General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: WaPo Article Contends "Zero" Correlation Between State Gun Laws and State Homicide Rates [View all]Act_of_Reparation
(9,116 posts)What if the price isn't right?
I believe you (or someone else) mentioned up-thread that technically, it is legal to own fully automatic weapons in the United States, and that these weapons are rarely, if ever, used in the commission of a crime. Why? If I had to guess, I would say it is because they are too expensive to buy legally and too risky to sell illegally.
There's nothing about a fully-automatic AK-47 that should make it more expensive than a semi-automatic variant of the same make. The cost differential is artificial, created by federal legislation that severely limits the availability of such weapons and makes the illicit trade thereof prohibitively risky.
Of course, black markets will invariably arise, but if Japan and the UK are any indication, that's not really a huge concern. At the end of the day, gun ownership is way down, and gun violence is practically non-existent.