DC Council to legalize semi automatic handguns

[usmarine0352_2005]

No.


Just the "capability" of being able to hold more rounds makes it a machine gun.


Since you can buy an aftermarket magazine that holds more then 10 rounds for the 1911, it is a machinegun.

 

[ctdonath]

Actually, oneshooter is right.
The 1911 does not inherently limit capacity.
The Broomhandle Mauser below it IS limited inherently to 10 rounds.

 

[dogmush]

I've often wondered why no one brought in a semi that didn't take more then 12 rounds just to annoy DC.

A PPK, Ruger LCP, the Mauser as mentioned, there's any number of ones that would work.

If I had a lot of money, and lived in DC I'd have an AR pistol built on one of the fixxed 10rd lowers they use in Cali, and bring it in to register just to see the look on their faces.

I'm hopeful the whole thing will be overturned soon, but untill then show them the absurdity of their policies.

 

[mgkdrgn]

I've often wondered why no one brought in a semi that didn't take more then 12 rounds just to annoy DC.

A PPK, Ruger LCP, the Mauser as mentioned, there's any number of ones that would work.

If I had a lot of money, and lived in DC I'd have an AR pistol built on one of the fixxed 10rd lowers they use in Cali, and bring it in to register just to see the look on their faces.

I'm hopeful the whole thing will be overturned soon, but untill then show them the absurdity of their policies.

Because if someone did, they would confiscate it as a machine gun, and arrest whom ever brought it in.

They could then spend the next several years in court (and lots of that "if I was rich" money) fighting it ... but the crucial bit of evidence (the gun) would have been long ago melted down/destroyed.

THAT'S the DC way.

 

[dogmush]

Their corrupt, and liars, but there is still lip service paid to law and order. If you lawyered up, and called the press on a slow news day and gave it a shot you might pull it off.

Stand there with your lawyer, and a copy of DC code, and some cameras, and ask them to show how it's a machine gun.

Unfortunatly I admit it's a pipe dream for me. I don't have a lawyer, money or live in DC. But it's fun to think about.

 

[mgkdrgn]

Stand there with your lawyer, and a copy of DC code, and some cameras, and ask them to show how it's a machine gun.

It's a "machine gun" because it meets their statutory definition of a "machine gun". They could have just as well called it a "ham sandwich" by definition and banned that. You would still be able to have a real "ham sandwich" (you know, the one with bread and ham) because that didn't meet the statutory regulation of the banned "ham sandwich" (the one with the bottom feeding magazine that could fire more than 10 rounds w/o reloading).

It's also tough to hold a news conference from inside a DC jail cell. ;-)

 

[peacenik]

I wonder if the Supreme Court has the ability to declare the council in contempt? They tried to keep the trigger lock component intact, decide the fact that Scalia's opinion declared (directly) that it was unconstitutional. The ruling also directly addressed the ban on semis.

I think the D.C. political professionals were thinking that they could just forestall enactment of what is (now) national law - hold it up through appeal after appeal for years.

If so - I think they should be rounded up for ignoring a direct order from the court.

 

[dogmush]

It's a "machine gun" because it meets their statutory definition of a "machine gun".

Grrrr. You'r missing the point. I know your trying to be realistic, but run with my thought experiment here. I'm trying to get the scariest looking gun, that doesn't fit their definintion.

§ 7-2501.01. Definitions.
Chapter 25. Firearms Control.
(10) "Machine gun" means any firearm which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily converted or restored to shoot:
(A) Automatically, more than 1 shot by a single function of the trigger;
(B) Semiautomatically, more than 12 shots without manual reloading.

Any number of small mouse guns, kel-tecs, a PPK, P7, Hi-Points (I think) have never had high cap mags made for them. Such mags don't exist anywhere. I don't think that even DC could call designing and manufacturing a new mag from scratch as "readily convertable."

Simarly with a CA AR pistol, fixxed 10 rd mag that you have to dissasamble to reload. I'd say go so far as to weld the mag in, and cut out the portion of the reiciver that holds the mag catch.

Make it fit their stupid law, and still be scary looking. Publicize the absurdity. I'm just saying.

In the meantime, I hope that DC leaves their law as it stands. I'd rather this go back to court for precident then have them buckle. While they're waiting, every citizen of DC should get a free LeMatt from their city gov. to hold them over untill they can register their 1911's.

And as I said before, DC cops should have to carry SAAs. (well Uberti clones anyway, lets not get too expensive) After all, there's no semi auto weapons in DC, so what do the police need to defend themselves from, right?

 

[mgkdrgn]

Publicize the absurdity. I'm just saying.

Dogmush,

The absurdity has been publicized to death ... these people simply -don't care- about the absurdity. They will fight personal possession of handguns in DC to their last breath and to the last taxpayer $ (You didn't think they were spending their money did you? Oh no, they are spending YOURS. DC runs on federal funds, so it's your money they are spending.) :banghead:

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

1. I'll believe it when I see it happen

2. There have GOT to be MANY models of semi-auto handgun for which no manufacturer has ever made an 11-round or larger mag, anywhere, ever, under any circumstances. Thus it is quite impossible for the gun to be readily convertible to be capable of firing 12 rounds without reloading. Are you telling me someone's made an 11-rounder or larger for the Kel-Tec P32? The Rohrbaugh R9? The burden of proof is on THEM - the government - to prove that the gun is "readily convertible" - that some magazine exists that holds 11 rounds or more. How is DC gonna prove that someone's ever manufactured an 11-round magazine for a Kel-Tec P32? Someone could easily successfully challenge the current wrongful denial for many handguns, if they had enough resources to fight.

Throw them into a tizzy by bringing in that broomhandle Mauser or Grendel P30 - I'd love to see that! Oooh, oooh, better yet, how about one of those California-style ARs with a permanent 10-round magazine, but in HANDGUN format. How utterly satisfying would that be, to make them register THAT!?

 

[dogmush]

Throw them into a tizzy by bringing in that broomhandle Mauser or Grendel P30 - I'd love to see that! Oooh, oooh, better yet, how about one of those California-style ARs with a permanent 10-round magazine, but in HANDGUN format. How utterly satisfying would that be, to make them register THAT!?

See!!!! That's what I was saying. At least one other person thinks it would be funny. We should send the idea to Mr. Heller, see if he wants to play some more.

 

[riverdog]

There are many pistols in which the magazine is held in place by a latch that slides under the magazine floorplate and would inhibit a longer, higher capacity magazine from being used -- a longer magazine wouldn't lock in place. No one would bother making a higher capacity magazine because the pistol design won't support it.

 

[ctdonath]

have never had high cap mags made for them.

Doesn't matter. An enterprising soul COULD make one. There is nothing in the design that INHERENTLY prevents more than 12 rounds.

Such is the nature of law.

 

[crotalus01]

Hmmm...wouldnt that broomhandle mauser be considered an SBR with the stock on it, or would it be considered a C&R??
I know that to put a stock on my Glock I had to buy a $200 tax stamp...

 

[crotalus01]

There have GOT to be MANY models of semi-auto handgun for which no manufacturer has ever made an 11-round or larger mag, anywhere, ever, under any circumstances.


Does it say a manufacturer has to make them for the public consumption in order for the gun to be illegal under current DC law? Because I wouldnt put it past Fenty and company to have a gunsmith on hand to manufacture a high-cap mag for any semi that was attempted to be registered.....

 

[dalepres]

There have GOT to be MANY models of semi-auto handgun for which no manufacturer has ever made an 13-round or larger mag, anywhere, ever, under any circumstances.

Fixed it for you.

 

[romma]

They are going Goldilocks in DC. They will say Keltecs and the like are too small and could easily be used as "hidden" guns... You watch!


The evil "hidden" guns are too small! And probably will sneak through metal detectors because they are plastic!

 

[Tim L]

Anyone have a Mateba to register? A semi-automatic revolver should send them into a permanent spin.

Tim

 

[damien]

According to D.C.'s press release yesterday, this legalizes semiautomatic "firearms", not just handguns.

http://www.dc.gov/mayor/news/release.asp?id=1380&mon=200809

"1. Change definition of a machine gun. The definition of machine gun will be changed to track the federal government and several other states. The District will allow semi-automatic firearms while preserving a ban on all automatic weapons."

At the risk of reposting this from a different thread, am I reading this correctly? Are they ceding the fight on "assault weapons" here? Barrett .50's , AR-15's, Mac-10's, etc. right now are banned in DC because they are "machine guns" - not for any other reason. If they cede the "machine gun" nonsense then those weapons will be legal, assuming a 10 round magazine is used. Is this the case?

If they cede that, it is a *huge* political victory because the most anti-gun jurisdiction acknowledges that a ban on semi-automatic military-appearance arms is unconstitutional. It would make DC more "gun friendly" than NYC, NJ, MD, and CA.

I fear this is not what they intend and it will cause some consternation at police HQ when the first guy shows up with an AR-15!

 

[DragonRider]

I posted this question back when Heller first came out. What is going to happen if you are traveling to and from the range and you travel on Constitution Avenue, or some other street that goes by Federal property? Is Federal property now ending at the sidewalk?

Just wondering.

John