September 16, 2004

• It seems like people don’t understand that the end of the assault weapon ban does NOT mean machine guns are now legal. Fact Check thoroughly debunks Move On’s latest ad on the subject.

  Just to be clear, what was illegal were:

  Rifles: A semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of–
  (1) A folding or telescoping stock,
  (2) A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon,
  (3) A bayonet mount,
  (4) A flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor, and
  (5) A grenade launcher;

  Pistols : A semiautomatic pistol that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of–
  (1) An ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip,
  (2) A threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer,
  (3) A shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the nontrigger hand without being burned,
  (4) A manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded, and
  (5) A semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm; and

  Shotguns : A semiautomatic shotgun that has at least 2 of–
  (1) A folding or telescoping stock,
  (2) A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon,
  (3) A fixed magazine capacity in excess of 5 rounds, and
  (4) An ability to accept a detachable magazine.

  Any one of these features was legal before, you just couldn’t combine them. None of these weapons are fully automatic. None of them have a faster rate of fire than already legal weapons that are already available. They fire as fast as you can pull your finger.

  • 1:43 pm
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