Accuracy in AWB reporting
Here’s a short and fairly accurate article on the assault weapons ban that actually addresses the fact that there isn’t much difference between pre and post ban weapons:
Some see the military style AR 15 as an assault weapon, while others claim it is only a varmint rifle. Either way the AR 15 is legal in Oregon. “They’re very popular,” says Marvin Loy, owner of SM Gunshop in North Eugene.
He explains that this semi-automatic firearm (one shot at a time) does not face restrictions under the federal assault weapons ban because of a few minor differences that some say are only cosmetic. “They said that this firearm here could have a couple items but it couldn’t have three,” explains Loy. “It couldn’t have a flash hider on the end, it couldn’t have a bayonet lug if it had a pistol grip. So they took these two off and left the pistol grip. That’s the same gun.”
The law limits new ammunition magazines to 10 bullets, but even 50 round magazines that were made before the ban went into effect are still legal. Loy says despite its appearance, the destructiveness of the AR 15 does not come close to that of a more acceptable hunting rifle, which is also semi-automatic. “It all comes down to appearance,” he says. “This is why they stopped it, because they look bad.” And at about $700, the military style rifle is available to anyone who is over 18 and passes a federal background check.
No mention of machine guns, AK47s, the children or blood in the streets.
