You can thank Bill Clinton for your 1911

[Tom Servo]

The AWB was the best salesman the AR rifle ever had, but that doesn't mean I'll be thanking the people who wrote and passed that particular piece of garbage.

...not to mention those wretched hi-capacity SKS conversions.

The bill wouldn't have passed without the sunset provision (just as the Brady Act wouldn't have passed without the so-called gun show "loophole"). In their hubris and boundless enthusiasm, advocates of the bill went on record saying some truly horrid things. I'm glad the internet is there to remind everyone of Feinstein's "Mr. and Mrs. America turn them all in" and Sarah Brady's crack about that being the "first step."

Many of those things came back in 2013, and I'm to think they had a hand in sinking Feinstein's AWB II.

 

[gyvel]

The Series 80 still can't feed JHP even after sending it off to a great gunsmith in the Miami area

A shame that you weren't around in the 80s when I was working in Miami Shores. Every 1911 that I worked on had to feed an empty case from the mag or it didn't go out until it did. That was my criterion.

 

[Jim March]

Other guns produced by the Clinton ban:

5-shot 357Mag snubbies instead of 38.

The Glock 26 and other smaller 9mm guns.

 

[jmr40]

I don't think the 1994 AWB had much of an effect on 1911's. Their market share is different altogether. It did have a huge influence on the 40 S&W. At the time many 9mm's held 15 rounds, the same size guns in 40 held 11 rounds. Given a choice between a neutered magazine only holding 10 rounds in the same size guns many chose 40 S&W. Now that full capacity mags are legal in most places we are seeing 9mm come back strong.

That is about the same time many guns in all calibers were built and designed around 10 rounds in the magazine.

We can also thank the AWB for the mainstream acceptance of the AR. Prior to 1994 very few AR's were in the hands of shooters. They were a niche rifle. During the ban their popularity exploded. Something about telling people they cannot have something. For most manufacturers all they had to do was leave off the flash hider and bayonet lug and the gun was legal. AR magazines were never hard to find, nor especially expensive even during the ban years. I don't have any stats to prove it, but would bet more AR rifles were sold 1994-2004 than from the invention of the AR up to the 1994 ban. The only real difference after the ban expired was adding those 2 features back.

 

[Have gun-will travel]

I thank John Moses Browning for all of my 1911's....

 

[leadcounsel]

Well, I don't have the figures and facts, and this is speculation:

I would be willing to bet that there are FAR more manufactures of 1911s, and FAR more 1911s in circulation today than in 1990.

The military had mostly dumped the 1911 in favor of the 9x19. Wonder 9s were being produced by S&W, Glock, and a host of others.

I think, in spite of the costs and hassle and nearly permanent loss of gun rights, that 10 years of terrible law really HELPED gun rights. It supercharged ALL gun ownership. Some states never recovered after it sunset, but the rest of the nation flourished. It woke up the sleeping gun industry. We realized we needed to organize and get with it. Guns and mag production went into overdrive.

Yes, the 1911 benefited due to slim, low capacity less than 10. And revolvers too!

The 1911 also benefited from shows like Magnum PI and Simon & Simon which showed the 1911 in a favorable light. I remember loving that platform as it was shown in its glory on the opening credits!

 

[Theohazard]

For most manufacturers all they had to do was leave off the flash hider and bayonet lug and the gun was legal.

And the collapsible stock; most AWB-compliant AR-15s got rid of the threaded barrel, the bayonet lug, and the collapsible stock.

 

[4V50 Gary]

IPSC and customized 1911s were becoming increasing popular in the '80s. I don't think they ever went away and has always had a following.

One thing I can thank Bubba for is when the ODCMP sold me a M1-D.

 

[Aer656y9]

This is a nice piece of history. I'm glad you posted this.

 

[buckhorn_cortez]

As a child of the 1980s ...

Didn't have to read any further...history started when you were born.

Got my first 1911 in 1982, the second one in 1983...don't believe Bill Clinton had much to do with my ability or desire to own a 1911.

 

[MTT TL]

In 1992 I bought a WWII surplus 1911 in good condition for $220 and felt it a decent price. You could get them anywhere. A Glock 17 was $425 NIB and was just like sliced bread. The Glock is still worth $425....