This Gun-Nut has had enough.

[Glassunion]

163. Just some info for you.

The Assault Weapon Ban (AWB) had a few faults. In my opinion there are aspects of it that I would like to see re-instated, but on the whole it was ineffective. The issue I mainly have is that it banned the manufacture or import of certain firearms based solely on a combination of cosmetic (not functional) features of firearms. So basically you could still technically have an assault weapon as long as it did not reach the combination of cosmetic features. I'll give you a few examples to explain.

The AWB only had an effect on semi-automatic firearms. If you are unaware, a "semi-automatic" firearm is a firearm that when you squeeze the trigger one bullet is fired, and then the firearm will cycle another bullet into the firearm where the shooter then has to squeeze the trigger again for another bullet to fire. If the shooter squeezes and holds the trigger only one bullet will fire.

The AWB in regards to rifles. A rifle was considered an Assault Weapon if:
If it has a detachable magazine: Basically a box that holds the bullets that can be removed from the firearm by the press of a button on the weapon. If a tool is required to remove the firearm's magazine, it did not qualify as an assault weapon.

And any two or more of the following features.
Folding or telescoping stock: This is the rear end of the rifle that you put up to your shoulder. Folding means that the sock can be folder over to any given side of the rifle. Telescoping simply means that it moves in and out.

Pistol grip: This is simply the grip of the firearm that is held by the trigger hand. If it protruded straight down instead of being integral to the stock, it was considered a pistol grip.

Bayonet mount: This is simply a lug (mounting point) on the end of the rifle where a bayonet (long slender knife) could be attached to the firearm.

Flash suppressor, or threaded barrel designed to accommodate one: This is the small device that is attached to the tip of a rifle barrel, that directs the burning gas that exhausts from the end of a rifle.

Grenade launcher: This is a muzzle device that enables launching or firing rifle grenades, though this applies only to muzzle mounted grenade launchers and not those mounted externally.

These are all of the combinations necessary for a rifle to be considered an assault weapon. So basically, you could take the exact same rifle that the shooter at this school used, file off the bayonet lug, and take a saw to cut off the flash suppressor at the threads and the firearm would no longer be considered an assault weapon. Kind of silly if you think about it. All of the features defined in the AWB do not make the firearm any more or less lethal.

There was however one aspect of the AWB that I feel reduced the lethality of the firearm. Regardless if the firearm was a rifle, pistol or shotgun, there was a magazine limit. All magazines were limited to 10 rounds of ammunition. This I feel reduces the lethality of the firearm and is where I think we should re-examine our efforts. This is definitely a subject of discussion that we should have.