Comments on: Rethinking assault weapons regulation http://www.peterkrupa.com/2009/02/27/rethinking-assault-weapons-regulation/ An eclectic blog for talented people Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:17:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: pjk http://www.peterkrupa.com/2009/02/27/rethinking-assault-weapons-regulation/comment-page-1/#comment-82 pjk Sat, 28 Feb 2009 18:16:26 +0000 http://www.peterkrupa.com/?p=49#comment-82 I think you're right about past regulation... mostly cosmetic. Banning production of certain kinds of magazines is laughable. But from the nytimes article, though, it seems like the U.S. could do a better job keeping track of assault weapons and maybe increase penalties on people whose guns do end up in Mexico. Maybe better enforcement is the key? The fact that Mexican nationals can walk into a Texas gun show, fork over some cash, and walk away with a bunch of rifles (which are easy to smuggle) without any notification of anyone should be worrisome. I think you’re right about past regulation… mostly cosmetic. Banning production of certain kinds of magazines is laughable. But from the nytimes article, though, it seems like the U.S. could do a better job keeping track of assault weapons and maybe increase penalties on people whose guns do end up in Mexico. Maybe better enforcement is the key? The fact that Mexican nationals can walk into a Texas gun show, fork over some cash, and walk away with a bunch of rifles (which are easy to smuggle) without any notification of anyone should be worrisome.

]]> By: Bob http://www.peterkrupa.com/2009/02/27/rethinking-assault-weapons-regulation/comment-page-1/#comment-81 Bob Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:01:03 +0000 http://www.peterkrupa.com/?p=49#comment-81 My understanding was that it was possible to by more or less the same guns legally in Mexico, though they had to be chambered in non-military cartridges. So, something like an Ar-15, would not be sold in .223/5.56x45mm, but would be sold in .222 Remington, which is balistically equivalent. The same thing goes on in, I think Italy. That may have changed but would be worth looking into, since if its just a cost savings measure to smuggle weapons from the U.S. rather than the only way to obtain them, it changes the nature of the debate. In any case, I not sure that we don't already have some of the legal tools necessary to work on problem. Take a look at ITAR, and think about how it can be used to effectively prosecute virtually everyone that touches a gun if it crosses a border. Even transfers of information inside the U.S. to foreign nationals are tightly controlled under it. Also, every assault weapon bill that has passed, or conceivably could get political capital to pass was strictly cosmetic. Sure, you can cutoff production of high capacity magazines again, but even after 10 years of the ban last time, the price on common magazines (AK, AR, Sten) was probably advancing at just the rate of inflation since the millions of military surplus ones are still being absorbed. You might be able to piss off some Mexican warlord that wanted some rarity, but that's about it. If you do completely shut off the flow from the U.S., say with a big bushian fence, I think you'd instantly see local production spring up, ala serbia, croatia, afganistan, india, etc My understanding was that it was possible to by more or less the same guns legally in Mexico, though they had to be chambered in non-military cartridges. So, something like an Ar-15, would not be sold in .223/5.56×45mm, but would be sold in .222 Remington, which is balistically equivalent. The same thing goes on in, I think Italy.

That may have changed but would be worth looking into, since if its just a cost savings measure to smuggle weapons from the U.S. rather than the only way to obtain them, it changes the nature of the debate.

In any case, I not sure that we don’t already have some of the legal tools necessary to work on problem. Take a look at ITAR, and think about how it can be used to effectively prosecute virtually everyone that touches a gun if it crosses a border. Even transfers of information inside the U.S. to foreign nationals are tightly controlled under it.

Also, every assault weapon bill that has passed, or conceivably could get political capital to pass was strictly cosmetic. Sure, you can cutoff production of high capacity magazines again, but even after 10 years of the ban last time, the price on common magazines (AK, AR, Sten) was probably advancing at just the rate of inflation since the millions of military surplus ones are still being absorbed. You might be able to piss off some Mexican warlord that wanted some rarity, but that’s about it. If you do completely shut off the flow from the U.S., say with a big bushian fence, I think you’d instantly see local production spring up, ala serbia, croatia, afganistan, india, etc

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