An Average Guy [not shown] writes:
I found myself reviewing the Chicago Firearms Registration form (a ridiculous concept all by itself) trying to weigh my desire to be law-abiding with my desire to uphold the Constitution and not allow my rights as a gun owner to be infringed upon. I own a few weapons, one of which is a 1911, and another is the “mare’s leg” .22 from Henry. I was puzzling over the list of guns you’re not allowed to register, which is longer than my aforementioned lever action plinker, wondering to myself why Chicago deems it necessary to disallow the registration (and therefore the legal ownership of) any handguns weighing more than 50 ounces, unloaded. I realized that perhaps they consider very large handguns to be “too powerful” for the public (another absurd idea; are we seeing a pattern?) . . .
Since I don’t own a scale capable of weighing to the ounce, I had to go to the internet to find out that my .22 lever action, manufactured as a pistol by Henry with a 12″ barrel, is too heavy to be legally registered.
My 1911, which according to Springfield is 40 oz, is dangerously close, especially since I replaced the wood grips with aluminum. A .50 caliber Desert Eagle? Forget about it.
A Smith and Wesson .44 (with 6″ barrel)? Also pretty close for comfort, at 45 oz. The same gun, with a weighted barrel to reduce recoil for competition? Way too heavy, at 57 oz. Or with a 6.5″ barrel? 48 oz.
Close enough, perhaps for the City to say it’s too heavy, and slap you with a fine for lying on a form, trying to register an ‘illegal’ weapon, and possession of an ‘illegal’ weapon. And probably try to take away all your gun rights.
This arbitrary restriction, which I can only assumed is aimed at the AR/AK pistols & similar, is just one more thing that puts someone who actually wants to follow Chicago’s absurd requirements, but cannot without risking his liberty, into a quandary.