Personally I think that the home Defence argument is bullshit for anything more than a pistol. But really, you should not be limiting semi automatic firearms, or fully automatic ones for that matter.
Our second amendment was written to ensure that the populace could overthrow a corrupt government, the revolutionary was started because the british tried to disarm the american populous. Dutchling, if you don't think a gun is necessary to defend yourself you can always not buy one, You can also trust your government to always have your best interests in mind, whatever floats your boat.
I'd just like to point out that the British were attempting to disarm the citizenry by marching on the armory. In other words, their weapons were stored in a secure location, not in their houses. Just as National Guardsmen and Army soldiers don't take their rifles home with them at the end of the day (outside of a war zone).
Even though I think the "armed citzenry to defend against the government" argument is ludicrous in this day and age (really? the DoD can target you FROM SPACE and hit you with a remote-piloted drone. Your popgun isn't going to be much help.), I'd be willing to entertain the fiction if 2nd Amendment fanatics remembered the whole text. A bunch of random yahoos with random firearms is NOT a "well-regulated Militia". It's a mob with guns.
The Federal government already had similar measures in place banning conversion kits, until Congress let the Federal Assault Weapons Ban expire. All this is, is California rebuilding that Federal law at the state level, since they still had their own state-level assault ban on the books.
It's the principle of the matter, personally I think a few million pissed off people, each armed with a gun would have a fair chance of committing a small change in policy.
The Federal government already had similar measures in place banning conversion kits, until Congress let the Federal Assault Weapons Ban expire. All this is, is California rebuilding that Federal law at the state level, since they still had their own state-level assault ban on the books.
Yep. California is trying to accomplish what the US Gun Lobby has been spending millions a year to prevent from happening in Congress. It should have been law a decade ago that modifying a semi-automatic weapon into an assault weapon is illegal. But the gun lobby, arguing for the 2nd amendment and unregulated sales at gun shows, have continued to prevent that from coming to pass.
So I say good on California, for doing what nationally we cannot because special interest groups have Congress by the balls.
Yes, converting a semi-automatic weapon into a semi-automatic weapon into a semi-automatic that's easier to change magazines.
"unregulated gun show sales" What do you think people go into gun shows buy truck loads of AK-47's with the serial numbers filed off without filling out any paper work? Have you ever bought a gun, been to a gun show, or even in a gun store?
I live in Australia, and while I think gun laws are unreasonably harsh over here, American ones are simply insane. Legally owned GRENADE LAUNCERS AND FLAMETHROWERS are ridiculous. AR's and machine guns should be heavily prohibited. Thing is, taking away all the guns is bad. People will simply find them in an illicit manner. Look at drugs. Banning them just started an illicit trade. All in all, this is too drastic. Moderation is key here.
ARs are typically hunting rifles in the united states, and a vast majority of them are semi-automatic. Personally I think ARs look horrendous, which is why I don't own any, besides virtually noone makes wooden furniture for them.
Personally I think that the home Defence argument is bullshit for anything more than a pistol. But really, you should not be limiting semi automatic firearms, or fully automatic ones for that matter.
I think a 12gauge shotgun with 00-buck is far better than a pistol.