What exactly was the AWB?

[JoseM]

Forgive my ignorance, but when the first AWB went into effect (and when it lapsed), I did not own an "Assault Weapon". Now I'm a proud owner of a RRA National Match Rifle (built it myself) and was curious to what would happen IF (please God no), but IF Hillary/Obama was elected into office and the AWB was again introduced...what would the consequences be? I'm not looking for an all out "what if" scenario...but what would happen to the AR-15's and their clones?

I was thinking of getting a Remington AR-15, taking out the barrel and upgrading it to a Grendel round for hunting...(I like the camo), but don't want to do that if it becomes "illegal" for me to use it for hunting...likewise, if the AWB was reinstated, would I be able to take my AR to the range anymore?

It'll be a cold day in hades before I ever turned it in....but does this mean my AR becomes confined to the safe never to see the light of day again until someone with sense does away with the AWB?

Just curious to what the AWB would do. Thank you.

 

[cdrt]

This should help:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_Weapons_Ban

The ten-year ban was passed by Congress on September 13, 1994 and was signed into law by President Bill Clinton the same day. The ban expired on September 13, 2004, as part of the law's sunset provision.

Firearms already out there were grandfathered in, so if you owned something, the AWB police did not go out and confiscate anything. Future production was banned based on the criteria in the article above.

 

[mccook8]

The original AWB was not retroactive, nor do I imagine that any new one would be likely to be.

Firearms manufactured before the effective date were still allowed to be possessed and transferred without any penalty whatsoever.

 

[Packman]

Firearms manufactured before the effective date were still allowed to be possessed and transferred without any penalty whatsoever.

Except a monster increase in asking price for "preban" weapons and accessories, like full-capacity magazines.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Well it's a lot of guessing of course since there is no law in effect.

The only proposal that's gotten any traction is HR1022.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h110-1022

You can read the full text there and see what is on the list.

The first ban was pretty generic, they didn't really seem to know what they were doing. This HR1022 is more carefully constructed.

One particular issue is aftermarket parts. There is some wording in 1022 that basically makes most aftermarket parts "assault weapons" in their own right, effectively ending that trade.

But it's all conjecture and hopefully always will be.

 

[Cannonball888]

Learn the history and also why Dems in Congress aren't likely to vote for an AWB again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxBJaAioXE0

 

[Big45]

An AWB thread? Color me excited!

 

[jrfoxx]

The problem with answering the OP, and guessing what a new AWB would be like, is that it just cant be done, as there is no reason what-so-ever to think a new AWB will be just like the last one, or be even remotely similar. They could make a new AWB say absolutely anything they want, up to and including making all AR ownesr felons at the stroke of a pen. All we can do is guess at what they may be willing to try to get passed, as they no that getting enough votes on anything too extreme is HIGHLY unlikely.

Heck, they couldnt even get the votes to renew the last, very weak AWB, so odds are not real good they will get anything significant at all passed AWB-wise in the near future IMHO.

 

[bogie]

We have to keep in mind that our adversaries have learned. They're not stupid. The next action will likely NOT be cosmetic, or based on specific model numbers, and will likely involve something on the order of "turn it in, or go to jail."

Any of y'all been to California lately?

Of course, too many "pro-gun" folks think we've won the battles...

 

[10 Ring Tao]

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://awbansunset.com/

http://web.archive.org/web/20050308005421/www.awbansunset.com/whatis.html

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

They were known mostly for "Pick up the Pieces."