10-07-2008, 11:19 AM
The M4 is an M16 with a collapsible stock, a shorter overall length, and a shorter barrel. A "M16 Carbine" if you will.
But the receivers, the triggers, and almost all parts interchange.
As you guys have mentioned already, Full-Auto and burst fire weapons are controlled under the National Firearms Act of 1934, which restricted the ownership of full-auto firearms (but did not forbid it.) Later, the Firearm Owners' Protection Act in 1986 had a clause banning new fully automatic firearm sales except to Law Enforcement Agencies and the military. There was some controversy to this as the vote to add this amendment was an unrecorded voice vote that happened at night.
So.
Machineguns manufactured before the '86 are legally transferable to private individuals as long as that individual pays the appropriate transfer tax and passes a federal background check. The problem is that there aren't any new ones being made to sell to private individuals, which makes "transferable machine guns" absurdly rare and expensive.
However.
Shoulder-fired full auto is kind of stupid. It's a good way to waste ammo, but that's about it. The military has learned this lesson which is why the M4 has three-round burst only.
Now.
All the "features" that were banned in the Clinton Dumb-Ass Gun Ban of 1994 are now legal in many states, including Virginia. These features include: Threaded barrels, flash hiders, bayonet lugs, "high capacity" detachable magazines, pistol grips, folding or telescoping stocks, rifle-grenade launchers, etc. They're still illegal in some states though, such as Maryland, California, New York, Massachusetts, and others.
But basically, all the "cool guns" are totally legal and available, just in semi-auto only, which is far from a deal breaker for me.
One other restriction you should be aware of is the 922r regulations, which mandate that any firearm assembled from a "parts kit" (a gun with it's receiver cut and, as of 2005, it's barrel cut and welded) that would be illegal (a machine gun) in it's stock form must be assembled with a minimum number of US-Made parts, or is illegal. I don't know how these US-made parts (such as magazine floorplates, trigger groups, pistol grips, bolts, gas pistons) make guns safer, but they must "protect the children" somehow, amirite?
But the receivers, the triggers, and almost all parts interchange.
As you guys have mentioned already, Full-Auto and burst fire weapons are controlled under the National Firearms Act of 1934, which restricted the ownership of full-auto firearms (but did not forbid it.) Later, the Firearm Owners' Protection Act in 1986 had a clause banning new fully automatic firearm sales except to Law Enforcement Agencies and the military. There was some controversy to this as the vote to add this amendment was an unrecorded voice vote that happened at night.
So.
Machineguns manufactured before the '86 are legally transferable to private individuals as long as that individual pays the appropriate transfer tax and passes a federal background check. The problem is that there aren't any new ones being made to sell to private individuals, which makes "transferable machine guns" absurdly rare and expensive.
However.
Shoulder-fired full auto is kind of stupid. It's a good way to waste ammo, but that's about it. The military has learned this lesson which is why the M4 has three-round burst only.
Now.
All the "features" that were banned in the Clinton Dumb-Ass Gun Ban of 1994 are now legal in many states, including Virginia. These features include: Threaded barrels, flash hiders, bayonet lugs, "high capacity" detachable magazines, pistol grips, folding or telescoping stocks, rifle-grenade launchers, etc. They're still illegal in some states though, such as Maryland, California, New York, Massachusetts, and others.
But basically, all the "cool guns" are totally legal and available, just in semi-auto only, which is far from a deal breaker for me.
One other restriction you should be aware of is the 922r regulations, which mandate that any firearm assembled from a "parts kit" (a gun with it's receiver cut and, as of 2005, it's barrel cut and welded) that would be illegal (a machine gun) in it's stock form must be assembled with a minimum number of US-Made parts, or is illegal. I don't know how these US-made parts (such as magazine floorplates, trigger groups, pistol grips, bolts, gas pistons) make guns safer, but they must "protect the children" somehow, amirite?
1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442