Left Sig
12-06-08, 18:56
First off, I don't want this to be another future AWB thread. Some feel a new AWB is a certainty, others feel the democrats won't be that stupid, and other feel that it will end up in the courts and they will determine the result. It's all speculation and we will just have to wait and see what happens.
But something I haven't seen much discussion about is restriction of importation by executive order. Most of us know that Bush 41 banned the importation of a number of military style weapons in 1989 by executive order, including Sig, HK, and AK rifles. By most accounts this was done in response to a highly publicized shooting involving an AK derivative, as well as the fear of violence from drug gangs as the crack epidemic spread.
So it follows that our new President could do the same, but I am not sure exactly how far he can go with an executive order. The issue here is that he can do this without an act of Congress. It may even pass constitutional muster because he is not banning possession of any firearms, simply the importation of foreign made firearms, which is something he could do with just about any product.
I can envision a complete ban on the importation of all AK derivatives, all semi-auto rifles with detachable mags, or even all semi-auto rifles and shotguns, all pistol mags with greater than 10 round capacities, or even all semi-auto handguns.
Of course, we would be left free to buy American made firearms and mags. AR manufacturers and handgun manufacturers like Sigarms, S&W, FN-USA, and Beretta USA that have US manufacturing facilities would be OK. But HK, Glock, and many others would be significantly impacted.
The more I think about it, the more this looks like the most likely scenario. Obama could make good on his campaign promise to protect the 2nd amendment but "keep AK-47's off our streets". As far as I understand it, this would be viewed as a trade issue and not an infringement on 2nd amendment rights.
But something I haven't seen much discussion about is restriction of importation by executive order. Most of us know that Bush 41 banned the importation of a number of military style weapons in 1989 by executive order, including Sig, HK, and AK rifles. By most accounts this was done in response to a highly publicized shooting involving an AK derivative, as well as the fear of violence from drug gangs as the crack epidemic spread.
So it follows that our new President could do the same, but I am not sure exactly how far he can go with an executive order. The issue here is that he can do this without an act of Congress. It may even pass constitutional muster because he is not banning possession of any firearms, simply the importation of foreign made firearms, which is something he could do with just about any product.
I can envision a complete ban on the importation of all AK derivatives, all semi-auto rifles with detachable mags, or even all semi-auto rifles and shotguns, all pistol mags with greater than 10 round capacities, or even all semi-auto handguns.
Of course, we would be left free to buy American made firearms and mags. AR manufacturers and handgun manufacturers like Sigarms, S&W, FN-USA, and Beretta USA that have US manufacturing facilities would be OK. But HK, Glock, and many others would be significantly impacted.
The more I think about it, the more this looks like the most likely scenario. Obama could make good on his campaign promise to protect the 2nd amendment but "keep AK-47's off our streets". As far as I understand it, this would be viewed as a trade issue and not an infringement on 2nd amendment rights.