How bad was the first ban?

[Spots]

From a gunowners point of view, how bad was the first awb for gunowners? Ive read up on the law, but not being of age when it was in effect I wondered what it would be like if the same bill was reintroduced and what to expect

[gregintenn]

You'll not see the same bill. It was temporary. No way they make that concession twice.

[atlas3025]

You'll not see the same bill. It was temporary. No way they make that concession twice.

 

+1...but more than that, they won't do the crap where they say you can have only 2 evil features (pistol grip, shoulder thing that goes up, detachable clip, grenade launcher, flash hider, bayonet lug, etc).  A lot of guns got around this by removing the bayonet lugs, flash hiders, and shoulder things that go up.  They banned several guns by name. 

 

They wouldn't do that this time.  They will ban any semi-auto with a detachable magazine, or something like that.  They will also likely pass an absurd tax on ammo. 

[RobertNashville]

Yeah...compared to what they are sure to ask for the first AWB was a walk in the park on a prefect spring day.

 

What may be in our favor now is that the AR and related "military style" platforms have become so popular with the firearms community (compared to the first ban) that I think people are going to rise up in much bigger numbers to oppose it.

The weak link are those Democrats and Republicans who at one time we could count on to oppose a measure like this...no one of either party is going to want to be labeled, at reelection time, as a someone who wouldn't vote to ban "child-killer assault weapons" (and that's probably the nicest the anti-gun crowd would say about them).

[East_TN_Patriot]

Specific to the question, the first AWB was a pain. "Per-ban" guns were at a premium, you constantly had to worry about whether a used gun may have had parts added that violated the ban, high-cap magazines were next to impossible to get (even for law enforcement officers), and when you did find some, they cost a small fortune.

[JayC]

It's time now to start calling your congress critters everyday and bugging them everyday that voting for any form of gun control will not only loose your vote, but you will spend every day of the next 2 years working to make sure they don't get re-elected.

[Spots]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="East_TN_Patriot" data-cid="863629" data-time="1355953055"><p>
Specific to the question, the first AWB was a pain. "Per-ban" guns were at a premium, you constantly had to worry about whether a used gun may have had parts added that violated the ban, high-cap magazines were next to impossible to get (even for law enforcement officers), and when you did find some, they cost a small fortune.</p></blockquote>

Well one person answered my question. I am active in calling congressman and senetaors this time around, and i know the ban won't be the same. I was just looking for a first person perspective on the last ban, even knowing it wont be the same Edited December 19, 2012 by Spots

[daddyo]

The one thing that won't change is that if this does pass (and I really don't believe it will), a LOT of legislators will lose their seats in 2014.

Edited December 20, 2012 by DaddyO

[RobertNashville]

The one thing that won't change is that if this does pass (and I really don't believe it will), a LOT of legislators will lose their seats in 2014.

I certainly hope so but I'm not overly optimistic about that.

 

Look at some of the pinheads that were sent back to Congress after Obama care passed!

 

And if it does happen...it will be too late. :(

[runco]

How bad was the first Ban?   It was sooo bad that I remember $120 Glock 17 magazines, $1800 Colt AR15s, and they did not last long if a dealer had them.

[MacGyver]

The Republican Revolution of 1994 likely wouldn't have happened without the AWB.

There are 10 million permit holders in America. This doesn't even consider other gun owners. We represent a voting block to be respected.

We don't need to give up any more of our cake. We need to have intelligent conversations about the nature of evil and brokenness.

We need to remind our elected officials of this daily.

[gregintenn]

The Republican Revolution of 1994 likely wouldn't have happened without the AWB.

There are 30 million permit holders in America. This doesn't even consider other gun owners. We represent a voting block to be respected.

We don't need to give up any more of our cake. We need to have intelligent conversations about the nature of evil and brokenness.

We need to remind our elected officials of this daily.

We got our butts kicked last month. :hiding: Just sayin...

[MacGyver]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="gregintenn" data-cid="863910" data-time="1355969104"><p>
We got our butts kicked last month. :hiding: Just sayin...</p></blockquote>very true. But, it's interesting to go poll democrats who lost in 1994. In hindsight, a lot of them view voting for the AWB as the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.

[JayC]

We got our butts kicked last month. :hiding: Just sayin...

 

I'm pretty sure Republicans held the House by a fairly wide margin...  We didn't win the Presidency but republicans in the house who almost to a person agreed to support the 2nd amendment won.

[et45]

Prices on "preban" ARs were sky high,but they weren't selling.I saw the same dealers at gun shows with the same ARs,month after month,year after year

[K191145]

I'm pretty sure Republicans held the House by a fairly wide margin...  We didn't win the Presidency but republicans in the house who almost to a person agreed to support the 2nd amendment won.

I'm not so sure if some of those PUBs wouldn't cave in this time. No good for me to write my congressman since the bozo's keep re-drawing what district we are in, in Kingston Springs. We are now in Cooperlosie's district, I wouldn't waste one keypunch e-mailing that bootlicker.

[K191145]

From a gunowners point of view, how bad was the first awb for gunowners? Ive read up on the law, but not being of age when it was in effect I wondered what it would be like if the same bill was reintroduced and what to expect

Well, 94 is when I bought my MAK-90, many people who may have not been interested in an AK/AR type firearm before the ban suddenly wanted one. Now we are seeing record sales and it's just talk of one right now.

[AdotOdot4]

[quote name='MacGyver' timestamp='1355968341' post='863899']The Republican Revolution of 1994 likely wouldn't have happened without the AWB. There are 30 million permit holders in America. This doesn't even consider other gun owners. We represent a voting block to be respected. We don't need to give up any more of our cake. We need to have intelligent conversations about the nature of evil and brokenness. We need to remind our elected officials of this daily.[/quote] I'm curious where you get 30 million? I've only heard 8-10 million permit holders.

[frankmako]

the band drove up the prices of everything.  get ready for high prices again.  in some area it has started.

[TGO David]

Lately I've had a lot of people who have only recently started caring about firearms ask me about the first ban.  My answer to them is what it will be to you...

 

It was pretty bad but it's nothing to base your predictions on about what's coming down the pipe.  This is going to be much worse.

[MacGyver]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="AdotOdot4" data-cid="864072" data-time="1355982057"><p>
I'm curious where you get 30 million? I've only heard 8-10 million permit holders.</p></blockquote>

You're correct. I was on my phone and mistyped. There are roughly 10.6 million permit holders. We're about 3% of the population - not 10%.

[BryanP]

Oddly enough, when the AWB was passed the AR didn't enjoy the huge popularity with the shooting public that it currently does.  The AWB gave it a higher profile at the same time gave it the mystical allure of "I didn't want one, but now you're telling me I CAN'T have one, so I MUST have one."

 

The other "benefit", at least in the pistol area, was that manufacturers started working harder on what they could make - quality compact semi-autos that held 10 rounds or less.

 

That said, i don't believe we'll see anything like what we got last time.  I don't know what they'll try, but I'm sure we won't like it.

[enfield]

When you think it's time to bury your guns, it's probably time to dig them up.  Matthew Bracken said something like that.

[JayC]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="AdotOdot4" data-cid="864072" data-time="1355982057"><p>
I'm curious where you get 30 million? I've only heard 8-10 million permit holders.</p></blockquote>

You're correct. I was on my phone and mistyped. There are roughly 10.6 million permit holders. We're about 3% of the population - not 10%.

 

We're roughly 10% of the adult population...  when you remove those under 21, that number jumps up closer to 10%.

[MacGyver]

We're roughly 10% of the adult population...  when you remove those under 21, that number jumps up closer to 10%.

I'd guess that is probably a lot closer when you consider people under 21 and those ineligible to own firearms.