Weapon in rampage was banned under Clinton-era law

[goodboy]

The high-capacity magazine of the semiautomatic pistol used in the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and more than a dozen other people on Saturday would have been illegal to manufacture and difficult to purchase under the Clinton-era assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004.

According to police and media reports, the alleged shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, legally purchased a semiautomatic Glock 19 with a high-capacity magazine in November at a gun store in Tucson. Under the assault weapons ban, it was illegal to manufacture or sell new high-capacity magazines, defined as those that hold more than 10 rounds. The magazines used by Loughner had 31 rounds each, according to police.


http://www.salon.com/news/gabrielle_giffords/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2011/01/09/giffords_shooting_assault_weapons_ban

[GSLevel9]

1. illegal to manufacture but commonly available through 2004.

The manufacturers knew the effective date of the AWB so they mfg'ed millions of them. They were more expensive than the 10 rounders but easily obtainable even in gun stores.

If you purchased a Glock 19 from a shop in 1997 it would come with a 10 round mag and behind the counter they would have stacks of high-cap mags for sale.

[slackmaster]

2. They weren't difficult to purchase at all, just expensive

The expired AW ban was a total failure. Its supporters had ten full years to make a case for renewing it or making it permanent. September 2004 came around right on schedule, and nobody even submitted a bill to renew the ban.

[frazzled]

3. And we need to pass the assault-weapons ban again.

We should redouble the effort we put into passing the repeal of DADT last year, and demand that our Congress reinstitute the assault-weapons ban. I don't care if criminals will still find a way to get them. We can make it harder, and we can make an unequivocal statement that our society sees no need for these weapons. They are not for hunting, recreation, or sport: they are meant to kill masses of people and/or assault police.

Let's be proud liberal/progressives and not be afraid to stand up for sensible gun control.

[slackmaster]

5. The most popular rifles used in highpower target matches are AR-15s which were affected by the ban

They're also commonly used for hunting.

[Statistical]

6. The AWB wasn't sensible gun control.

It was a feel good, do nothing bill. Even DOJ, BATFE, and FBI back that up. It banned firearms are almost never used in crime (<1% of all violent crime) and had no material affect on the crime rate. It made some people feel good. Crime rates declined after the ban was lifted and we are at a 30 year low on violent crime and homicide rates today.

The one thing the bill did accomplish was to give Republicans to take control of Congresss and helped George Bush become governor (despite Democratic governor having 60% popularity). That turned out wonderful over the next decade.

[GSLevel9]

8. you said "They're not for hunting, recreation or sport..."

I respectfully disagree.

Some people have a lot of fun shooting high-cap semi-auto pistols in the desert, forest, mountains or at a shooting range. And there are SPORTS that entail running around a timed course shooting steel plates like you're Bruce Willis or something, lol...

Now I haven't heard of anyone using semi-auto pistols for hunting... but if they WANTED to use one instead of a long gun, what's the problem?

Gun Control doesn't work, not here. Maybe if it were instituted back in 1910... but not today there are too many firearms in the US and there's that whole CONSTITUTION thing too.

Ban guns and only criminals will have them.

Even ASSUMING that there were NO GUNS in the world... would Jared have driven one of those cars in his driveway into the crowd and mowed down 20-30 people?

[RamboLiberal]

16. I believe USPSA competitors were shooting with extended mags

Long before the ban and before Glock became a popular pistol.

[derby378]

13. What's an "assault weapon?"

Asked the proud liberal/progressive who happens to own a Kalashnikov.

[frazzled]

20. And they call this a progressive board

As soon as you mention the words "law" and "gun" in the same sentence, they rush in to intimidate you. It's like a freaking magnet. They suggest you don't know what you're talking about. They try to cow you into being quiet. They bully.

Well, I will not be cowed. We need to enhance gun control laws in this country. Your Kalashnikov doesn't impress me and it doesn't scare me. My convictions are stronger than your gun.

[derby378]

21. Come on...

I'm part of this equation whether you like it or not. I only mentioned the gun not to intimidate you, not to "scare" you, but to remind you that your proposed laws will have an effect on people like me who, believe it or not, want many of the same things in America that you want.

And I will not be cowed, either. I know a thing or two about being cowed into silence. Never again.

[Statistical]

4. 20x times this myth has been posted today. Let me check ... still not true.

full and high capacity magazines were available in every gunshop in America throughout the ban. Many gunshops actually bought and sold used magazines because they became popular because of the ban. Strange how when you ban something it gets more popular.

[formercia]

11. and more expensive.

the ban was pointless.

Does anyone think he would have been worried about any penalties for using an illegal high-capacity magazine to kill all those people. I don't think so.

[xchrom]

7. Recommend

[Kaleva]

9. Ownership of high capacity mags wasn't banned under Clinton-era law.

You just couldn't buy new ones but mags manufactured prior to the passage of the law were still legal to purchase and own.

Key phrase in article:

"it was illegal to manufacture or sell new high-capacity magazines...."

[Old Codger]

10. Read this

http://17-76.com/gunfacts.pdf

[Kingofalldems]

12. K and R

The truth. And for closing the gun show/private dealer loophole, which does exist.

[jody]

14. Why, oh why do people persist in posting things that are not true? Have DUers become brain dead? n/t

[hootinholler]

19. Because it is sloppy journalism from a relatively reliable site.

Salon clearly dropped the ball on this one.

-Hoot

[ProgressiveProfessor]

15. False as to fact

[applegrove]

17. They should definitely get rid of those huge magazines. An assault rifle ban should be called for.

[Tsiyu]

18. Whatever the particulars

you would think that the people who squeal over anything less than unfettered access to any and every weapon known to man would ALSO be the people who wouldn't wander around town waving their guns and making posters advocating bullets as political solutions.

You would think people who hold firearms as sacrosanct (and for so many, it is a goddamned religion) wouldn't be holding their Religious Gun Orgies out in public.

They would treat their weapons like the serious implements of destruction they can be. They would encourage responsible, sane gun ownership, not waving your handgun around like a goddamn sparkler while you hold your "Librul Huntin' License" in your other ignorant, sweaty hand.

When I was very small, I learned to never point a weapon unless I intended to shoot it. Yet i see all these "expert gun owners" (Sarah Palin, Jesse Kelley) pointing their guns all over the goddamned place. Yet I see guns pointed at me, a liberal, on TShirts and signs, on TV and in the paper. How come I know this rule, and all these fools with guns do not?

If you want to sell the story that gun owners are responsible and non-violent, you gun worshippers are sure doing a shitty job of it.

[Kingofalldems]

22. +1

[beevul]

23. Please.

"If you want to sell the story that gun owners are responsible and non-violent, you gun worshippers are sure doing a shitty job of it."

Gun homicide is at an all time low.

Firearm ownership at an all time high.

Theres some 300-ish million firearms in America.

If you want to sell the story that gun owners aren't responsible and non-violent, there should be MILLIONS of examples for you to come up with every year.

There aren't.