Bill to revise Hughes amendment and other NFA laws

[Dreamcast270mhz]

So, my proposal is everyone interested in getting the MG registry reopen should put our heads together and come up with a bill we could lobby our congressmen about. Some ideas I have to make an agreeable compromise:

1. Reopen the registry for civilians

2. Abolish the tax stamp and establish an Automatic Firearms license, which would cost 400-1000 USD lifetime and would allow for unlimited possession of Automatics (not including burst weapons). ( this would be cheaper for people with multiple MGS)

3. Set a new legal designation for 3-round burst weapons, allowing their possession without above license, instead a $100 tax stamp for each weapon.

4. In order to apply or possess above weapons, you will be submitted to a 14 day background check and wait period, in addition to a series of forms detailing penalties for committing a crime with the weapon.

I'm not saying I want to organize this, but I do want to put this out there and maybe something will come of it.

 

[PTK]

You have some truly terrible ideas;

Instead of being able to own MGs outright for $200 tax each, you want a license that would be yet ANOTHER permit/license on a right.

You're advocating further waiting periods and licensing for a right.

Seriously? No one will support this - except perhaps anti-gunners.

 

[Dreamcast270mhz]

Think about it, Congress has just as many gun advocates as opponents. Our best route to allowing MGs again seems to make it a viable tax platform.

Also, regarding the license, this would allow an INFINITE number of MGs you could own, and you would only have to send off once for the license, not everytime you get the urge to buy one.

Do you have better ideas? Lets hear 'em!

 

[Ian]

Much better a tax stamp than a license, ESPECIALLY a license that must be renewed annually.

If we want to get something start, just reopening the registry would be an excellent first step. The background check, fingerprinting, LEO signoff and registration could be well spun to make the proposal sound like a very reasonable proposal (and ignore the trust/Corporation loopholes). We need to open the registry to save war relics that are showing up as WWII and Korea vets pass away, and I'm sure the more PR-minded can come up with other good sounding reasons.

Once the registry is open, a lot more people will start buying machine guns, and open the possibility of a common usage attack on the NFA, like Heller used.

 

[Ian]

I should add...the problem with a renewed license is that all sorts of additional restrictions can be put on it, and it can be used as a weapon against gun owners. Think about a driver's license - lots of states will suspend a DL for all sorts of reasons totally unrelated to driving. Or what happens when they find some technical reason to refuse a renewal? You lose all your machine guns? What about when they arbitrarily raise the price of the license? What is you lose your job, and can't afford to pay it one year?

 

[Dreamcast270mhz]

Hmm thats true. We could slip a line into some upcoming bill that is important where we basically say the registry is reopened and then restate the NFA portions pertaining to it, OR we could say that post-NFA gun laws that invalidate portions of it are null and void.

 

[451 Detonics]

If you want to own all yo can for a yearly fee just become a class e dealer and let the rest of us pay the lifetime $200 tax stamp on each firearm.

I currently own 3 items...taxes are already paid on them...under your bill in 20 years I would have to pay upwards of $20,000 to keep them? No thanks...

I would rate the chance of getting any pro machinegun bill passed to be slim and none and Slim just died. Despite the obviously illegal vote count on the Hughs amendment there is zero chance of ever getting that re-opened unless we do away with out current government thoough a complete failure of our country.

 

[Dreamcast270mhz]

I see the logic, edited above.

 

[waterhouse]

Why have any sort of separate designation for 3 round burst? What is to be gained by that?

1. Reopen the registry for civilians

Let's just do that one and leave the rest alone.

 

[wannasupra]

make sure the penalties for a crime are harsh as hell. i mean, the 10-20-life law is good, but make the penalties harsher for using an auto or burst weapon. maybe 20-40-death row.

 

[wannasupra]

actually, i take that back, because it'd be putting too much emphasis on the weapon, and not enough on the intent and the perp. perhaps just stiffen up penalties for gun violence across the board.

 

[2000Yards]

My recollection of political science is hazy - does anyone know if a sponsor for a bill is required? If so, perhaps more important than initial discussion on the laguage, is identifying a legislative member willing to sponsor a bill. Before heading down this road as to what language, how much, etc. it might be worthwhile to make a list of possible sponsors.

 

[PLRinmypocket]

The easiest way to revise the Hughes ammendment is to use the exact same strategy that Hughes used when he got it passed. add it on to a bill that the majority wants to pass.....Like one raising the debt ceiling, or the next "stimulus" plan perhaps.

 

[kenny87]

The easiest way to revise the Hughes ammendment is to use the exact same strategy that Hughes used when he got it passed. add it on to a bill that the majority wants to pass.....Like one raising the debt ceiling, or the next "stimulus" plan perhaps.

I agree, the best way to get something passed is to be dirty and sneaky about it, after all its what the other side does.

 

[Dreamcast270mhz]

As for the 3-round burst question:

Back in the '30s when the NFA was passed, burst mode was not as popular as it is now, and IMHO it should not be treated like a full auto, in fact, if I had it my way it would be treated the same way as a handgun is in VA, before purchasing you get a background check, if it passes you can buy it no further questions asked.

Because a 3-round burst weapon is not anymore dangerous than a semi auto, it should not be lumped with automatics

 

[PTK]

You seem dead-set on increasing the number of laws, regulations, etc. Why are you so interested in permits, licenses, etc.?

 

[General Geoff]

Do you have better ideas? Lets hear 'em!

Sure. Repeal the 1934 NFA and 1968 GCA.

 

[Grunt Medic TXARNG]

I don't follow the logic.

Why is a 3-round burst less dangerous than a 5, 7, 10 or 30 round burst?

In fact it is not. All firearms are capable of causing injury and death - even the black powder revolvers that are currently unregulated.

 

[cpu77]

Having multiple MG's and a sizeable investment. I am not interested in more M16's, 1919's, UZI's ect being added to the registry. I am not alone in this thinking. I would like to be able to replace a M16 for a new billet lower. Maybe allow post 86 guns to be added in small numbers every year. As long as there are no more of the pre 86 models added (replaced yes added no). Then I am for some change. I would love buy a glock 18 or something made after 86. I am PRO GUN. However my machine guns have become my 401k. Just something to consider as you rally the troops. We all want to be with you. BTW I am ok with the waiting and the stamps as they are. Most guys that drop $12k on a M16 and wait 3mos to 12mos to get it aren't committing crimes with it.


LAST note Stamps for SBW's..... well thats just the stupidest thing ever! As if lopping off 4" of barrel makes a gun any more deadly!

 

[PTK]

You shouldn't have invested in firearms. They are not stocks - and in your thinking of them as an investment, you are very much in the minority; MGs could become completely worthless with the stroke of a pen. Not much of a secure investment.

Seriously, when your 401k is made from MGs, which could be either worth very little (open registry) or completely worthless (no further transfers allowed, ownership allowed still) with a single change in law , you are in a very poor position financially. It's a hard thing to accept, but it is fact.

 

[General Geoff]

I am PRO GUN. However my machine guns have become my 401k.

In other words, your investment is more important than your (and others') freedom. Gotcha.

 

[PTK]

I like your thinking more and more, General Geoff.

 

[Animal Mother]

Instead of making a lot of modifications and new laws, which are liable to fracture the pro-gun base, we should make the legislation as straight forward as possible. A simple repeal of the Hughes amendment is as easy as it gets. If you want it passed with the current POTUS, you'll need to attach it to a piece of must-pass legislation. A perfect example would be how we got National Park Carry, by attaching it to the Credit Card Reform bill. Sen. Tom Coburn led that effort, and if a group like GOA could convince him its worth spending the political capital, he could get it done. The message that we'd need to stick to in order to make it politically palatable to people not passionate about MG ownership is as follows: "We simply seek to allow state legislatures the freedom to make their own decision if they would like to allow machineguns to be owned by lawful enthusiasts in their state, as was the case during the Reagan administration."

Then you've got a much better of getting rid of Hughes, especially compared to the idea of Hughes being overturned by SCOTUS.

 

[GRIZ22]

So if you don't have $400-1000 for the license you're screwed.

Pricing a license out of everyone's reach doesn't seem very American to me.

 

[Dreamcast270mhz]

@Animal Mother

You're right, I'm thinking about this the wrong way... However we should probably not involve the NRA, just a thought on my part but they seem to be indifferent about this, not that anyone has suggested that to date.

@PTK and anyone wondering

I'm not, I was merely thinking of a way to... compromise with anti-gun freedom politicians. As much as I'd like to pretend they're not here, they are and if we are to get the registry reopened someway we may have to be willing to compromise, as much as I'd prefer not. Think about a stream and suddenly a rock is in the middle of it. Does the stream stop flowing altogether and break the rock apart? No, it goes around it.