I do not know why, but I had no I idea that this law got signed.  I can remember in the very early 90's drolling over the hk's 93's and the blue sky m-1 carbines (would not buy one because of the import mark).

I did hot find out about the band till prob 2 to 3 years into it, but I am glad that it is over.

Badredfish

We got some notice, but the problem was everyone did at the same time and there was buying pressure.

Nobody that I was ordering from would ship you anything. Mostly small local dealers were the only people I was able to get a few parts from around here.

I had a lot of notice, because I paid attention to talk radio and what was going on in Congress. Problem was that my money was tied up, and couldn't raise enough at the time to buy another rifle. I was well stocked up on mags though.

I won't be in that position this time. While I don't plan to buy any more guns at this time, you never know...and I really fear the next ban will be more comprehensive, with fewer loopholes/errors in it. Stock up as fast as you can, especially if Kerry gets in.

Not much time for me, I was getting married and building a house in 94. Not much $$ then. I did pick up a Tec-9 for an humm, "investment". That what I told the new wife at the time.

Found out it junk and it has been hiding in my safe since then.

If I remember correctly I had the better part of a year maybe closer to two.  I spent that time buying items such as hi-caps for Glock 17's, 19's and 23's from the many Pawn shops we have here in DFW, many for as little as $5 each....

I watched it on C-SPAN when that bullshiite vote ocurred, and then watched the news the day Der Shlikmeister signed it....

Glad the POS is dying. Utterly pointless feel-good, do-nothing law....

I remember some of the major distributors stealing from their customers.  For a good while, several of the large dist. were pulling spare mags out of Sig and Glock boxes.  When they would arrive at the dealer with one mag, the packing list would say 2, when questioned, dist said Glock and Sig started shipping only 1 mag, when contacted, glock and Sig both said they are still shipping w/ 2 mags.  Coincidentally, these same distributors seemed to have a goodly supply of spare Hi-cap magazines!

Quoted: I remember some of the major distributors stealing from their customers.  For a good while, several of the large dist. were pulling spare mags out of Sig and Glock boxes.  When they would arrive at the dealer with one mag, the packing list would say 2, when questioned, dist said Glock and Sig started shipping only 1 mag, when contacted, glock and Sig both said they are still shipping w/ 2 mags.  Coincidentally, these same distributors seemed to have a goodly supply of spare Hi-cap magazines!

Wow. Nice to know we're all on the same side...

Asshats.....

Just enough notice to run down to the Wal-Mart at 81st & Lewis and empty their shelves of every 30 round 10/22 mag that they had.

Seems to me, we fought it like hell for about a month I think, before final passage. I think we knew about it for a couple or three months, before final passage.  (That, was a long time ago)

I DO remember all the manufacturers were cranking out soon to be banned weaps/mags, like crazy...........

I was in college back then and didn't fully understand the whole ban.  I knwe to go ahead and buy the Glock I wanted before the ban.  My Glock only came with 1 15 round mag    Wish I would have known the truth back then.

But back then the internet was not as it is today, so knowledge of these type things were hard to come by for me.  Plus, ordering stuff wasn't at easy before the internet really took off.

Quoted: I remember some of the major distributors stealing from their customers.  For a good while, several of the large dist. were pulling spare mags out of Sig and Glock boxes.  When they would arrive at the dealer with one mag, the packing list would say 2, when questioned, dist said Glock and Sig started shipping only 1 mag, when contacted, glock and Sig both said they are still shipping w/ 2 mags.  Coincidentally, these same distributors seemed to have a goodly supply of spare Hi-cap magazines!

I wasnt into AR15 style rifles when the ban Hit But I purchaced a HK usp hand gun and the dealer gave me the option of 2 10 round magazines or a 1 Hi Cap . I took the 2 10rd mags not Knowing any better then when I got home I read the Owners manual It said The Gun Came with 2 high cap magazines Boy was I ever pised off  and for some reason I kept buying Guns from that Place after that.

We got lots of notice, almost a year.

Back in March of this year, everyone got a lesson in the amendment process in Congress.  The AW portions of the 1994 crime bill signed into law on Sept 13, 1994 were actually voted on much earlier.  The Senate, of course, passed the "Feinstein Amendment No. 1152" (what else?) on November 17, 1993.  The vote was 56 to 43 with one Senator not voting.  Here is the vote by State:

Alabama: Heflin (D-AL), Nay Shelby (D-AL), Nay
Alaska: Murkowski (R-AK), Nay Stevens (R-AK), Nay
Arizona: DeConcini (D-AZ), Yea McCain (R-AZ), Nay
Arkansas: Bumpers (D-AR), Yea Pryor (D-AR), Yea
California: Boxer (D-CA), Yea Feinstein (D-CA), Yea
Colorado: Brown (R-CO), Yea Campbell (D-CO), Yea
Connecticut: Dodd (D-CT), Yea Lieberman (D-CT), Yea
Delaware: Biden (D-DE), Yea Roth (R-DE), Yea
Florida: Graham (D-FL), Yea Mack (R-FL), Nay
Georgia: Coverdell (R-GA), Nay Nunn (D-GA), Yea
Hawaii: Akaka (D-HI), Yea Inouye (D-HI), Yea
Idaho: Craig (R-ID), Nay Kempthorne (R-ID), Nay
Illinois: Moseley-Braun (D-IL), Yea Simon (D-IL), Yea
Indiana: Coats (R-IN), Yea Lugar (R-IN), Yea
Iowa: Grassley (R-IA), Nay Harkin (D-IA), Yea
Kansas: Dole (R-KS), Nay Kassebaum (R-KS), Yea
Kentucky: Ford (D-KY), Yea McConnell (R-KY), Nay
Louisiana: Breaux (D-LA), Nay Johnston (D-LA), Nay
Maine: Cohen (R-ME), Nay Mitchell (D-ME), Yea
Maryland: Mikulski (D-MD), Yea Sarbanes (D-MD), Yea
Massachusetts: Kennedy (D-MA), Yea Kerry (D-MA), Yea
Michigan: Levin (D-MI), Yea Riegle (D-MI), Yea
Minnesota: Durenberger (R-MN), Nay Wellstone (D-MN), Yea
Mississippi: Cochran (R-MS), Nay Lott (R-MS), Nay
Missouri: Bond (R-MO), Nay Danforth (R-MO), Yea
Montana: Baucus (D-MT), Yea Burns (R-MT), Nay
Nebraska: Exon (D-NE), Yea Kerrey (D-NE), Yea
Nevada: Bryan (D-NV), Nay Reid (D-NV), Nay
New Hampshire: Gregg (R-NH), Nay Smith (R-NH), Nay
New Jersey: Bradley (D-NJ), Yea Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea
New Mexico: Bingaman (D-NM), Nay Domenici (R-NM), Nay
New York: D'Amato (R-NY), Nay Moynihan (D-NY), Yea
North Carolina: Faircloth (R-NC), Nay Helms (R-NC), Nay
North Dakota: Conrad (D-ND), Yea Dorgan (D-ND), Not Voting
Ohio: Glenn (D-OH), Yea Metzenbaum (D-OH), Yea
Oklahoma: Boren (D-OK), Yea Nickles (R-OK), Nay
Oregon: Hatfield (R-OR), Yea Packwood (R-OR), Yea
Pennsylvania: Specter (R-PA), Nay Wofford (D-PA), Yea
Rhode Island: Chafee (R-RI), Yea Pell (D-RI), Yea
South Carolina: Hollings (D-SC), Nay Thurmond (R-SC), Nay
South Dakota: Daschle (D-SD), Yea Pressler (R-SD), Nay
Tennessee: Mathews (D-TN), Yea Sasser (D-TN), Nay
Texas: Gramm (R-TX), Nay Hutchison (R-TX), Nay
Utah: Bennett (R-UT), Nay Hatch (R-UT), Nay
Vermont: Jeffords (R-VT), Yea Leahy (D-VT), Yea
Virginia: Robb (D-VA), Yea Warner (R-VA), Nay
Washington: Gorton (R-WA), Nay Murray (D-WA), Yea
West Virginia: Byrd (D-WV), Yea Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea
Wisconsin: Feingold (D-WI), Yea Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Wyoming: Simpson (R-WY), Nay Wallop (R-WY), Nay


The House voted on a similar piece of legislation on May 5, 1994.  They called it the.....sit down..........."PUBLIC SAFETY AND RECREATION FIREARMS USE PROTECTION ACT"

The vote was 216 to 214 with 3 not voting.  Party breakdown was Republican 38 yes, 137 no.  Democrat 177 yes, 77 no.  Check out who one of the "Not Voting" members was........FOLEY!  The freaking Speaker of the House did not vote on the original bill.  What a crock of gutless shit!  He lost BTW in the next election

Here is the vote (Republican members are in Italics)............

--- YES    216 ---
Abercrombie Greenwood Morella
Ackerman Gutierrez Nadler
Andrews (ME) Hall (OH) Neal
Andrews Hamburg Neal (NC)
Andrews (TX) Harman Olver
Applegate Hastings (FL) Owens
Bacchus (FL) Hoagland Pallone
Baesler Hochbrueckner Pastor
Barrett (WI) Horn Payne (NJ)
Bateman Houghton Pelosi
Becerra Hoyer Penny
Beilenson Huffington Pickle
Bereuter Hughes Pomeroy
Berman Hyde Porter
Bishop Inslee Price (NC)
Blackwell Jacobs Pryce
Blute Jefferson Quinn
Boehlert Johnson (CT) Rangel
Bonior Johnson (GA) Reed
Borski Johnson, E. B. Reynolds
Brown (CA) Johnston Ridge
Brown (FL) Kaptur Roemer
Brown (OH) Kasich Ros-Lehtinen
Bryant (TX) Kennedy (MA) Rostenkowski
Byrne Kennelly Roukema
Cantwell Kildee Roybal-Allard
Cardin King Rush
Carr Kleczka Sabo
Castle Klein Sanders
Clay Klug Sangmeister
Clayton Kreidler Sawyer
Clyburn LaFalce Saxton
Coleman Lambert Schenk
Collins (IL) Lantos Schroeder
Collins (MI) Lazio Schumer
Condit Leach Scott
Conyers Lehman Serrano
Coppersmith Levin Sharp
Coyne Levy Shaw
DeLauro Lewis (GA) Shays
Dellums Lipinski Shepherd
Derrick Lloyd Skaggs
Deutsch Lowey Slattery
Dicks Machtley Slaughter
Dixon Maloney Smith (NJ)
Dooley Mann Spratt
Durbin Manton Stark
Edwards (CA) Margolies-Mezvinsky Stokes
Edwards Markey Studds
Engel Martinez Swett
English (AZ) Matsui Swift
Eshoo Mazzoli Synar
Evans McCurdy Thompson
Farr McDade Torres
Fawell McDermott Torricelli
Fazio McHale Towns
Fields (LA) McKinney Traficant
Filner McNulty Tucker
Fingerhut Meehan Valentine
Flake Meek Velazquez
Foglietta Menendez Vento
Ford (MI) Meyers Visclosky
Ford Mfume Washington
Frank (MA) Michel Waters
Franks (NJ) Miller (CA) Watt (NC)
Furse Miller (FL) Waxman
Gejdenson Mineta Wheat
Gephardt Minge Woolsey
Gibbons Mink Wyden
Gilchrest Moakley Wynn
Glickman Molinari Yates
Gonzalez Moran Young (FL)



--- NO    214 ---
Allard Gilman Parker
Archer Gingrich Paxon
Armey Goodlatte Payne (VA)
Bachus Goodling Peterson (FL)
Baker (CA) Gordon Peterson (MN)
Baker (LA) Goss Petri
Ballenger Grams Pickett
Barca Grandy Pombo
Barcia Green Portman
Barlow Gunderson Poshard
Barrett (NE) Hall (TX) Quillen
Bartlett Hamilton Rahall
Barton Hancock Ramstad
Bentley Hansen Ravenel
Bevill Hastert Regula
Bilbray Hayes Richardson
Bilirakis Hefley Roberts
Bliley Hefner Rohrabacher
Boehner Herger Rose
Bonilla Hilliard Roth
Boucher Hinchey Rowland
Brewster Hobson Royce
Brooks Hoekstra Santorum
Browder Hoke Sarpalius
Bunning Holden Schaefer
Burton Hunter Schiff
Buyer Hutchinson Sensenbrenner
Callahan Hutto Shuster
Calvert Inglis Sisisky
Camp Inhofe Skeen
Canady Istook Skelton
Chapman Johnson (SD) Smith (IA)
Clement Johnson, Sam Smith (MI)
Clinger Kanjorski Smith (OR)
Coble Kim Smith (TX)
Collins (GA) Kingston Snowe
Combest Klink Solomon
Cooper Knollenberg Spence
Costello Kolbe Stearns
Cox Kopetski Stenholm
Cramer Kyl Strickland
Crane Lancaster Stump
Crapo LaRocco Stupak
Cunningham Laughlin Sundquist
Danner Lewis (CA) Talent
Darden Lewis (FL) Tanner
de la Garza Lightfoot Tauzin
Deal Linder Taylor (MS)
DeFazio Livingston Taylor (NC)
DeLay Manzullo Tejeda
Diaz-Balart McCandless Thomas
Dickey McCloskey Thomas (WY)
Dingell McCollum Thornton
Doolittle McCrery Thurman
Dornan McHugh Torkildsen
Dreier McInnis Unsoeld
Duncan McKeon Upton
Dunn McMillan Volkmer
Ehlers Mica Vucanovich
Emerson Mollohan Walker
Everett Montgomery Walsh
Ewing Moorhead Weldon (PA)
Fields (TX) Murphy Whitten
Fish Murtha Williams
Fowler Myers Wilson
Franks (CT) Nussle Wise
Frost Oberstar Wolf
Gallegly Obey Young (AK)
Gallo Ortiz Zeliff
Gekas Orton Zimmer
Geren Oxley  
Gillmor Packard  


--- NOT VOTING    3 ---
Foley Long Rogers


Now, once these amendments were passed in each House, they were then reconciled in Conference and added to the Omnibus bill that became known as the "Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994".  THIS is the bill that Clinton signed into law on September 13, 1994.  It needed Gore to cast the tie breaking vote in the Senate as several Senators who voted FOR the amendment pulled their support for the AWB at the last minute.

This should illustrate just how complex the process was 10 years ago.  We all have to keep in mind how incredibly devisive and close this issue was and how long it took.  For all of you out there who think another ban is only a "Midnight session" away, look at what had to take place over YEARS.  Also, keep in mind, this ALL took place at the height of the anti-gun hysteria WITH an anti-gun President in the White House and in a Democrat controlled Congress!!!  

We are NOT going to see another Federal AWB..................EVER!  The States are the battlefields now.

Hope this all helps.

Good info, thanks

I didn't think it would pass, but I had money ready in case it did.  I had CNN on, and as soon as it was announced, I raced to the nearest dealer and bought an AW.  This dealer had not yet heard the ban had passed, so I paid the (then) normal price.  I also wanted a second AW, but this dealer did not have it.  I went to a second dealer, but by the time I got there, he had heard about the ban, and he jacked up his prices.   I paid more for the 2nd AW, but since then, the price of the 2nd AW has remained above what I paid on that day. . . . .

I remember hearing about it on the news.  That's about it. I was only 12 at the time.

                               Massachusetts: Kennedy (D-MA), Yea Kerry (D-MA), Yea


                                  Lest anyone forget!

Here is an article from today about one of the Republican Senators that voted for it.   Boy am I glad she's gone!!

As assault weapon ban expires, key supporter recalls the debate LIBBY QUAID Associated Press WASHINGTON - The phone calls were more angry than at any time she could remember. Then-Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum was breaking ranks with Republicans to help Democrats pass a crime bill banning assault-style weapons. "It was big. I think I got more hateful phone calls on that than almost any other issue, and some from friends I knew," the former Kansas senator, now Nancy Kassebaum Baker, said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I was a strong supporter of the Brady Bill - that was different, when that first passed. But the phone calls were just unusually hateful. I had receptionists in tears. I'd answered the phone for a while to get a feel for what people had to say. There was no reasoning with anybody." It was a tough decision for her and the other five Republicans who voted for the bill. Baker was challenging her senior senator and friend from Kansas, then-Majority Leader Bob Dole. At one point during debate, Kassebaum was a solitary figure on the Senate floor, surrounded by empty chairs until fellow defector Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania joined her, according to news reports at the time. The crime bill became law, but on Monday, 10 years after President Clinton signed it into law, the assault weapons ban will expire. The Senate majority leader, Bill Frist of Tennessee, told reporters Wednesday, "The will of the American people is consistent with letting it expire, so it will expire." Baker was disappointed. "I don't agree with the leader on that one. I don't think necessarily that the will of the people is that it expire," Baker said in a telephone interview from her husband's home in Tennessee. Her husband, former Sen. Howard Baker, is serving as ambassador to Japan but is at home recovering from open heart surgery. She referred to a poll released Monday showing that 68 percent of Americans say they want Congress to extend the assault weapons ban. Even among Republicans, 61 percent said they wanted the ban. The National Annenberg Election Survey interviewed 4,959 adults from Aug. 10 through Sept. 4, and the poll's margin of sampling error was plus or minus 1 percentage point. "It's a step it's important to take to show that we really do care about what kind of climate exists in our communities," she said. "It does make an important statement. It is not denying people of their right to, as the Second Amendment says, a militia that can defend itself. "But it's like anything else, like having a driver's license that becomes limited for one reason or another," she said. "There are limits to what is reasonable." Under a provision in the 1994 bill, the ban expires without a vote in Congress to renew it. The ban outlawed 19 kinds of military-style assault weapons. The Senate voted in March to extend the ban, adding it to a bill protecting gun manufacturers from liability lawsuits. But on final passage, the bill failed amid opposition from the National Rifle Association. There is little appetite for renewing it in the House, Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas said Wednesday. According to NRA chief executive Wayne LaPierre, many Democrats believe the 1994 ban cost them control of Congress that year when voters went to the polls. "There's a lot of Democrats up there that are like, `I'm not walking off that bridge,'" LaPierre said in an interview with the AP. He and other foes of the ban say its supporters have always misrepresented it as banning automatic weapons, which are banned under a different law and will remain illegal. The 1994 ban was on certain semiautomatic weapons. "This time, members I'm talking to now view it as faulty legislation," LaPierre said. Besides the former Kansas senator, Republicans voting for the crime bill were Sens. John Danforth of Missouri, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, the late John Chafee of Rhode Island, William Roth of Delaware and Jim Jeffords, now an Independent, of Vermont. Dole, of course, voted against the crime bill, as did the only Kansan still in Congress today, then-Rep. Pat Roberts, who now has Baker's old Senate seat. The other three representing Kansas at the time - Democratic Reps. Dan Glickman and Jim Slattery, and Republican Rep. Jan Myers - voted for the crime bill. In March, Roberts and GOP Sen. Sam Brownback, who replaced Dole, both voted against extending the assault weapons ban. Baker said, "I would hope that it wouldn't become so polarized this time." "That's what I really regret: There's no opportunity to try and bridge these very emotional debates," she said. "We may just have to recognize that, and see what we can do to improve the climate."

Texas: Gramm (R-TX), Nay Hutchison (R-TX), Nay

Quoted: Seems to me, we fought it like hell for about a month I think, before final passage. I think we knew about it for a couple or three months, before final passage.  (That, was a long time ago) I DO remember all the manufacturers were cranking out soon to be banned weaps/mags, like crazy...........

Hey! You're alive!

Good to hear from you again. You had me worried.....