesday: law is passed making that something illegal
Wednesday: you are prosecuted for what you did on Monday (when that action was not yet against the law)

Making something illegal and then prosecuting future possession is not an issue of ex post facto (however there may be other issues like taking without due compensation).

Anyway, back to the AK question. If you want the gun, get the gun. While there has been a lot of rhetoric about a new AWB, we don’t know how it will be written yet. I would expect that there would be a good chance of grandfathering just due to how many weapons would fit the “assault weapon/high capacity” moniker. Also, I would not expect a sunset provision in any AWB that was passed.

If it helps, think of it this way. If you buy it now and there is grandfathering, you made a good choice. If there’s no grandfathering, you’ll probably still be able to turn it into a “featureless” rifle (similar to CA complaint guns) and still use the weapon. And if there’s a confiscation (which I think unlikely) you will have been able to enjoy the weapon as long as possible.
 
Blue Jays said:
Devote some of your energy and finances to vanilla guns like pump shotguns, bolt action rifles, and revolvers.
If the unfolding legality questions are a concern, plain models like those will most likely be last to be impacted.
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This. Buy vanilla or things that look vanilla enough that people don’t care.
 
If you like the 7.62x39 cartridge, consider something like a Ranch version of the Ruger Mini-30. A wood stocked semi auto rifle with large capacity capability that doesn't look like an evil black or "assault" rifle.

They make magazines down to 5 rounds if capacity becomes an issue nationally or where you reside.
 
If you want the ak...get the ak..just dont get a vska. Do some research on ak's. Find a new wasr or look for a mak90.
 
Here's another vote to buy what you want. Except I agree with Analogkid. A WASR is an excellent choice for a first AK. Century Arms has a spotty record for their AKs although I haven't seen any reviews of the VSKA.
 
Anything imported by Century arms is good to go for the most part. Anything made here by them is suspect. Dive deep into the AK world before you make your purchase. Some you flat out need to stay away from.
 
Life is too short - if you want an AK, get an AK. And have fun shooting it! (once ammo becomes available again)
 
If you want it, buy it! Life is short and our time on this rock is limited. Don't worry about what might or might not happen down the road. The best time to buy a gun is yesterday. The second best time is today.
 
Phaedrus/69 said:
If you want it, buy it! Life is short and our time on this rock is limited. Don't worry about what might or might not happen down the road. The best time to buy a gun is yesterday. The second best time is today.
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Yup...you can 'what if' yourself into or out of anything.
 
Telekinesis said:
If there’s no grandfathering, you’ll probably still be able to turn it into a “featureless” rifle (similar to CA complaint guns) and still use the weapon.
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Not unless the expected new legislation is so crafted, and that is very doubtful.

The new White House is pushing for making existing guns subject to registration and a $200 Tax Stamp.
 
monotonous_iterancy said:
In short, my confidence in the legal security of ARs and AKs I may own is shaken. How realistic of a concern is this?
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I felt the same way about the AR-15 back in 1968 (when I was 23) but went ahead and bought one anyway. I was fairly sure that the gun bill being debated at the time (that eventually became the GCA '68) would outlaw things like the AR, and decided that I would rather have one, and deal with the possible fallout later, than not have one.

Around the same time, there were WW2 vets, that I would talk to at the gun shops, that swore they would not register their bringback machine guns during the amnesty, figuring this would just be a prelude to confiscation. Well, we know how that turned out. Those that registered (or, more accurately, their heirs) now have guns worth a fortune, whereas those that didn't now have worthless contraband.

Bottom line: buy what you like, and don't worry about what might or might not happen.
 
Kleanbore said:
Not unless the expected new legislation is so crafted, and that is very doubtful.

The new White House is pushing for making existing guns subject to registration and a $200 Tax Stamp.
Click to expand...

It of course depends on the exact text, but most proposed bills I have seen in the past use a test of “must have X number of the named features to be classified as an assault weapon” or something like that. If you don’t have the offending features, the gun isn’t subject to the restrictions.

That’s how CA got things like the weird bladed pistol grip that seems to be technically (by their state law) not classified as a pistol grip. That part wasn’t explicitly exempted in the legislation, it was designed after the legislation went into effect for the specific purpose of not counting as an assault weapon part.

We don’t have any proposed legislation right now, so we don’t know for sure - it’s just a possibility. That’s all I was saying.



I don’t know how willing they would be to dive into making a new NFA classification, but sure. If they decide something like a blanket “all semi-autos are NFA” law, the old way of getting by on “featureless” guns isn’t relevant.
 
Telekinesis said:
I have seen in the past use a test of “must have X number of the named features to be classified as an assault weapon” or something like that. If you don’t have the offending features, the gun isn’t subject to the restrictions.
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Those are not in what is in the party platform.
 
I may be going back over ground that has already been covered, but anyway...

Ex post facto and what is commonly called a "grandfather clause" are two different things.

A grandfather clause allows continued possession of something that was legal, before a new law changed its status. i.e. AR-15s are made illegal on Tuesday. If the law has a grandfather clause, I can keep one that I bought last Saturday.

Ex post facto application of a law is unconstitutional. i.e. if they change the age to buy alcohol to 40 years old on Tuesday, they can't fine the liquor store for selling a bottle of Scotch to someone who was 30 years old when they bought it last Saturday.
 
Kleanbore said:
Those are not in what is in the party platform.
Click to expand...

And the party platform is always exactly what is eventually codified in law?

The OP asked us to help put his reluctance to purchase a rifle into perspective, and provide thoughts on why it might still be reasonable to purchase a gun. I gave an example based on historically proposed legislation. I even qualified it with a “we don’t have legislation yet” comment.

Neither of us know what the future holds, and predicting future legislation isn’t even the purpose of the thread. So do you recommend the OP not buy an AR/AK because the Democrats don’t want him to have one?
 
WASR, new Zpap, WBP Fox, PSA (several flavors), or a KUSA offering before anything Century made. A Galil Ace would also fit the bill.

Go get your AK! Just be prepared to pay up.
 
Get what you want, think of it like a movie ticket, a vacation, tank of gas, set of tires, automobile, boat, TV, cell phone, whatever item(s) you buy that might not last forever but you want.
 
Kleanbore said:
Not unless the expected new legislation is so crafted, and that is very doubtful.

The new White House is pushing for making existing guns subject to registration and a $200 Tax Stamp.
Click to expand...

Owned guns or guns that are sold?
 
FFGColorado said:
Owned guns or guns that are sold?
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If historical precedent is followed, initial registration would be free. The issue is moot, though, because Congressional arithmetic is such that no gun legislation would get through. Nor would the fragile Biden government want to spend its meager political capital on this.
 
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