What law banned the Street Sweeper?

BATF-E "Rulings" 94-1 and 94-2 declared the Street Sweeper (and the USAS-12, as well as the poor Stryker-12) "Destructive Devices" since they "failed" the much-vaunted sporting purposes clause.

Under the '68 GCA, the BATF-E claims the right to decide, on behalf of all Americans, what is and isn't "sporting."



AlexTheSecondAmendmentIsn'tAboutSportsWakal

Under the '68 GCA, the BATF-E claims the right to decide, on behalf of all Americans, what is and isn't "sporting."

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Which is why it is so important that HR1703 is passed this session -> it removes the sporting purpose portion of the GCA.

Stupid question time, what is a street sweeper?
Like a Saturday Night Special, made up anti term? Or specific model of firearm?

scottgun, the Street Sweeper is a stamped-metal, drum-fed shotgun, with a folding stock. Used to be cheap, but since it's now a destructive device, the prices have gone up to $1000 or more.

Here's a picture of one: http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976556233.htm

Never thought much of them myself.

Thanks Monkeyleg. What feature makes them illegal. Is it any different than if I put an extended magazine and pistol grip on my Rem 870?

"What feature makes them illegal."

Just the arbitrary power of the BATF. With the folding stock, pistol grip, and "large capacity feeding device," they should have been classified as "assault weapons," and still been available in pre-ban configuration.

You can do anything you want to your 870 and, thanks to the sunsetting of the 1994 AW ban, to any semiauto's you own.

Except, of course, for those nasty "destructive devices."

Would the 10 round aftermarket drum and adapter kit I saw at the show last weekend reclassify a Mossberg as a Street Sweeper

The SPAS 12 is no longer imported nor, so far as I know, produced. Prices for them run from $600 to $1400 or above, depending on version, extras and how desperate you are. They are still just a regular shotgun as far as their legality goes. The SPAS 15, I believe, is a whole other can-o-worms but I've never had a desire for one so I don't know much about their legality.

The Street Sweeper was banned under the authority of the 1934 National Firearms Act (5845.f.2)

(2) any type of weapon by whatever name known which will, or which may be readily converted to, expel a projectile by the action of an explosive or other propellant, the barrel or barrels of which have a bore of more than one-half inch in diameter, except a shotgun or shotgun shell which the Secretary finds is generally recognized as particularly suitable for sporting purposes;

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The ATF determined that the Street Sweeper was not "generally recognized as particularly suitable for sporting purposes" and declared it a Destructive Device.

The Street Sweeper was banned under the authority of the 1934 National Firearms Act (5845.f.2)

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Banned, no. Regulated, yes.

The 1934 NFA didn't have a definition for "destructive devices", and therefore didn't regulate them. Destructive devices weren't regulated until the 1968 Gun Control Act.

1968 GCA

Under Klintoon he directed the BATF(E) to declare them DDs.

The Federal AWB was predated by the New Jersey AWB on which much of the federal law was based. The Street Sweeper is on the New Jersey ban called out specifically...along with the M1 Carbine, the UZI, the CETME, and the FAL of all things.

I never understood why some weapons were called out as evil on the New Jersey ban when they were banned already by the 1968 ruling. Also a good portion of the NJ list is now available because the manufacturers tweaked the weapons to get around the federal AWB....Bushmasters, AR and AK types, etc.

I own a SKS with a bayonet, nightsights, and grenade launcher...but if I fit a detachable 5 round mag it's illegal. Such fun.

The inclusion of the American classic, the M1 carbine, on the NJ AWB list was the inclusion that offended me the most.