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When politicians attempt to ban things via regulations and taxes, weird results usually follow. In the case of automatic firearms, the stage was set by the enactment of the bizarre National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1934, which was upheld by the infamous U.S. v. Miller decision. Under the NFA, full-auto firearms have to be registered with the federal government and a $200 tax paid. The “tax” at the time of enactment was the equivalent of $4,000 today, on items that varied in value from 1/10th the amount of the tax to roughly same amount for a Thompson sub machine gun . . .
The crafters of the NFA admitted that the amount was a way to subvert the Second Amendment through taxation rather than an outright ban. Subsequent Supreme Court decisions gutted the meaning of the interstate commerce clause of the Constitution, rendering the reporting requirement for interstate travel of the firearms moot. Some states are attempting to restore that limit on federal power today.
The second part of the charade occurred in 1986, when a controversial vote on the 1986 firearms owners protection act was used to place a ban on the manufacture or import of full-auto firearms for civilian use, effectively freezing the number of automatic firearms legally available to those registered with the BATF at the time the law went into effect. Because of increasing demand and a fixed supply, the price of these guns sky-rocketed. Thompson submachine guns, highly desired by collectors, rose more than most. Today, legal Thompsons run from $30,000 to $50,000.
The Sheriff’s Department in Forsyth County, North Carolina, recently discovered that they own a couple of vintage 1928 Tommy guns and they’ve engineered a deal to trade them for some rifles. Most people would think that unloading a couple of antique firearms for 88 brand new ARs would be a good deal. Most people would be wrong.
From myfox8.com:
FORSYTH COUNTY, N.C. – Forsyth County Sheriff Bill Schatzman defended his department’s request to trade two vintage Thompson submachine guns for 88 new Bushmaster rifles as county commissioners reignited their debate on Thursday.
Apprarently, some people in the county think it might be a good idea to hang onto the Thompsons, which have some historical value.
Commissioner Mark Baker asked if the board decided to keep one gun for historical purposes and trade the other, could the county get 44 rifles. Schatzman didn’t know.
Sheriff Schatzman mentioned that keeping the guns and putting them on display involved serious costs of its own:
“What would you do with a diamond ring if it was worth $30 to $50,000? How would you display it? Would you put armed guards around it or just put it in an alarmed case?” Schatzman asked.
(Baker) was confused by the Tommy gun concerns.
“They’ve been in a dark room collecting dust and rust for the last 50 years,” Schatzman said. “Why are they so important today? I ask that question in all honesty. I don’t know the answer.”
Readers know the answer to that question, at least in part. They are so important today because those who want to undercut the Second Amendment have managed to put laws in place that create artificial shortages and perverse economic incentives. Just as intended by the government back in 1934.
©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Gun Watch
“What is the purpose of making them so hard to obtain or own?”
I’d imagine the same reasons the government and certain people want guns to be hard to obtain. Fear, ignorance…
Yes, let’s take the people who are barely (if at all) qualified to gauge the threat level of a sealed water bottle and arm them. Remember these are the people who forget to turn the detectors on a good portion of the time.
You are wrong, and dangerously so. No matter now much we disagree, if we are disagreeable, they will win.
We need to claim the moral high ground, and resorting to hurling epithets should be exclusively THEIR tactic.
Great review of the UBR stock guys! Looiking into doing a review ourself. Does this stock have any wiggle like the MOE stock or does it lock like the CTR? Thanks
Re: The VIEW
I’m retired so watched it for the first time. If Watts and her ilk really wanted to get rid of OFWGs, make them watch this drivel for a couple of days. Suicide rates would be incredible.
I totally called this. . . feed ramps like smooth surfaces. A round with FTF issues would never ever ever go in my defensive pistol. 7 Glaser safety slugs stacked on top of Ranger Talons
Good review. Looks like a nice rig.
My only criticism is that you’re not fat enough. Work on it and achieve complete OFWG glory. 🙂
If this ammo was really any good for self defense, the Democrats would try to ban it as it might be responsible for a net loss of their voters.
She’s a Transnational Progressivist.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transnational_progressivism
Well played Dana…
While I am firmly against the wanton militarization of the police in this country, I am 100% in favor of officers having an AR or equivalent in their patrol car to use when deemed necessary. As long as they aren’t walking around in public with them on single point slings on a daily basis, I say go for it.
Think about it. If you knew you were likely going to be in a gunfight, would you want to be limited to a sidearm for the sake of political correctness? No. You’d pick your favorite MSR, so why shouldn’t police officers, who are infinitely more likely to have to fire upon someone (who could very well be firing back) than the average gun owner, have the same option?
I am constantly impressed and grateful for the depth of information and intellectual integrity in debate and respect for opinions here at TTAG, especially on the political and historical facts, along with the technical aspects of guns that I’d of course expect. Many thanks to the erudite posters for sharing, in this article and many others. I am learning so much.
And thanks to Mr Vernon for speaking up – I am sure he has been doing it for some time, but the StateRunMedia doesnt generally have much interest in hearing anything that would tempt others from leaving the liberal plantation, sorry for the non-PC innuendo, but its true enough that its worth the invidious comparison.
And I know from life experience there are a lot more Mr Vernons out there, and young men who want to learn from his example- so thanks again TTAG for being another way to get the word out, from the Mr Vernons, to those who would look up to them. The Revs Al, Wright, Jessie, Farrakhan, and other old con-men of their ilk are on their way out, thank goodness, being replaced by real men of honor, like Mr Vernon, who speak the truth.
Well yes there is actually. (Not that there should be a ban in any federal building but thats a different point) The post office, unlike other federal facilities, is visited more frequently and by a larger number of people then other federal facilities. It also isn’t a regular federal facility, it is more of a retail location where business is conducted. So it isn’t the same as say, a federal courthouse, IRS offices, or something of the like.
During the last presidential election I had several “friends” who posted links to and quotes from left wing sites that described people like me in the most disgusting, demeaning, and bigoted terms; and they wound up on my Face Book page. I “de friended” them. I figured that if they agreed with that point of view, why would they want to have me for a “friend”?
I’m just tired of turning the other cheek to liberals, who are the real bigoted, intolerant, and hate filled people in this country.
given how gerrymandering occurs, I doubt she has much to worry about with her constituents being upset with her attempts to restrict their 2nd Amendment rights like legislators in other states have done. . . oh wait. Colorado. “nuff said,. start the process.
Those officers should be put in prison for attempted murder.