Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Annapolis Watch... Horrendous

This is one of the bills coming up in the State Senate.

And my Senator is one of the co-sponsors.  What do I do?  I've already written him urging him to not support any further gun-control.

It's a big bill.  Here is the summary in case you don't want to click through:

Altering the authorization for a person to wear, carry, or transport a handgun to be within specified limitations; designating specified firearms as assault weapons; prohibiting, with specified exceptions, a person from transporting an assault weapon into the State or possessing, selling, offering to sell, transferring, purchasing, or receiving an assault weapon; authorizing specified licensed firearms dealers to continue to possess, sell, offer for sale, or transfer specified weapons under specified circumstances; etc.

I've highlighted the important bits. Well, bit.  Definition of a assault weapon is a list of guns I don't own, but also "copycat" firearms.  Which is a not-automatic rifle with a detachable magazing and ANY of of these features:

  1. A PISTOL GRIP THAT PROTRUDES 6 CONSPICUOUSLY BENEATH THE ACTION OF THE WEAPON
  2. A THUMBHOLE STOCK
  3.  A FOLDING OR TELESCOPING STOCK
  4. A GRENADE LAUNCHER OR FLARE LAUNCHER
  5. A FLASH SUPPRESSOR or
  6. A FORWARD PISTOL GRIP
So, my AR and my M1A as long as I keep my new stock on the M1A (the AR has feature 1, 3, 5, and 6, the M1A has 1, 3, 5, and 6, now, but in 2 minutes I could get it down to having just #6.  I'd need some other alternative screwed on up there to get it in compliance.  You can see a pic on this blog header of the most innocent configuration of the M1A)  But the state only has records of me possessing an M1A with feature 6 (thus confiscatable as contraband) and a lower receiver... (not confiscatable).  If I took off the flash suppressor now, they'd still call me in to take my M1A, but nothing else.  Maybe the Sig.  Maybe more.  It's a crappy law with holes the tyrants can drive a truck through.  I doubt anyone has made an after market mag for the 1903 Colt Pocket Hammerless, but someone COULD...  If someone invents an 11 round Hammerless mag, is that an assault weapon under the pistol section of this bill "A SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOL WITH A FIXED MAGAZINE THAT CAN ACCEPT MORE THAN 10 ROUNDS;"?  Dunno. 

The get the M1A again under another clause, making any rifle with "A THREADED BARREL, CAPABLE OF ACCEPTING A FLASH SUPPRESSOR, FORWARD HANDGRIP, OR SILENCER."  So, would welding a tip onto the barrel that covered the threads permanently and had no flash suppressor be sufficient?  Dunno.  It doesn't say. 

The bill doesn't go after Enfield or Garands.  10 rounds in a fixed magazine is ok.

 Detachable magazine rules haven't changed much.  I can't buy a mag bigger than 10 in this state, instead of 20 like now, but nothing about possession.

Of my pistols, can't have anything that holds a magazine that accepts more than 10 rounds.  But wait... you can get 25 or 50 round mags for the 1911...  Unclear.  Is my Sig that was designed for 12 rounds ok?  Is my 1911?  Or is possession of either verboten after this law?  It DOES say you can't manufacture a magazine bigger than 10, so... so much for 3D printing.  Legally. 

Exceptions are made for agent in the federal gov't and local law enforcement and FFLs that deal with same.

If it passes it goes into effect on October 1st.  You are allowed to possess and transport your weapon to the state police when you receive your court order to surrender it.

10/22 might not be impacted because they are not centerfire weapons.  Even though mine looks real scary now.

It looks like if you BUY a state approved pistol after October you'll need a license with a training requirement and associated feed.  Nothing about licensing for possession if you already possess a handgun before October:
A DEALER OR ANY OTHER PERSON MAY NOT SELL, RENT, OR TRANSFER A REGULATED FIREARM TO A PURCHASER, LESSEE, OR TRANSFEREE UNLESS THE PURCHASER, LESSEE, OR TRANSFEREE PRESENTS TO THE DEALER OR OTHER PERSON A VALID REGULATED FIREARM QUALIFICATION LICENSE ISSUED TO THE PURCHASER, LESSEE, OR TRANSFEREE BY THE SECRETARY UNDER THIS SECTION.

 At least the licensing stuff is private and shouldn't be printed up in the Washington Post:  "INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THE CENTRAL REPOSITORY 21 UNDER THIS SECTION IS CONFIDENTIAL AND MAY NOT BE DISSEMINATED"

The license expires every five years.  You cannot buy rent sell or transfer without it.

AHA!  If you are "a member, retired member, or honorably discharged member of 26 the armed forces of the United States or the National Guard" you do not need the license.  Lucky me.  Unlucky, a lot of you.

Though, it looks like they are angling for a training requirement for CCW holders in the even things go 'our' way in the SAF cases wending their way through the courts.

So we could get CCW, but not be allowed to tote anything besides revolvers.





2 comments:

Tam said...

Yikes.

Can you fall back across the VA border and regroup if this stuff passes?

New Jovian Thunderbolt said...

I think Maryland is my hill to stand on. Say nice things about me at the proverbial wake for me and the other fools.

Though it would be easier to commute from Pennsylvania. Even West Virginia.

Archie is here. My job is here. My home is here. My life is here. My roots run deep. I'll post some pics soon that show.

[and there are gunnies, even today, in Chicago...]