I talked about this once before, and Say Uncle and Snowflakes in Hell have done so more recently, but the issue has gained new relevance for me, and made me newly angry.
The issue is that according to the BATFE, if one attaches a vertical foregrip to a pistol, the pistol magically ceases to be a pistol, and is now an "Any Other Weapon" (AOW), which must be registered with the BATFE (with all the headaches that entails), if one does not wish the risk of being charged with possession of an unregistered AOW, which can carry a penalty of ten years in federal prison, and a $250,000 fine. For a handle.
The reason I have chosen to get angry all over again about this is that my bizarre project is back on track, as I have discovered that there is still a way, after all, to make a .50 Beowulf AR pistol, and I have what I need on order (although it will take a while). The problem is that being paraplegic, with very little lower torso strength, I could, I think, really benefit from anything that helps me establish a solid grip up front with my off hand--especially when dealing with .50 Beowulf recoil.
Apparently, though, rendering a hard-kicking gun more easily controllable by a disabled person, without paying a $200 tax to the BATFE, getting fingerprinted, getting the local chief of police on board, etc., makes America a more dangerous place. I am aware that if I could get someone already licensed to manufacture NFA firearms to install the foregrip for me, the tax stamp would be only $5, but I don't know if I'll find such a manufacturer willing to deal with this, and I would still have to jump through all the other hoops.
Perhaps "Maximum Mike" can be reasoned with, and made to see that this insane BATFE policy does nothing to make America safer. What--did I say something funny?
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
10 years and a quarter million dollars--for a handle
Stumble it!
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6 comments:
Play dirty. See if you can find you a lawyer who can find a way to cast it as a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, or even the Second Amendment — because if that's the most powerful weapon you can bear, and the government's measures are precluding your ownership of that weapon, your right to keep and bear arms is arguably being infringed.
That might be a pretty tough case to win--especially with the kind of attorney I could afford.
That might be a pretty tough case to win
Indeed, especially in Illinois, even if you would be going to federal court as opposed to state court. But it would still be just delightful to see the double standards espoused by the statists exposed to the light of day.
I have an acquaintance who is a lawyer (and had, at the time, an FFL with the requisite paperwork to deal in Class III firearms).
He told me a tale of making a stockless AK-47 from parts, registering it as a pistol in accordance with state law, and then spending months more on the paperwork for AOW, so that he could spend five minutes attaching a vertical fore-grip onto the weapon.
It is possible, though I don't know all the steps involved.
Sounds like the kind of acquiantance I need.
That might be a pretty tough case to win--especially with the kind of attorney I could afford.
Just a thought - find a law firm specializing in ADA violations, who is also willing to take on the 2nd Amendment in light of the recent SCOTUS ruling - and who will to do it pro bono. Could be a fun ride.
(litigators - hmm...rhymes with alligators)
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