What do you remember about the 1994-04 ban??

I came in towards the end of the ban. (Turned 21 in 2001). So to me it wasn't a ban but just how things were. I had a handgun with a 10 rd mag, which I thought was a normal thing. Didn't know higher capacity existed. My only "evil" rifle was an AK which was made specific for the ban. It was a Hungarian S2000. Based on the AMD but with a Chote hunting stock and specific small magwell that took proprietary 10rd single stack mags. Made in such a way that it wasn't easy to make it accept common 30rd mags.

Every rifle had a hunting stock most were missing barrel attachment, or threads.

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The impending ban caused me to buy my first AR; which I still have. IIRC I paid a horrendous price of $900. Here we are 23 yrs. later and can buy them for half that. That 1994 bill also taught me that gun people include lots of greedy jerks. I remember Eagle Arms(now known as Armalite) took orders on ARs and just kept raising the price before they ever delivered.

The public opinion was in favor of an anti-gun bill so some senators and congress persons got involved and watered the bill down with loop holes. I was a very active USPSA/IPSC shooter at the time. We soon learned that new hi-cap mags couldn't be bought BUT, we could buy all the "repair parts" for hi-caps we needed. We then were free to assemble them at home.

I also remember the sky high prices of Galils at gun shows but I never saw one sold. I always hoped the sellers choked on them. Same for 22 LR ammo hoarders.
 
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Really interesting thread question. I am enjoying reading the responses because I was a teenager at the time and didn't get into guns until my 20s. I think those of us who are younger can learn something here, just as one day I'll be able to share my memories of the Obama era (which I'd like to forget) to a generation that did not experience it.
 
At the time I already had a wonderful M1A and, at the time, I was not in the market for an AR or any similar milspec weapon. However, I did buy a number of 20 round magazines for my M1A, I think they were 45 dollars apiece before the ban. The only high capacity pistol I owned was a Ruger P-89. A huge thing!!! A friend of mine wanted it and around the time he wanted it I found a S&W 5903 SSV that I really liked so I sold him the Ruger and bought the S&W. Bought additional hi-cap magazines for it, too.

To this very day that 5903 SSV is still a safe queen, my only unfired weapon.

I will never forget Bill Clinton telling Congress that if they passed "the Brady Bill, I'll sure sign it." :mad:
 
S&WIowegan- I paid $2500 for my Galil ARM (7.62) in 2002 which even back then seemed somewhat reasonable. I was 21 so I didn't experience the $600-800 Galil in the 1980s. They 7.62 ARMs seem to be holding steady around $3500 these days.

I also remember a company was mfg AK underdolders with the stocks pinned open.
 
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Bottom line is folks, while there are other anti-gun people out there, the Clinton family; Slick Willie, Corrupt Hillary and their horrible anti-gun off spring, need to go away and go away forever from the American political landscape.
 
Just glad it is gone,don't like bad memories. Still have a pre ban AR. Was into milsurps back then and never really felt handicapped by them,especially Garands.
 
I remember it clearly. At the time, our illustrious new Democratic Senator from the east side of the State, whose campaign promises included no anti 2nd Amendment legislation, caved in to political pressure and voted for the ban.
I talked with him afterwards and told him he would be a one term Senator because of his vote for the ban but that I was sure that his party had promised him they would take care of him in exchange for his vote. His reply was that I just didn't understand.
Sure enough, come reelection time he lost by a landslide. He moved over to the Seattle area and now he is our esteemed Governor! He now believes that WA State should emulate California's gun laws.
 
Frankly, what I really remember is how much money I made because of it. Back then I was well into my battle rifle "stage". Had a good friend with an FFL, and I got most anything I wanted at cost. HK 91 & 93, $499 each, an AUG, $600, if I remember right. FAL's, AK's, Valmet 76. Had a pretty good collection.

Kept my favorites, sold the rest in the post ban panic. Felt like a thief with the crazy money people were paying, but nobody was twisting anybody's arm. If I remember right, I got $2500 for the AUG alone.

Larry
 
Yup, I was there for it. I had a Colt AR that I bought new in 1985 and a friend offered me a ridiculous price for it. I sold it to him then bought it back a few years later. I still have it. A plain Jane A2.
 
I remember SKS 30 round duckbill mags everywhere it seemed. I bought some in a grocery store. They were selling off their stock while they could. Back then it was all USA brand and they all worked. I owned a bunch of them for a while and I never saw one fail for any reason. Later versions of the same mag were a joke. But those were great back pre-ban. There are still some around for sale or there were the last time I looked. I don't need any and I probably wouldn't even convert an SKS now because stripper clips are just as fast to load ammo. Maybe faster. And you can carry a lot more ammo that way.

7.62 x 39 ammo was still pretty cheap too. I remember stocking up for the future. I still have some of that ammo actually. I still have a lot of it.

An SKS was 1/10th the price of a good AR or less in those days. I would have much rather had an AR but the price was too high relative. Now you can buy an AR cheaper than a good SKS. Go figure. They have all been shot hard and put up dirty. I've seen them where you couldn't even pull the bolt back for the gunk. Probably the result of a love affair with WD-40 I'd guess. I almost never clean my SKS and it still runs perfect after all these years. It's pretty much retired now of course but I see no reason to get rid of it. No one would pay what they're worth IMO. Mine is relatively accurate and as dependable as they come.

Also I remember a lib friend of mine crying because the ban cost the Democrats control of Congress for the first time in a very, very long time. Lots of other things played into that like Hillary Care and the rise of talk radio but mostly it was the gun ban that doomed the Dems. I joined the NRA for the first time around that time. A lot of people did. They let people join for $10 just so your name was on their rolls. I was fighting back from some serious health issues which had hurt my ability to make money big time. So price was important to me on everything at the time. But I managed to buy my share of guns while they could still be bought. I even bought a TEC-9. Talk about a waste of money. They worked OK but it's good they had lots of ammo because you needed it to hit anything.
 
I was serving for much of those 10 years in the infantry --- the urge to buy my own guns and ammo just wasn't there. I pretty much got sick of shooting M16A2s and M9s to the point I didn't own an AR or 9mm until 2009 or so.

When I got out I bought a P220. Single stack .45s were a lot more popular then for obvious reasons. I am pretty sure it helped the big revolver market too which has really been stagnant since 2005 or so. It definitely was the age of the SKS. I just laugh when I see them in pawn shops for $450 when you can build a basic M4gery for $400 now.
 
Personally, I had little interest in AR-15's until the ban. As soon as the ban was "sundowned" (W said he would sign a bill to extend it), I bought an AR-15 in M-4 configuration. I since bought a .22 LR upper for the same rifle. I didn't know what I had been missing!
 
I remember the relentless scare tactics the Dems put on the "Soccer Moms" in order to forward their anti-gun agenda, all with the full support of the media.
 
I think this is a relic from that era.
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