08-27-2015, 06:55 PM
(08-27-2015, 06:36 PM)xxlt Wrote: If I understand that right the 1986 law "signed by Bush" per another poster (wasn't Reagan President in 1986?) has a big hole in it - you could keep selling old guns just not new ones seems to be what it says. Useless, not common sense, to go back to the "what are common sense gun laws" question. And why does anyone need fully automatic weapons, no matter their age? Again, common sense - but Armageddon to gun enthusiasts.
Your point on the penalties is legit, but I am rather confident the DEA and local law enforcement budgets (and time invested in policing) dwarf the budget (money and time) for ATF. I would much rather the police were looking for people amassing an arsenal than people amassing weed. But, this scares the crap out of the gun lobby and their zombie consumers.
Even though I'm a big 2nd Amendment supporter, I really see no need for fully automatic weapons.
After the initial thrill wears off, it's just a waste of ammo, and a lot of barrels get warped from idiots overheating them.
Now, a bit concerning the hole you speak of (per Wikipedia).....
"However, the Act also contained a provision that banned the sale of machine guns manufactured after the date of enactment to civilians, restricting sales of these weapons to the military and law enforcement. Thus, in the ensuing years, the limited supply of these arms available to civilians has caused an enormous increase in their price, with most costing in excess of $10,000. Regarding these fully automatic firearms owned by private citizens in the U.S., political scientist Earl Kruschke said "approximately 175,000 automatic firearms have been licensed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (the federal agency responsible for administration of the law) and evidence suggests that none of these weapons has ever been used to commit a violent crime"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firearm_Owners_Protection_Act
Forgot to add the actual requirements to obtain a machinegun.....
"The ATF, as a representative of the U.S. and with authority from the National Firearms Act, can authorize the transfer of a machine gun to an unlicensed civilian. An unlicensed individual may acquire machine guns, with ATF approval.[4]
The transferor must file an ATF application, which must be completed by both parties to the transfer:[4]
executed under penalties of perjury[5]
both parties must reside in the same state as the individual
pay a $200 transfer tax to ATF[6]
the application must include detailed information on the firearm and the parties to the transfer[5][7]
the transferee must certify on the application that he or she is not disqualified from possessing firearms on grounds specified in law
the transferee must submit with the application (1) two photographs taken within the past year; and (2) fingerprints[7]
the transferee must submit with the application (3) a copy of any state or local permit or license required to buy, possess, or acquire machine guns
an appropriate (local) law enforcement official must certify whether he or she has any information indicating that the firearm will be used for other than lawful purposes or that possession would violate state or federal law[7]
the transferee must, as part of the registration process, pass an extensive Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal background investigation.[8]
If ATF denies an application, it must refund the tax.[4] Gun owners must keep approved applications as evidence of registration of the firearms and make them available for inspection by ATF officers"
