alan
Member
Hunting Rifles And Shotguns Targeted For “Assault Weapon†Bans
MEDIA COVERAGE of THE "assault weapon" issue is generally limited to congressional debate over continuing Bill Clinton's 1994 ban. But there is another current moving, flowing more quietly, and hunters ought to know about it.
As anti-gun groups and politicians continue to rant and rave about "AK-47s and Uzis" with less fanfare they are pushing for legislation that would define "assault weapon" to include pump-action and semi-automatic rifles and shotguns used by millions of hunters. Even .22s aren't spared in some of their prohibitionist schemes.
Senator John Kerry co-sponsors--along with the likes of Ted Kennedy, Dianne Feinstein and Charles Schumer---S. 1431, a bill that would: 1) ban all semi-automatic shotguns; 2) ban all center-fire and rimfire semi-automatic rifles that use detachable magazines; and 3) ban a lot of other guns newly determined to be "assault weapons."
Similar bans on all semi-automatic shotguns, and/or pump-action and semi-automatic rifles that use detachable magazines, such as the Remington models 76oo and 74oo, were introduced during the 2003-2004 legislative sessions in Georgia, Louisiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania and were proposed for other states in model "assault weapon" ban legislation put together by the California-based anti-gun Legal Community Against Violence.
The new proposals make it clear that anti-gunners don’t really care how a gun looks or how many rounds it holds or even what type of firing mechanism it has. They want to ban any gun they can, simply by calling it an “assault weapon.†NRA-AMERICA'S 1ST FREEDOM August 2004
Restrictions On Part Imports Remain After Clinton Assault Weapon Ban Ends
When the Clinton gun ban expires on Sept. 13, it will again be legal, under federal law, for private individuals to possess newly manufactured and newly assembled AR-15s, MIAs and comparable American-made semi_automatics with their standard complement of attachments, such as retractable stocks, "pistol grips" and flash suppressors.
The end of the ban will be good news for gun owners in practical terms, because people who use those guns for legitimate purposes benefit from many of the attachments in question. Gun owners should be aware, however, that, in some cases, adding such attachments to foreign-made guns, or guns made in the U.S. with imported parts, is a violation of federal law and will continue to be so after the Clinton ban expires.
Under the Unsoeld Amendment of 1990 (18 USC 922r), it is illegal "to assemble from imported parts any semi_-automatic rifle or any shotgun which is identical to any rifle or shotgun prohibited from importation," such as a Fabrique Nationale FAL, Heckler & Koch Model 91, or Kalashnikov. Those rifles and 38 others were prohibited from importation by the BATF in 1989 because of their attachments and other features.
The relevant regulation for the law (27 Code of Federal Regulations 178.39) lists 20 firearm parts, and stipulates that no more than 10 of them, if imported, may be used to assemble such a firearm.
See: www atf.gov/pub/fire-explo_pub/partl78.pdf for the regulation.
Costco Warehouse Stores Prohibit Licensed CCWs
Costco, which operates warehouse stores in several states, has confirmed to Gun Week that it "does not believe that it is necessary for firearms to be brought into its warehouse stores, ex_cept in the case of authorized law en_forcement officers."
Corporate counsel Karen Raines told Gun Week that it has no other comment beyond the policy statement that has been e-mailed to several people. That policy statement reads, "Costco does not believe that it is necessary for fire_arms to be brought into its warehouse stores, except in the case of authorized law enforcement officers. For the pro_tection of all our members and employ_ees, we feel this is a reasonable and prudent precaution to ensure a pleas_ant shopping experience and safe work_place. Our policy is meant to protect our members and employees in all warehouses around the world. This is not a new policy and we do not custom_ize the policy for each individual city/ county/state/country where we do busi_ness. Bringing a firearm into our ware_house does not enhance the shopping experience. We are sorry that the mes_sage you are hearing is that `we don't want you.' It is the firearms that we exclude in the warehouses, not the car_riers."
Gun Week had corresponded via e_mail with a Costco customer service representative about this, and to in_quire whether enforcement of this policy meant that the company would assume all legal liability for any inju_ries sustained by disarmed customers in the event of some criminal act.
Said Raines, at Costco's Issaquah, WA, headquarters: "You received our policy and that's our only statement." The NEW Gun Week, August 10, 2004
MEDIA COVERAGE of THE "assault weapon" issue is generally limited to congressional debate over continuing Bill Clinton's 1994 ban. But there is another current moving, flowing more quietly, and hunters ought to know about it.
As anti-gun groups and politicians continue to rant and rave about "AK-47s and Uzis" with less fanfare they are pushing for legislation that would define "assault weapon" to include pump-action and semi-automatic rifles and shotguns used by millions of hunters. Even .22s aren't spared in some of their prohibitionist schemes.
Senator John Kerry co-sponsors--along with the likes of Ted Kennedy, Dianne Feinstein and Charles Schumer---S. 1431, a bill that would: 1) ban all semi-automatic shotguns; 2) ban all center-fire and rimfire semi-automatic rifles that use detachable magazines; and 3) ban a lot of other guns newly determined to be "assault weapons."
Similar bans on all semi-automatic shotguns, and/or pump-action and semi-automatic rifles that use detachable magazines, such as the Remington models 76oo and 74oo, were introduced during the 2003-2004 legislative sessions in Georgia, Louisiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania and were proposed for other states in model "assault weapon" ban legislation put together by the California-based anti-gun Legal Community Against Violence.
The new proposals make it clear that anti-gunners don’t really care how a gun looks or how many rounds it holds or even what type of firing mechanism it has. They want to ban any gun they can, simply by calling it an “assault weapon.†NRA-AMERICA'S 1ST FREEDOM August 2004
Restrictions On Part Imports Remain After Clinton Assault Weapon Ban Ends
When the Clinton gun ban expires on Sept. 13, it will again be legal, under federal law, for private individuals to possess newly manufactured and newly assembled AR-15s, MIAs and comparable American-made semi_automatics with their standard complement of attachments, such as retractable stocks, "pistol grips" and flash suppressors.
The end of the ban will be good news for gun owners in practical terms, because people who use those guns for legitimate purposes benefit from many of the attachments in question. Gun owners should be aware, however, that, in some cases, adding such attachments to foreign-made guns, or guns made in the U.S. with imported parts, is a violation of federal law and will continue to be so after the Clinton ban expires.
Under the Unsoeld Amendment of 1990 (18 USC 922r), it is illegal "to assemble from imported parts any semi_-automatic rifle or any shotgun which is identical to any rifle or shotgun prohibited from importation," such as a Fabrique Nationale FAL, Heckler & Koch Model 91, or Kalashnikov. Those rifles and 38 others were prohibited from importation by the BATF in 1989 because of their attachments and other features.
The relevant regulation for the law (27 Code of Federal Regulations 178.39) lists 20 firearm parts, and stipulates that no more than 10 of them, if imported, may be used to assemble such a firearm.
See: www atf.gov/pub/fire-explo_pub/partl78.pdf for the regulation.
Costco Warehouse Stores Prohibit Licensed CCWs
Costco, which operates warehouse stores in several states, has confirmed to Gun Week that it "does not believe that it is necessary for firearms to be brought into its warehouse stores, ex_cept in the case of authorized law en_forcement officers."
Corporate counsel Karen Raines told Gun Week that it has no other comment beyond the policy statement that has been e-mailed to several people. That policy statement reads, "Costco does not believe that it is necessary for fire_arms to be brought into its warehouse stores, except in the case of authorized law enforcement officers. For the pro_tection of all our members and employ_ees, we feel this is a reasonable and prudent precaution to ensure a pleas_ant shopping experience and safe work_place. Our policy is meant to protect our members and employees in all warehouses around the world. This is not a new policy and we do not custom_ize the policy for each individual city/ county/state/country where we do busi_ness. Bringing a firearm into our ware_house does not enhance the shopping experience. We are sorry that the mes_sage you are hearing is that `we don't want you.' It is the firearms that we exclude in the warehouses, not the car_riers."
Gun Week had corresponded via e_mail with a Costco customer service representative about this, and to in_quire whether enforcement of this policy meant that the company would assume all legal liability for any inju_ries sustained by disarmed customers in the event of some criminal act.
Said Raines, at Costco's Issaquah, WA, headquarters: "You received our policy and that's our only statement." The NEW Gun Week, August 10, 2004
