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Virginia lawmakers chose to reform the state’s gun laws in spite of pressure by police agencies to keep restrictive measures in place. HB878 reforms an antique law that gives local police a veto over obtaining federal permits for suppressors, short barrelled rifles and shotguns, full-auto firearms and “destructive devices.” Because of a controversial vote in 1986, the existing privately owned stock of automatic firearms was frozen, creating an artificial shortage that resulted in sky-rocketing prices for legal automatic firearms. The cheapest automatic firearms available to collectors are now over $5,000 each . . .
From hamptonroads.com:
One of the measures approved (HB878) would force the chief law enforcement officer of a locality to certify the transfer of a firearm within 30 days when such a certification is required under federal law for the transaction to occur.
One homicide is known to have been committed with a registered automatic firearm, and that was by a police officer in 1988. There was a possible second homicide in 1992. The freeze in the law was passed in spite of no homicides being committed with legally owned automatic firearms since the passage of the infamous NFA (National Firearms Act) in 1934 to the time of the 1986 law, making the freeze in ownership an incomprehensible restriction.
Because of the freeze in the number of private automatic firearms, nearly all NFA transfers are for gun mufflers (suppressors, silencers) and short barrelled rifles and shotguns. Post Heller and McDonald (Supreme Court decisions that affirmed the constitutional right to keep and bear handguns for self defence) there is no logical reason to restrict short barrelled rifles and shot guns any more than handguns, which they are functionally identical to. The only reason to restrict short barrelled rifles and shotguns was to enforce a restriction on handguns.
There never was a logical reason for the severe regulatory and financial restrictions on gun mufflers, which are unrestricted in many European countries, or at least no more restricted than firearms are. Finland, for example, has ruled that citizens have a constitutional right to make, buy sell, trade, and use gun mufflers without the restrictions that are placed on firearms.
It is not hard to understand that police administrators would not want to give up a power that could bring in campaign contributions from well off collectors.
The Republican-controlled House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee approved the measure on a party-line vote, 15-6. It advances to the House floor.
The other reform that passed the Virginia legislative committee was to simplify reciprocity for concealed carry permit holders.
With those requirements removed, an out-of-state permit holder would be allowed to carry a weapon in Virginia by presenting a government-issued photo ID.
The Virginia Citizens Defense League, a group that advocates for second amendment rights, supports the reform legislation, which would make it easier to obtain reciprocity for Virginia citizens to carry firearms in other states.
Virginia State Police objected to that measure as well. The committee approved it 15-6.
Giving the police power to decide what would be good and bad legislation is nearly always bad policy. Police have enormous incentives to increase their own power at the expense of the citizenry.
©2013 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Gun Watch
The local militias are digging out guns that they’ve had “squirreled away for years”, according to a previous article published here today. Do the federales seriously think they’re going to completely disarm this time, too? I mean, I know they’re not exactly known for being the brightest crayons in the box, but they can’t be that naive, right?
Oh well. All the better if they do, actually. That way, the militias will still have something to shoot the drug thugs with as soon as those crooked-ass feds let them go or help them escape from prison.
They had to disarm them, they were losing their cartel paychecks..
Swapping entire frames to fit the user isn’t a good idea IMHO when interchangeable backstraps have been out for a long time, I understand why they did it (leftover technology from the P250), but I highly doubt they’re going to issue you all three frames with each gun… Meaning either you gotta buy the size you want from the beginning, or buy the right sized frame later.
Whereas the owner of a Glock, M&P, HK, etc. with interchangeable backstraps gets all the sizes when they buy the gun and can experiment to their hearts content until they find what works. It’s a simple, cheap idea that works well.
Other than that? Meh… Might be a nice gun, but nothing I’m going to go crazy over.
Prefer the M-60 lighter then the M-240 and is more compact than a 240B or G. Waste of time replacing the PIG in Army/USMC service. Some said they M-60 felt like its “falling apart” that’s from years of poor mainteince and beating the weapon relentlessly in National Guard training exercises. SEALs said to still use M-60E3 its a good weapon. As for some who want LSAT SAW not happening soon while showing promise on the shooting range in test sights on a good day telescoping cased ammo has a lot a mechanical issues and has not been used in the field in test so I don’t trust it and say its a decade away from being considered for use, at best. Caseless would be better that’s just as far behind.
Its amazing how Reagan is the icon for Conservatism yet he passed more anti gun legislation in his political career than most Democratic presidents combined. The Mulford Act as Governor in 67,, 1986 FOPA which he signed with the egregious Hughes amendment, his completely alienating “AK47 is not needed for defense of a home” speech in 89, and his mind boggling support of Clintons 94 AWB. I always liked Reagans fiscal and foreign policies but his stance on RKBA was wobbly.
How is it that, to own a gun in many places, you have to take a training course but no such training course is required to LEGISLATE guns?
I have a Nerf gun that has a blast shield…..
I imagine this will be about as effective too.
Gov. Terry isn’t going to be kind to signing this law.
It’s not nice to make fun of the mentally ill even if they are in the CA state house.
IMO we can all thank people like Richard Donner and Jerry Bruckheimer for the average person’s apathy towards police overreach. If you look at the typical “buddy cop” film from the ’80s and ’90s, what was the usual take-away?
“It’s OK for the police to do whatever they have to do in order to catch/kill the bad guy(s.) The end always justifies the means even if the means are illegal.”
Hollywood is nothing more than a contemptible hive of hypocrisy and unwarranted self importance, populated by empty-headed, plastic puppets who have egos far outsizing their actual value to society.
Because if you own guns, you obviously think that it was a good shoot.
I still think that it’s a cool assed toy.
The MDR 5.56MM will MSRP closer to IWI’s Tavor. However, its 7.62MM iteration will be closer to $2,500. At least it’ll take SR-25 mags, though. Speaking of mags, I wonder if they’ll get on board and chose MagPul’s new 6.8 PMag as the feedin’ box for a (possible) future 6.8MM SPC conversion kit.
Yeah, it’s funny for about 2 seconds. Then it becomes another example of “zombie ammo” marketing nonsense.