Military Grade Gun Laws And Reporting

I was reading the other day. Dangerous, yes, but often I like to live dangerously. I came across several articles pushing for gun regulation. These purveyors of journalistic art are pretty tricky with how they are presenting their agenda. Many find current or ex-military to give their take on military weapons in the hands of civilians. I’m here to tell you that the difference between “military grade” guns and “civilian” guns is very little. There are only so many actions on modern guns. There are pump, lever, bolt, semi-auto, select-fire, and automatic. The last two are regulated already. Shotguns, rifles, machine guns, firearm mufflers and silencers are regulated by the National Firearms Act of 1934. The purchase of semi-automatic weapons is legal in most states, as are automatic weapons made before 1986. You must be licensed and adhere to regulations concerning select-fire and automatic guns. (SEE Correction below) The federal government started regulating and keeping records of machine guns back when it passed the National Firearms Act of 1934. That law mandated strict guidelines for manufacturers and put them in place for owners to register their machine guns. Then in 1986, the feds imposed the Firearm Owners Protection Act which expanded on the original law. It also banned possession and transfer of new automatic firearms and parts that fire bullets without stopping once the trigger is pressed. Legal machine guns must be manufactured before May 19, 1986 -- the cutoff date imposed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives (ATF). Because of their scarcity, legal machine guns are very expensive, still require the original 1934 Machine Gun Tax stamp of $200 and the owner or trader must undergo extensive background checks and also permit the federal government to conduct searches. So, military guns are already heavily regulated.
Currently there are over 300 gun laws in this country (20,000 if you include local laws and laws that are redundant)
A study from the Brookings Institution Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy counts only 300 "relevant federal and state laws regarding the manufacture, design, sale, purchase, or possession of guns." The key word is "relevant."
If you can trust the Brookings Institution and their studies.
Even Canada is getting in on the action. May 1 Canada has banned about 1500 different guns. Even their law reads “military grade assault weapons”. I thought laws were legal, professional documents. The words “military grade assault weapons” have no definition. I guess they interpret to “whatever guns we don’t like, even though we know nothing about guns.” And what the heck is “high capacity?” My gas tank takes a high capacity of fuel. How many gallons is that? I’ve never seen such nincompoops writing laws. Throw in some vague, non-words. Or better yet, let’s make up words.
I’m also very tired of the mainstream media with their biased, liberal view of defense and guns finding these ridiculous ex Generals or soldiers who have problems with guns to speak as if they know what they are talking about. CNN did a video of an ex Army General shooting an AR-15 and telling me I don’t need such a weapon. I watched him shoot this gun like I’ve watched many first time shooters in my many years as a gun instructor. CNN says he knows all about the gun he’s shooting where clearly, he does not. Just because he served in the Army for 37 years doesn’t mean much. He probably qualified on an M-16 before the M4 was issued! When he shoots in the video he does not shoulder the gun correctly and the way he aims looks like he’s never held a rifle in his life! But he’s going to tell me all about what I need and don’t need. I was reading an article by a returned infantry soldier who is clearly suffering from PTSD. He talks about being back and reaching for his weapon in his vehicle or when he is startled. He wants nothing to do with an AR. I suffer from PTSD and have no physiological training, but even I can recognize the signs that the guy needs help! Yet because of his traumatic experiences he wants nothing to do with guns. I get it. I’ve got several combat vet friends that want nothing to do with a gun ever again. I have many that are still involved with guns. So I wish the media would stop traipsing inexperienced Generals and PTSD soldiers, and frightened reporters in front of us to try and prove how much we don’t need guns. You look like idiots when you do it and all you really do is put a spotlight on your lack of experience and knowledge about guns.
Let’s look at some guns that have been actually used by the military.
The Browning Hi Power was actually the most commonly issued sidearm going by the sheer number of adopters. Canada, the UK, Belgium and more than 50 other nations selected the Hi Power for their standard issue military pistol.
Even the Smith & Wesson Airweight J-frame revolver was issued in limited numbers, to some pilots in the Vietnam War and beyond.
The Smith & Wesson Model 10, a K-frame .38 Special, was issued to personnel on guard duty in the US armed forces (on a limited basis, but widely enough) from the Second World War all the way into Desert Storm. Additionally, the Model 10 was the service revolver of several dozen countries, even into the late 20th century
The Beretta M9 or the 92FS as you may know it, was the US military’s standard sidearm for over a generation until just recently. It’s also widely owned by millions of civilians and is one of the more popular semi-automatic handguns on the market.
Two of the most popular bolt action rifles in the world have seen extensive military service.
During the Vietnam War, a number of pre-64 Winchester Model 70 rifles were issued to Marine Corps snipers, Carlos Hathcock being a famous example. These rifles had been gone over by the Marine Corps armory, of course, but were still production rifles.
That conflict also saw deployment of the Remington Model 700 bolt action rifle, known by the military as the M24. It’s served in sniper roles from Viet Nam conflict into the Operation Enduring Freedom, albeit with modifications by the US Army and US Marine Corps as those branches saw fit. Both branches are in the process of switching to a new sniper rifle platform, but both are still based, oddly enough, on the 700’s action.
The classic 1911 remains one of the most popular handguns on the civilian market. John Moses Browning’s design saw military duty from 1911 until just a few years ago when the last special operations unit still using the 1911 moved to the Glock 19.
Everything from the Colt pocket hammerless to the Glock 17 has been issued and used by our military in war time. So just like the gun grabbers’ favorite label, “assault rifle,” the term “military grade” doesn’t really mean anything at all since it could technically apply to almost any firearm in civilian use.
The media and politicians revert to using the word “military” as a scare tactic. I understand their position and I could respect it if they would only stop lying! An informed argument would be a nice start. All that has to be done is to talk with a liberal gun expert. The problem that they have is that there are not many of them around. So they resort to petty, pathetic “experts”. Serving in combat or in the military does not make you knowledgeable about guns. Only a few guns. If someone sees combat right now they will have a good knowledge of the M4. But maybe little or possibly no experience in a lever action gun. I have trained many military and law enforcement members that had very limited experience and knowledge of guns. Some of them were downright dangerous even having been taught safety. I was enlisted in the military. I have known many great officers. But I’ve also thrown some officers off my range! Looking for a gun “expert” is still not that hard. Instructors and competitors is a good place to start. Some competitors only know their competition weapons, but many like guns and have a great knowledge of them. I’ve met some instructors that I was not very impressed with, but I can say that they knew guns. Being a General and in the Army for 37 years will not make you a gun expert. Many officers pick up a gun only when they have to qualify.
So please, politicians, I know this is a lot to ask but can you be honest? Can you write laws that have real words in them? Can you stop the ambiguity and be honest about what you want to ban? If you want to ban all guns just say so. Don’t try to come across as someone only interested in one thing when you are actually trying to do something else. At least Francis Beto was clear about what he wanted to do! You can’t be appealing to every American. It’s not possible! Stop using words like “good sense gun laws”. Be specific and clear. Your good sense and mine are different things. I know I’m probably wasting my time but can the media stop being biased? I know you think you’re not but you clearly are. You are supposed to report the news. Not tell me what I should think or worse, come off as an expert and tell me what to believe. I do not believe mainstream media. I’m not concerned with which one you lean toward, they are all hacks. I may see a faint glimmer of journalistic integrity once in a while but usually it’s crap. Usually it has an agenda behind it. Why? What’s wrong with telling me the news or at least giving both sides of an issue. I don’t believe you can do it but I implore you to try.
As a consumer be extremely dubious about everything you hear and see on the news and internet. Find good sources for news. It’s tough so good luck. Hold the media to a high standard. I can hardly stand any of them! But I don’t want them to stop because I believe in the first amendment. I just want them to die. I’m kidding of course, but that is what free speech is all about.
I guess this post is “military grade!”
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn


Correction from reader comment

Anonymous said:

"Just to let you know, this sentence is wrong,


'You must be licensed and adhere to regulations concerning select-fire and automatic guns.'

You do not need a license to purchase a Class 3 firearm. If you are a SOT, then you do need to have certain criteria from the government to make machine guns.
However, a person can purchase a full auto firearm, machine gun, by passing a background check and then submitting the requested paperwork. No need for a license." The FFL (Federal Firearms License) must be a SOT (Special Occupational Taxpayer)


Thank you. Whoever commented on that is correct, to own a fully automatic weapon requires a tax stamp and a background check. The gun is registered and must be a legal machine gun. (Pre 1986 made guns) You also must not be a prohibited person (felon, drug user, mentally stable, there are other criteria and ways to be prohibited)
If you really want to know all the details about NFA firearms, buying, selling, possessing, see the ATF's website:

www.atf.gov

This is why I say to research your questions and don't rely on one source online. I did not intend to mislead, but I did. Find good sources on the internet!