FN49 is assault weapon? What of Gsrand?

[Rusty S]

I'm now told that the FN49 is considered an assault weapon as it is semiauto and has two "evil" features: muzzle brake/flash hider, and detachable magazine.

Per BATF, if it can be readily removed w/o tools, it doesn't matter that it disassembles itself on removal and will not hold ammo in it.

It seems to me that the same mentality ( or lack of it ) would seize on the Garand's 8 round clips which not only detach, they eject themselves in fully automatic fashion.

( the following rant probably belongs in another forum, but it does relate to the above, so... )

I *used* to joke that CNN was to blame for gun control legislation finally passing after all these years because it showed what happened to Cseaucesku where our own senators and congressmen could watch, and imagine their own constituents irate enough...

I also used to think Mark Twain was witty when he opined that America "had no native criminal class other than Congress."

Seems like the first amendment only applies anymore in situations where it isn't shouted down as being politically incorrect.

Sorry, just being incredulous about what the country I used to live in has become.

[This message has been edited by Rusty S (edited January 02, 2000).]

 

[Tom D]

Rusty,

I know how you feel. There are a couple of things along those lines that drive me crazy as well. We got the Clinton crime bill / assault weapons ban to put an end to all this mass killing. It has always struck me as funny that one of the things that came out of that was the evil flash hiders had to come off of the "assault" rifles. Muzzle brakes are OK as long as the barrel is not threaded. Flash hiders or a no-no even if they are the slip on type. Now then, I ask you. If a person was going to go into a crowded place and inflict maximum carnage, would they be better served by a device that breaks up muzzle flash or a device that prevents muzzle rise and allows quicker follow up shots? This is what we get when we have fools who don't know which end of a gun the bullet comes out of writing laws about guns.

Since we are already way off topic, let me give you one more. You mention "what the country I used to live in has become". The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in Haynes v U.S. that criminals cannot be arrested for failing to regester illegally owned guns. It seems the court feels that asking criminals to obey the law would violate their 5th ammendment rights agnist self-incrimination.

Go figure...

I do think we are going to see a great renewal in interest in the M-1 Garand. So far, it has not been affected by any of these laws. In California, if you wish to shoot in service rifle competition and do not already own a service rifle, the Garand is the only one you can purchase.

I hope the tide turns soon.

 

[Art Eatman]

To answer your question about the Garand, I'd guess that 1) It isn't black, and uses no plastic; and, 2) There would be more political resistance to outlawing the rifle so many of us carried in WW II and Korea. I guess the fact that it's only an eight-round gun might make a little bit of difference.

One thing which arose during the 1980s-1990s and will be with us for a while: In politics, perception is overwhelmingly more important than reality.

Regards, Art

 

[fubsy]

As an aside on garands,,,,,they arent making them anymore, so pick em up if you want them, the people at the arsenal told me that had about 5 years supply at the going rate left. All of those fine old rifles that we lend/leased can not be brought back into the country so there are most likely thousands around the world that if our political climate was different we most likely could access.....fubsy.