Some Clarification On US Gun Laws Please...

One thing I have had problems with is convincing folk back in Blighty just how hard it is to get a machine gun and that the laws date back to the 1930s. They are also terminally dumb about semi vs fully automatic, just like every talking head here on TV.:rolleyes:
I'm always amused by foreigners who think they know U.S. law, especially with regard to the First and Second Amendments.

During the first Gulf War, I ended my usenet posts with "And Iraq must be destroyed".

A couple of ninnies in Belgium lectured me on how I had to stop doing that IMMEDIATELY, since I was obviously in violation of American "hate speech" laws and could face "prosecution". I told them that no such laws existed, nor indeed COULD exist in the United States, but still offered to provide them the phone number of the FBI if they wanted to drop a dime on me.

This prompted more indignant huffing and puffing from them, in turn prompting more ridicule of them by me. A good time was had by SOME...
 
Funnily enough, that's the impression I've got just reading magazines and these forums. One thing I've noticed is that, when you look at things objectively, you find on balance, they're not as bad as you think they are most of the time.

I agree that these are the golden years for firearms owners in my life time. The low point was the Clinton years. Especially due to the foolishly conceived and stupidly executed "Assault Weapons Ban". Before that happened, military style semi auto rifles were unusual and expensive, really only used in high power rifle match competition and plinking. Fear of restrictions have skyrocketed handgun ownership during the Obama administration. Ironically anti gun liberals have sold more firearms in this country than any amount of advertising or lobbying ever could have. And I believe the concealed carry movement has made us all safer. At least I feel that way. I just saw yesterday that Ohio surpassed 402,000 concealed handgun licenses in 2013.
 
in florida if you have been convicted of domestic matter even if it is a mistormeaner you will be denied a carry permit. Also in Florida you can not carry concealed until you are 21. You can take course at 18 and if you pass background check the state will put on hold till you come of age.
 
mac2,
I'm impressed by your level of knowledge on this subject. I still run across many here that don't know as much as you.

However, this bit...
...is not quite right.

A "felon" is prohibited from ever owning a firearm again. The definition of a felony is a crime punishable by more than a year in prison or death. A misdemeanor does not bar a person from owning a gun.

Further, a felon can petition to get their rights restored. I don't know the process, but I'm certain it's not easy. Still, it can be done if a person tries hard enough.

Thank you - even before the internet, I found US gun mags much more interesting and informative than what we had here - they actually had colour photos...and used to pick up all sorts of snippets which I found interesting. I believe it is still stricter than here: off the top of my head, if you have received a custodial sentence of up to 3 years, there is a 5 year period prohibition from ownership, whilst over 3 years you are prohibited for life. You can petition to have your rights restored - believe it would be to petition the local police chief (Chief Constable) to grant you a firearm or shotgun licence - known as a "Certificate" when you applied.
 
EXCEPT, I believe, a misdemeanor DOMESTIC VIOLENCE conviction.
Some states may have this in their law, but I'd have to see the code before I'd believe it.

There are many such statutes that seem similar though. For example, in CA, if you have a restraining order against you, you are prohibited from owning guns. There are other such statutes, but none at the federal level that I know of.

**I am not a lawyer nor do I play one on TV**​
 
Federal law

Identify Prohibited Persons

The Gun Control Act (GCA) makes it unlawful for certain categories of persons to ship, transport, receive, or possess firearms. 18 USC 922(g). Transfers of firearms to any such prohibited persons are also unlawful. 18 USC 922(d).
These categories include any person:

  • Under indictment or information in any court for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year;
  • convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year;
  • who is a fugitive from justice;
  • who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance;
  • who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to any mental institution;
  • who is an illegal alien;
  • who has been discharged from the military under dishonorable conditions;
  • who has renounced his or her United States citizenship;
  • who is subject to a court order restraining the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or child of the intimate partner; or
  • who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence (enacted by the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997, Pub. L. No. 104-208, effective September 30, 1996). 18 USC 922(g) and (n).
 
Something many of us are all too well aware...

But I doubt any of the handguns banned in 1997 went underground as they were all individually registered and the owners either had to hand them in or otherwise dispose of them. Some, including myself sent them abroad and Brits go to places like Jersey, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland and France to shoot them.

OK, I understand Jersey, and The Isle of Man are autonomous . But isn't Northern Ireland part of the UK?

P.S. You can keep Piers Morgan! (I do like Mrs. Brown )
 
Couple things, you can't go anywhere you like in NJ with a handgun. It's from LGS to home, home to range, no detours. A felon can have his record expunged, it's easy, all it takes is money a lawyer and some time.
 
OK, I understand Jersey, and The Isle of Man are autonomous . But isn't Northern Ireland part of the UK?

Yes it is, but firearms laws are different there. I do not recall why Parliament decided that. There are many aspects of Scottish law that differ from practice in the rest of the UK.
 
Yes it is, but firearms laws are different there. I do not recall why Parliament decided that. There are many aspects of Scottish law that differ from practice in the rest of the UK.

It might have been because a high number of shooters (I think) there are military and police. The latter routinely carry so it would have got seriously complicated and silly telling them they couldn't own their own when they have them in their possession all the time...Also, don't forget the PDW - personal defence weapons issued - aha - there's a surprise for some of the US posters here - the UK DOES allow pistol ownership purely for self defence!

I only found out by accident that the semi-auto fullbore rifle ban and pistol ban didn't apply in Northern Ireland from a letter published in Shooting Sports magazine from a reader in NI...

In retrospect, Parliament was able to ramrod the SLR and handgun ban with public acceptance partly because the British public (including many shooters) don't know British law let alone laws in other countries so they wouldn't see how illogical it was and that it wouldn't improve public safety - many who handed their handguns in have shotguns and rifles and could have and did add to the collection with the compensation received - and partly because there were comparatively few of them - 10,000 SLR owners and 57,000 handgun owners: about 1/10 of the number of combined shotgun and rifle owners. Easy to ride roughshod over...
 
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In retrospect, Parliament was able to ramrod the SLR and handgun ban with public acceptance partly because the British public (including many shooters) don't know British law let alone laws in other countries so they wouldn't see how illogical it was and that it wouldn't improve public safety - many who handed their handguns in have shotguns and rifles and could have and did add to the collection with the compensation received, and partly because there were comparatively few of them - 10,000 SLR owners and 57,000 handgun owners: about 1/10 of the number of combined shotgun and rifle owners. Easy to ride roughshod over...
You, the Canadians and the Aussies took one for the team.

We saw what happened when you tried to be "reasonable" and "compromise". Aside from a few Quislings, there's ZERO sentiment for "compromise" here. We simply don't trust the other side, since we KNOW their model is the British model... or worse.
 
You, the Canadians and the Aussies took one for the team.

We saw what happened when you tried to be "reasonable" and "compromise". Aside from a few Quislings, there's ZERO sentiment for "compromise" here. We simply don't trust the other side, since we KNOW their model is the British model... or worse.

I KNOW - that's what I tell 'em - the NRA needs to be militant and uncompromising because the opposition is...and I'm cheering them on!
 
...there's ZERO sentiment for "compromise" here.
I wish that were true. Alas, there are many here, even gun enthusiasts, that actually want gun control and confiscation.

The only reason we have the restrictions we have now is due to ignorance and inaction on the part of gun enthusiasts. I spoke to one guy, an avid hunter and clays shooter, who insisted that banning the AR-15 and handguns was the right thing to do. His thought was, "I only care about fine shotguns and they'll never try to ban those." This only shows how dumb he is. "They" whoever they are, want ALL guns banned/confiscated. They don't care about family heirlooms or what the gun is used for; they just want them gone.

What "they" don't realize is that once this happens, what little freedom we have now is gone.
 
I wish that were true. Alas, there are many here, even gun enthusiasts, that actually want gun control and confiscation.

The only reason we have the restrictions we have now is due to ignorance and inaction on the part of gun enthusiasts. I spoke to one guy, an avid hunter and clays shooter, who insisted that banning the AR-15 and handguns was the right thing to do. His thought was, "I only care about fine shotguns and they'll never try to ban those."

We must have about tens of thousands of similar minded types over here - which is one of the main problems. Also, there were more than a few .22 target pistol shooting types who saw only their types of handguns as legitimate and weren't too fussed when the Conservatives banned most everything else...

Then the Labour party got into power and banned the .22s as well - poetic justice! Frankly, I've never had a problem with this ban and never saw why olympic shooters should get special dispensation...
 
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I wish that were true. Alas, there are many here, even gun enthusiasts, that actually want gun control and confiscation.

The only reason we have the restrictions we have now is due to ignorance and inaction on the part of gun enthusiasts. I spoke to one guy, an avid hunter and clays shooter, who insisted that banning the AR-15 and handguns was the right thing to do. His thought was, "I only care about fine shotguns and they'll never try to ban those." This only shows how dumb he is. "They" whoever they are, want ALL guns banned/confiscated. They don't care about family heirlooms or what the gun is used for; they just want them gone.

What "they" don't realize is that once this happens, what little freedom we have now is gone.
He appears to be in a VERY small minority these days, at least of gun owners.

Between the exposure of the very obvious lies of the other side, and the apparent willingness of some to have the law be whatever they want it to be from one moment to the next on a whim, there's virtually NO gun owner support for this stuff. The only real exceptions are Quislings, and the tiny number of myopic buffoons, who play the role of "Judenrat" in the ranks of gun owners.

The problem for the other side is that the VAST majority of
gun owners KNOW they're liars now and KNOW what they REALLY want. The internet and talk radio have completely broken their monopoly of information. Half the time, we know what they're doing before THEY do.

Local anti-gun imbecile Toby Hoover called for a rally in an Independence, Ohio park to campaign against one of the major forces behind concealed carry. Unfortunately for her, we found out about it before most of her zombies did, and when she showed up with her handful of trolls, they were outnumbered easily 10:1. There were so many of us surrounding them that the media literally could not get Toby in frame without also showing one of our signs. To add insult to injury, John Lott showed up unannounced. The newspeople practically trampled Toby to death running to the opposite side of the park to interview Lott.

I really don't get the doom and gloom. We have to be vigilant and uncompromising, but the tide has turned in our favor. We're not just winning, we're humiliating the other side.
 
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