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Posted: 9/3/2004 5:09:23 AM EDT
[#1]
Some saw it. I was talking to Ken Elmore at S.A.W. about this months ago. He was telling me about watching the vote in Washington and everything!
I was a little young then. I was a shooter, but knew nothing about politics. |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 5:18:30 AM EDT
[#2]
I wasn't all that young...but ignorant of many things I should not have been ignorant of.
I am really curious as to how much time folks had to stock up on banned items and whether or not there was a shortage. Besides Para Ordnance, who went into overdrive on production of "pre-ban" items? |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 6:19:00 AM EDT
[#3]
I called my senator on the morning of the vote.....he wouldn't talk to me, but I spoke to one of his flunkies.....he basically just said thet he'd heard it all before...blah, blah. Bastard. I actually ordered (I had an FFL then) a gun that was later banned that morning...the price was already a bit inflated, but only about 10%.
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Posted: 9/3/2004 6:39:55 AM EDT
[#4]
I remember it well, but I was a poor sailor in Kalifornia at the time so I was pretty much screwed as far as stocking up..
 Firearms wise I sure wish I could go back to 1992 when I turned 21 and do some things differently. Oh well, 20/20 hindsight. |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 6:44:09 AM EDT
[#5]
I knew it was coming, but I didn't have the funds to buy up as much as I wanted to. I was well stocked up on mags, etc, but couldn't afford another gun. I even tried to get a personal loan to buy one, credit wasn't good enough. Credit card was maxed out, so...didn't get any more ARs til about '98.
I was also fortunate enough to see Winchester caving over the Black Talon hysteria, and bought like 5 cases of the stuff. Made a killing off of that, let me tell ya. That was how I afforded the 40+ mags and accessories I had (had 1 AR at the time, and wanted to get well stocked for that before buying another bullet hose).
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Posted: 9/3/2004 7:00:15 AM EDT
[#6]
You mean all the warning we had was 4 hours or less? I'm going to make it my household policy to buy 2 lowers every time legislation is even drafted. |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 8:10:41 AM EDT
[#7]
There was plenty of warning. It was debated in Congress for weeks, in and out of committees, etc. The internet wasn't really available at the time but there were BBS systems like NRA's "Guntalk" and the local to DC "Bullet 'N Board" that allowed us to try coordinating efforts and there were people posting the text of each revision as they became available.
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Posted: 9/3/2004 8:18:18 AM EDT
[#8]
There was some time to stock up.
There was a mad rush to the manufacturers. Got a couple of lowers from BM and OA. Grabbed mags when I could. I remember BM selling mags to their dealers, but we were limited to only 10. They were $8.75 a piece No manufacturers could guarentee you would receive product What ever you buy, it seemed like it would be enough .... it never is. |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 8:25:21 AM EDT
[#9]
Did Clinton sign it right away?
Did it go into effect 90 days later? I'd go back to pre-86, instead. |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 8:32:23 AM EDT
[#10]
Forget about 1994. Take away the internet and imagine how aware most of us TODAY would be of such legislation. Not very I suspect.
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Posted: 9/3/2004 8:36:20 AM EDT
[#11]
IIRC, I think it took a couple months for it to be signed and "in effect". But I am not sure. Maybe some remebers better than I ? |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 8:51:06 AM EDT
[#12]
The warning came in 1934 with the NFA. We were warned again in 1968 with the GCA. In 86, we were sold out by the one and only Ronald Reagan. In 89 they defined "Assault weapon" with the import ban. Brought to you by GHWB. As for the assault weapons ban, the die was cast in Nov. of 1992 when Clinton was elected. Anyone with any sense knew it was inevitable.The AWB debate in Congress was the talk of the firearms community for months leading up to the ban. The prudent bought whatever impending "pre-bans" they could afford be they firearms or magazines. Manufacturers were pumping out kits and lowers as fast as they could. Nobody knew for sure what the ban would effect in it's final form but the industry had no doubts that it was coming. Sales were hot during the summer of 94. Others didn't believe it would happen and they sat on their hands. And it almost didn't happen. It passed by one vote IIRC. There was some late night back door dealing on Capitol hill in the last days.
When it finally did pass, we all vowed revenge. The mid term congressional elections were a blood bath for the Democrats and even Clinton admitted that the AWB was the reason. We got our pay back and soon we will have our satisfaction. BTW it was effective when it was signed into law, Sept. 13th, 1994. |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 9:08:42 AM EDT
[#13]
There, my friends, is the difference between a few "dedicated" 2nd Amendment folks calling about upcoming legislation and a torrent of faxes/calls/letters/e-mails being sent. The internet is the key to getting the word out. Think about the hubub over the recent gun lawsuit bill. Imagine if we (the un-washed masses) had no internet to coordinate the fax/email campaign that helped to kill Feinstein's AWB rider? Unless you watched C-Span religiously, most of us would have been too slow to react. Gun owners, as a whole, no longer have to "trust" the NRA to play watch dog over the Congress. Grass-Roots level stuff can be effective thru the use of the web. The keyboard is truly mightier than the sword....... |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 9:19:53 AM EDT
[#14]
I was 10 years old.........
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Posted: 9/3/2004 9:52:54 AM EDT
[#15]
We knew the vote was coming for weeks but right up until the night before the vote we were 'Assured" that it would never pass in the Senate. A few senators had come out the day before and "SWORN" in front of the camera's NOT to sign the bill.
I had a deposit down on a Colt Blue-Lable HBAR up at Three Bears Guns in Wash' (They were the only guys anywhere near here that hadn't blown their prices sky high with all the pre-vote panic) and was driving over to my then GF's place when it came over the radio that the vote had passed  I stopped and called my sweetie and told her I had to go to Washington and headed up to Three Bears to get my gun (Hoping they hadn't changed the price on me). When I got there there was a line of guys (A BIG line) waiting to pick-up their stuff or buying on "Spec'" (The guy in front of me and I started talking while we were waiting and he turned out to be a doctor from Vancouver who was there to pick-up 5 Colts as investments). When I got to the counter I asked the dude helping me if the price of my rifle had gone up since the passage of the ban and he shot back (Dude was PISSED!) "We don't do that kind'a shit here."  It was a FU'd day. I'm SOOO looking foreward to seeing this POS "Ban" go the F*CK away. I get a warm-Fuzzy just thinking about all the activity that's going to come from it's ending and the FLOOD of AR's and other guns that'll be sold/built in it's wake. 
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Posted: 9/3/2004 10:05:59 AM EDT
[#16]
Actually...
When Clinton was elected over Bush my local newspaper ran a frontpage article highlighting Clinton and giving an overview of what he was all about and supported. The article was "Meet your new President" and in it one of the very first things it stated was that he supported a ban on assault rifles. I knew very well then and consider that a good focal point. But it was already well known to me as I had followed the candidates closely during the election year and knew what was coming. A friend of mine who is a Deputy Sheriff (And in '92 a Clinton voter) was a big gun nut and when I showed him the article his shocked comment was "I didn't know anything about that." The only reason he didn't know anything about that was because he paid no attention to what he was voting for. Anyone who followed that election should have easily known what their vote was going to support, there weren't any secrets covered up regarding gun control. |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 10:27:12 AM EDT
[#17]
It was known for months the bill was in committee, but most paid no attention because it was though to be just another gun bill that wasn't going to get anywhere - least not out of committee. I remember starting to buy Bushmasters in February or March of 1994 though, just in case. I continued to buy all through the summer as the ban came to a vote and I continued to stock up on anything even remotely resembling an "assault weapon". I had almost 2 dozen Bushmasters, several Tec-9's, half a dozed M11's, a few MAK90's, and so on. Keep in mind, up until the last minute when klinton strongarmed and bribed numerous democraps and the Congressional Black Caucus, it looked like the bill was a dead issue. Believe it or not, the Congressional Black Caucus was aligned WITH the NRA in opposition tto the bill, albeit for different reasons. IIRC, it was the 'midnight basketball' BS in the bill that klinton used to bribe the CBC back into line.
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Posted: 9/3/2004 11:03:35 AM EDT
[#18]
I was 13.. didnt know what an Ar-15 was at the time... lol |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 11:17:45 AM EDT
[#19]
I was 21 and I remember the price on all assault weapons starting to go up after the Stockton shooting. Damn dealers raised their prices a few years before the ban at all the Denver gun shows. I did not have enough money. I remember seeing Polytech AKs going for $1600 in 1990.
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Posted: 9/3/2004 11:34:05 AM EDT
[#20]
My feelings exactly. thank God al gore invented it for us. If he would have only known. I knew about the ban back then but didn't understand it. I thought SAW's would be illegal to own, so I passed up on the offer to purchase several AR's. hind sight 20/20 and all. |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 12:25:55 PM EDT
[#21]
In 94 I was 20 years old, in college, in Massachusetts... And the University didn't allow 'weapons' in their dorms. Officially they did not allow pocket knives or pellet guns. Not a good situation.
Of course my parents live in Dallas and I did get the chance to go to a gun show in Dallas before the ban. I really wanted to buy an AR-15 then, but as a college student, I just couldn't afford it. Had no idea at the time I could just buy a 'lower/stripped lower'. I've been waiting for this second chance for 10 years now. I'm ready. I'm not making any mistakes this time around. |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 12:33:14 PM EDT
[#22]
I made a killing selling all the AR's I had purchased in the 70's and 80's for under $400 for around $2,000 each just before the ban went into effect. Just like we did in '89 selling FAL's HK's and AK purchased for between $300 and $550 because they weren't supposed to import anymore. They easily sold for double.
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Posted: 9/3/2004 12:35:07 PM EDT
[#23]
I was well involved in the fight against it at the time....and watched the votes that brought it about on C-span.
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Posted: 9/3/2004 1:09:10 PM EDT
[#24]
I was interning for Colorado Senator Hank Bown. He was a Republican but he supported the ban. I Answered his phones and replied to constituant letters. He did not get very many calls or letters from people like us
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Posted: 9/3/2004 1:19:10 PM EDT
[#25]
I was 17 and in highschool. Had no internet in my parents' house, but the local 'Palm Beach Post' liberal trash newspaper did a great job of keeping everyone informed....the whole staff seemed ecstatic about the impending AW ban. I remember a big front page picture with former Sec Treas Lloyd ??? (can't remember his last name) shooting an AR15 at a press conference showing how devastating these firearms are.
I don't think I even knew about The Gun List at that time.....was calling every gunshop in town to find an AR15 because I thought if I didn't get one before the ban, I'd never have one. And thankfully, I had VERY understanding parents. My dad bought a Colt Blue Label model 6551 at my urging- and I still have it today. Josh |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 1:20:08 PM EDT
[#26]
I remember it well... I was in the academy as well-Plus College and Fulltime work. I promptly purchased mags using the LEO discount with both Glock and Barretta $10.95 for my Glock 22 mags $19.95 for 92 F mags I sent both a copy of my Commission and the check Barretta promptly sent my mags but Glock in Smyrna FREAKED OUT! They started saying I'd need a letter from my Sheriff--even though I sent them the ck and order before the ban took effect! Needless to say-I DID finaly convince them. So yes there was warning and I think 30, 60 or 90 days from the time Clinton signed bill to when it took effect. |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 1:23:38 PM EDT
[#27]
Srry $10.25 for Glock mags--What a steal |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 1:58:52 PM EDT
[#28]
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Posted: 9/3/2004 3:39:22 PM EDT
[#29]
I remember being warned about high cap mags being banned in '91 which prompted me to go buy my hi cap S&W 9mm, before any law could be passed. I had just turned 21 and rushed to the 1st gun show that I could find.
Just wish I could have put together enough $$ for an AR-15 back then. The price increases outpaced my ability to save. Then it just seemed the money and the motivation never got together at the same time. Now I finally have an AR and couldn't be happier with it even though it's not preban. I just regret it took so long for us to 'hook up'hebest of times for decking out an AR! |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 3:42:31 PM EDT
[#30]
Slightly different cadet status...I even kept an M-14 in my room 24hrs a day, but that is hardly germane to this conversation. While I don't recall the details of '94, it certainly has banded together a significant number of gun owners that thought it could "never happen," specifically my generation that did not face '68 or understand '86 or '89. Never again, if we can help it. |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 4:05:52 PM EDT
[#31]
I had no clue what an AR was then...And probaly couln't afford it anyway. So i settled for a fewSKS-1 russian and 1chinese(Norenco) And some extended mags for my 10/22 |
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Posted: 9/3/2004 4:21:00 PM EDT
[#32]
That was basically the same situation I was in...luckily, a lot more of us are aware this time around and getting a new AWB thru the House won't be so easy. |
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Posted: 9/4/2004 5:00:03 PM EDT
[#33]
You mean like how Tom Delay is saying that there's no way the AWB will be extended/expanded until at least after the elections? I want to be optomistic, I really do. |
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Posted: 9/4/2004 5:52:54 PM EDT
[#34]
By the way, this was a very good idea for a thread. Nice to know how it all came about so we can prevent it from happening again in the future.
"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." |
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Posted: 9/4/2004 6:57:23 PM EDT
[#35]
I was a poor sailor then , but I did pony up for 3 Colt Sporters (2) 5.56mm and (1) 9mm by doing a lay-away at the local pawn shop. This was about 4 months before the vote. Damn things cost me $857.00 a piece. Damn rip-off!
Since I'm not poor anymore.... I AM GOING TO BUY SHIT LEFT AND RIGHT! The next ban will have no sunset clause. You young pups be advised...buy your stuff now! |
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Posted: 9/4/2004 8:18:32 PM EDT
[#36]
I was 14, I can't remember
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Posted: 9/4/2004 9:49:14 PM EDT
[#37]
I had just can back from a 6 month tour from the sand box. I wanted to buy a civilian version of our rifle M-16A2 I just couldn't find any Colt sporters around to buy at fair price, the ones I found were 2 times $ retail, I was stationed in California at that time. I've waited so long...now I get issued the M-4A3, I'm building a civilian version as soon as the 94' ban expires.
Dan |
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Posted: 9/5/2004 2:56:52 AM EDT
[#38]
I remember it well. I was 21. People were panicked. I remember the ban actually passed in the Summer, but took effect in September. I remember driving through Texas in August hearing the gun show commercials...."last chance" This was really the beginning of the hatred of Clinton. He was a douche bag. |
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Posted: 9/5/2004 6:54:22 AM EDT
[#39]
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Posted: 9/5/2004 7:31:50 AM EDT
[#40]
Just prior to the ban going in place, I saw a NIB SP89 for $1200. I told my son we would buy it when it came on sale. I'm still waiting.
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Posted: 9/5/2004 7:52:53 AM EDT
[#41]
I must confess that I saw it coming, but thought it wouldn't make much difference to me. Move ahead now 10 years, and I must say (confess) that I was indeed terribly wrong.
I had always been a strong advocate for firearms and the 2nd Amendment, but in 1994 I had no interest in black rifles. I wrote & called my elected officials about gun control issues, but I thought I didn't want an AK-47 or a street sweeper, or a MAC-10, etc. I had my Mini-14 and I was mostly ate up with handguns at the time. Boy was I ever wrong...  .In 1998, I saw an AR15 (Colt HBar Sporter) on the local gun dealers shelf. I asked the salesman, 'I thought they banned those rifles?' -SIGH- I got my education that day & promptly bought the rifle. About a year ago, I got bit hard by the black rifle bug and started building them. Got my education on them from this forum. You might say I've become a bit radid now about any gun bans, 'cause if they can ban one, they can ban them all... Kudos to those who saw it coming and tried to do something about it; I take my hat off to you and ask if you'll allow me to now stand with you. |
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Posted: 9/5/2004 7:55:16 AM EDT
[#42]
I remenber the day very well. I was 23, stationed in the UK, and I had the day off for whatever reason. I walked over to the Stars and Sripes bookstore on base to peruse the magazines, and there was the headline on the Stars and Stripes newspaper: "Assault Weapons Ban Passed." A VERY frustrating feeling when you're 2000 miles from home and can't do a damn thing about it, while the knuckehead-in-chief was gloating. I had bought a few magazines before I had left in 1993, but other than that I was SOL. I WILL stock up this time since as someone mentioned earlier, the next ban will NOT have a sunset clause!
Just my $0.02 worth Steve |
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Posted: 9/5/2004 7:58:45 AM EDT
[#43]
I was 12 didnt know a thing about it.
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Posted: 9/5/2004 8:22:10 AM EDT
[#44]
I was 39 and by then pretty much had what I wanted/needed. I passed on quite a few CAR's back then because they didn't shoot as well in 3-Gun. I saw it comming and stocked up on Hi-Caps for all double stack handguns and rifles. Other than that it didn't effect me too much. During the ban I decided to get a Glock 24 and payed $75 each for the hi-caps to shoot it in IPSC, that was about it for high prices. Funny thing, back before the ban we ditched the flash suppresors and added muzzle brakes for 3-Gun.
Bill |
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Posted: 9/5/2004 8:25:46 AM EDT
[#45]
Why, thank you! |
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Posted: 9/5/2004 9:39:33 AM EDT
[#46]
why you asking me?/????
i was in the 4th grade all i knew on politics then was who the president was.... |
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Posted: 9/5/2004 1:57:21 PM EDT
[#47]
Early 1994 the whole Black Talon thing had come to pass and it seemed everywhere I looked on TV and Print, GUNS ARE BAD AND NEED TO BE ERADICATED, was the motto. Early June of 1994 I had Graduated from School. Then 1994 was when everything changed. and by 1996 I changed I feel, and hope, for the better.
I didnt vote in the 1992 elections, due to the way my birthday and the election day fell. I am sad to say that I would have voted for Bill Clinton. At 18 years of age I was ignorant and yes stupid at the same time. Do you know the difference between stupid and ignorant. Well Ignorant means you don't know any better, and Stupid means you know better but do it anyway. The freinds I had in school were mostly saying Clinton is a JOKE. I knew about the 89 Ban on imports so was like screw Bush and lets send him packing. I saw Clinton as a good change. Well I was dumb and Blind to it all. One day I got out of bed and boom the Crime bill had been passed along with the Assault Weapons Ban. ht Throughout the years ive had my share of AR-Guns, Starting in 99, Colt HBAR, Bushy M17S, PRO ORD 97S. Well I sold all I had A while back and just recently got an AR-180B. Very Very Very Happy with it. After the ban ends I will be buying another AR-180B, the current one will be M-4ed out along with a shit pot full of 30 round mags along with a equal number of Glock 17 mags. 10 years is a long time for some things to develope. Technology has changed dramatically. BUT the Idiots that brought this law into being and passage are still the exact same, Keep us in the dark and feed us shit bastards, they have always been. If only Darwins theory of survival of the fittest worked in politics we wouldnt have these bastards. I really hope Feinstein and her bunch burn in HELL . |
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Posted: 9/5/2004 3:32:30 PM EDT
[#48]
I remember it well I was in the military at the time and went to a local gun shop and bought a Bushmaster lower assembled no stock, because he had it in stock and I ordered a stripped lower and waited an eternity to get it, both were completed rifles prior to the ban.....
Still have both of them too. |
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Posted: 9/5/2004 6:26:40 PM EDT
[#49]
"You don't know what you've got, until it's gone..."
The truth is that Klinton's AWB is probably the second-best thing that's happened to gunowners (the best being the sunset provision that a few turn-coat Repubs insisted on in order to vote for the AWB!). The AWB woke up a LARGE percentage of the population to how things really work, and helped drive a demand for these rifles and accessories, because everyone had learned that a ban can REALLY happen (prior, many were CONVINCED otherwise), and everyone realized that we were very lucky that we were able to buy post-ban rifles at all. Do you realize that if it weren't for the ban being written weakly enough to allow for post-bans, that this ban would probably never have gone away? Without post-ban rifles, MOST of us wouldn't own an AR15, AK, FAL, G3, etc., and since we didn't own one, we wouldn't have been pushing for the sunset. There would be a much smaller pool of AW owners, and prices would be a lot closer to full-auto prices than the low, low prices that we've enjoyed. It's ironic that Klinton's administration is responsible for the largest increase in private AW ownership in the history of the world. -Troy |
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Posted: 9/5/2004 6:44:02 PM EDT
[#50]
I knew about the ban 10 months before it passed, and I am sure that other politically aware individuals knew what was coming. I bought my preban Colt AR15s in December of 1993 because I knew the ban was likely to be approved due to the fact that: A: The president was a democrat who supported the bill. B: The house and senate were under democrat control and the dems were really pushing for the ban. It was no secret that the ban was going through. When I went to buy my ARs they were almost out of stock and back orders were about two months. There was huge demand for ARs. I even had my dealer call several other manufacturers (Olympic, Bushmaster) and all the manufacturers were sold out and severely backlogged. Major legislation like this is never secret. If it happens again, you will have ample warning. The legislative process usually takes a few months. |
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