Pre-Ban or Post-Ban: More Than Just A Date

1. Any of the firearms, or copies or duplicates of the firearms in any caliber, known as;
   • Norinco, Mitchell, Poly Technologies, Avtomat Kalashinikovs.
   • Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI, Galil.
   • Beretta Ar70 (SC-70).
   • Colt AR-15
   • Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR, FNC.
   • SWD M-10, M-11, M-11-9, M-12.
   • Steyr AUG.
   • Intratec TEC-9, TEC-DC9, TEC-22.
   • Revolving cylinder shotguns, such as (or similar to) the Street Sweeper and Striker 12.
2. Any semiautomatic rifle that has the ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of the following features:
   • a folding or telescoping stock.
   • a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon.
   • a bayonet mount.
   • a flash suppressor or a threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor.
   • a grenade launcher.
3. A semiautomatic pistol that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of the following features:
   • an ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip.
   • a threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward handgrip or silencer.
   • a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the non-trigger hand without being burned.
   • a manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded.
   • a semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm.
4. A semiautomatic shotgun that has at least 2 of the following features:
   • a folding or telescoping stock.
   • a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon.
   • a fixed magazine capacity in excess of 5 rounds.
   • an ability to accept a detachable magazine.

Now we all know that some of the features are already regulated by previous laws (E.G. GRENADE LAUNCHERS - THESE WERE CLASSIFIED AS "DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES" ALREADY), and some of them make no real impact in the "war against crime", but there they are.

Now you know what a Semiautomatic Assault Weapon (SAW) is, but how do you determine what it is you have or what you can legally buy or make? What is "pre-ban?" What it all boils down to is when the GUN was built. Edward M. Owen, Jr., Chief of the Firearms Technology Branch of the BATF, has this to say:

"Semiautomatic pistols and rifles assembled after September 13, 1994, and possessing two or more of the features listed in [Section 921 (a) (30), Title 18 U.S.C.] are semiautomatic assault weapons as defined. The fact that the receiver may have been manufactured prior to September 13, 1994, is immaterial to classification of a weapon as a semiautomatic assault weapon. Additionally, payment or non-payment of excise tax is also immaterial to classification of a firearm as semiautomatic assault weapon."

What he is stating is, as far as pre-ban and post-ban is concerned, the date of manufacture of the receiver has nothing to do with anything. If your SAW was built into a whole SAW, or in a complete kit form, before Sept. 13, 1994 (The Date), you are the lucky owner of a pre-ban receiver. If the gun was built after this date, or if the receiver was without all of the parts to make a SAW as of The Date, then it is post-ban. Let me give you a few examples...