A Brief History of The ’94 Assault Weapon Ban

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And a little nostalgia on a rifle. We all have one. Take it away InRange.
The 1994 Assault Weapon Ban, part of the larger Clinton Crime bill package, has been expired for 15 years. The Assault Weapon Ban and its provisions were in effect for a decade and their social influences are felt strongly to this day. Our societal interest in the weapons upswung drastically the moment we were told we could no longer have them.

Technology has advanced by magnitudes both in and outside the firearm space. Information gets from one side of the nation to the other near instantly. The popularity of these rifles drove a response to various partial and total prohibitions. Tech to comply with the law and improve function was developed in spades.

We were told we couldn’t have it anymore, Assault Weapons “Banned” (except all the grandfathered ones), so of course we wanted them and wanted to know everything about them. The ban spurred more interest. No other event could or would match the ban’s generated drive.

Today we, the gun owners of the Information Age, the so called ‘Gun Culture 2.0’, we sit hearing serious talk about assault weapon bans, magazine bans, and extreme risk protection orders.

A Brief History of The '94 Assault Weapon Ban - GAT Daily (Guns Ammo Tactical)

Great history lesson here.
 
InRange TV always makes quality product.
I didn't care much for the 15 minutes of competition shooting video...

The rest was very informative and told of things I never knew.

The AWB may have been a "one step forward, two steps back" for the government.

The video makes a good case that if not for the AWB of 1994 - many people may have never been interested in AR's.

Without all that interest, many innovations may have never seen the light.

I love it when the government tries to trample our rights and then we come out stronger in the end.

I hope our community becomes bigger and stronger as the democrats try to crush us.

Great history lesson in this video.
 
I am old enough to remember having the folding stock on a LR300 rifle pinned in order to buy it during the ban

Anyone remember AL Zitta and ZM Rifles?
 
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I bought an AR15 in 1991 in my failed attempt to compete in highpower competitions. Boy the crap I'd get from the Fudds when I would show up at the local range. "Your going to get us in trouble with that gun" and the like. Ownership of AR's was not widespread.

The the Govt put together this half-assed attempt to do something by banning bayonet lugs and people started to want ARs. Same thing with mags. People had their gun and a spare mag. Then the Govt says "only 10 rounds for you" and all of a sudden people bought a dozen spare mags and said "that's not enough".

The entire AR industry owes its' very existence to the 1994 ban and I really don't think I'm exaggerating.

Comments from other 50 year old plus people?
 
In the Eighty's, 20 and 30 round Surplus U.S.G.I mags could be found at any Army and Navy Store for $3-5 apiece, usually in a cardboard barrel stuffed in a corner. Then along comes this BAN and now the same identical mag is worth $20 +. I laughed and laughed as I rebuilt my already purchased mags any time a spring or a follower broke or wore out.
 
...
The entire AR industry owes its' very existence to the 1994 ban and I really don't think I'm exaggerating.

...

I appreciate the insight, and I agree that the AWB is responsible for start of the AR industry and most of the scale of the current AR climate.

However, I think the GWOT also plays a role. Returning service members wanted a rifle or carbine similar to what they carried. Many others wanted a have replicas of those rifles/carbines they saw used in all of that war imagery, even if they didn’t serve in the GWOT.

Another factor is all the SOF-taught courses and “tactical matches”. I don’t think they were the catalyst for the AR popularity, but I think they fed back into it, raising the popularity further.
 
I bought an AR15 in 1991 in my failed attempt to compete in highpower competitions. Boy the crap I'd get from the Fudds when I would show up at the local range. "Your going to get us in trouble with that gun" and the like. Ownership of AR's was not widespread.

The the Govt put together this half-assed attempt to do something by banning bayonet lugs and people started to want ARs. Same thing with mags. People had their gun and a spare mag. Then the Govt says "only 10 rounds for you" and all of a sudden people bought a dozen spare mags and said "that's not enough".

The entire AR industry owes its' very existence to the 1994 ban and I really don't think I'm exaggerating.

Comments from other 50 year old plus people?

I agree with that statement.

People want what they can't.......or is a challenge.....to get. Add this piece of human nature to the fact that gun owners are generally a fickle bunch.......and......you get it.

Look at the spikes in sales of guns and ammo anytime the gun control comes up as a serious push in Congress. There will be another gun and ammo drought in late 2020 just in prep for the possibility of a Democrat win.
 
In the Eighty's, 20 and 30 round Surplus U.S.G.I mags could be found at any Army and Navy Store for $3-5 apiece, usually in a cardboard barrel stuffed in a corner. Then along comes this BAN and now the same identical mag is worth $20 +. I laughed and laughed as I rebuilt my already purchased mags any time a spring or a follower broke or wore out.

Those USGI-Surplus magazines are still my favorite and function flawlessly. My favorite being the 20-rounders.
Most problems I encounter with AR mags are from newer, non-USGI 30-round examples...
 
Remember seeing the article in the Globe when the ban started. I think back how much I must have spent back then as we felt like the ship was sinking...it was worth it!

20190406-223003.jpg


20190406-223135.jpg

Draganov.jpg
 
Those USGI-Surplus magazines are still my favorite and function flawlessly. My favorite being the 20-rounders.
Most problems I encounter with AR mags are from newer, non-USGI 30-round examples...
Yup 20 rounders always have been my fav, lot better to shoot off the bench with and I liked carrying in the pockets of my shooting wear better.
 
Remember seeing the article in the Globe when the ban started. I think back how much I must have spent back then as we felt like the ship was sinking...it was worth it!

20190406-223003.jpg


20190406-223135.jpg

Draganov.jpg

Is it just me or does it seem like rifles have appreciated more than pistols given those prices?
 
I purchased my AR in 1986, made by Colt. I think it was the first year, or second year they came out with the A2 HBAR. It has the bayonet lug suppressor, and came with 2 20 round mags. And the sights were the newer style. The plan was to use it in Service Rifle matches, but I stayed with the Garand, or M14.
It is still unfired NIB.
 
Those USGI-Surplus magazines are still my favorite and function flawlessly. My favorite being the 20-rounders.
Most problems I encounter with AR mags are from newer, non-USGI 30-round examples...

USGI 20 rounders are my jam.

30 round USGI green followers have caused me LOTS of problems. I also got in a habit of only loading 28 rounds because of too many failure to feeds due to friction on the feed lips. 30 round USGI mags are also prone to dents and other issues in field conditions.
 
I clearly recall watching the cspan coverage of congress during those days. I came to realize the dems and libs did not use logic, and simply could not be argued with using reality based facts. I didnt understand how banning a gun with bayonet mount or telestock would affect crime, or why 10 round was ok, but 11 rounds was a problem.
I was in my 20s and didnt pay much attention to boring politics, but could see how dems and libs applied this hysterical behavior to all of the other issues of the agenda.
I had an FID, and then an LTC, at the time, but no interest in rifles other than .22. But all the gun ban hype opened my eyes!
 
I agree with that statement.

People want what they can't.......or is a challenge.....to get. Add this piece of human nature to the fact that gun owners are generally a fickle bunch.......and......you get it.

Look at the spikes in sales of guns and ammo anytime the gun control comes up as a serious push in Congress. There will be another gun and ammo drought in late 2020 just in prep for the possibility of a Democrat win.
Totally agree. In 1998, due to MA adopting the permanent AWB, I went to a gun show with one objective . . . I wasn't coming home without an AR-15. It also meant joining another gun club because the club I belonged to only allowed .22LR rifles on their outdoor range (inadequate backstop and houses all behind it and one house on the edge of the backstop).

Many MA folks want to open carry because it is frowned upon in MA. I had my share of OC as a police officer and never want to OC in a public area again.

During the Fed Ban, I bought a ton of 20 and 30 rd AR mags. Now I'll probably shed myself of most of the 30 rd mags.

Those USGI-Surplus magazines are still my favorite and function flawlessly. My favorite being the 20-rounders.
Most problems I encounter with AR mags are from newer, non-USGI 30-round examples...
All my AR mags are USGI surplus preban mags. I almost never shoot the 30s as they get in my way. I much prefer the 20s. And even now that I'm up in NH, I have no intention of buying new mags.
 
All my AR mags are USGI surplus preban mags. I almost never shoot the 30s as they get in my way. I much prefer the 20s. And even now that I'm up in NH, I have no intention of buying new mags.

Same here.
Len do you know what MASS LEO's typically use in their AR's when they respond? 20's? 30's? USGI or something like Magpul?
Never really paid attention to how they outfit. I figure they have access to anything and wondered what they chose...


Thanks,
~Matt
 
Same here.
Len do you know what MASS LEO's typically use in their AR's when they respond? 20's? 30's? USGI or something like Magpul?
Never really paid attention to how they outfit. I figure they have access to anything and wondered what they chose...


Thanks,
~Matt
The answer is likely to differ department to department. That said, from what I've seen a lot of departments seem to use 30 rd Pmags, copying what the Feds use.
 
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The answer is likely to differ department to department. That said, from what I've seen a lot of departments seem to use 30 rd Pmags, copying what the Feds use.

Thats been my observation as well.
Cops dont train to shoot from the bench, so there is no reason to use 20 rounders.
Pmag 30s are cheap and reliable.
 
FWIW I put Magpul followers and new springs in all my AR 30-rnd mags and they function 100%. With the original black or yellow followers I got fairly common FTF’s.

Yeah, the Magpul kits are pretty slick...
 
Thats been my observation as well.
Cops dont train to shoot from the bench, so there is no reason to use 20 rounders.
Pmag 30s are cheap and reliable.

Lol. I don't either, but the 20-rounders let me get my belly closer to the ground or under cover... [smile]
 
Thats been my observation as well.
Cops dont train to shoot from the bench, so there is no reason to use 20 rounders.
Pmag 30s are cheap and reliable.
In all my years in the army I never had a problem shooting prone with a 30 rounder. If your up on your elbows properly the mag does not hit the ground. Prone supported (using a sand bag) it can be an issue if you have bags that are thin.......but if that's the case I'm so low to the ground getting a good sight picture is impossible because you can't get your face down on the stock.....and I'm looking around for another bag to stack up lol

From a bench if I'm up on my elbows the 30 rounder is definitely clear of the table.......leaves me wondering if bench shooting with a 30 rounder is a problem is the shooter a midget or if their position is just jacked up.

I retired last year......had not been issued a 20 round mag since probably 1999.
 
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I bought an AR15 in 1991 in my failed attempt to compete in highpower competitions. Boy the crap I'd get from the Fudds when I would show up at the local range. "Your going to get us in trouble with that gun" and the like. Ownership of AR's was not widespread.

The the Govt put together this half-assed attempt to do something by banning bayonet lugs and people started to want ARs. Same thing with mags. People had their gun and a spare mag. Then the Govt says "only 10 rounds for you" and all of a sudden people bought a dozen spare mags and said "that's not enough".

The entire AR industry owes its' very existence to the 1994 ban and I really don't think I'm exaggerating.

Comments from other 50 year old plus people?

I was late to the gun game - 1999 or so. Ban was in full swing. :( But I concur that people didn't give a crap until they couldn't get it. Same way today. Tell me I can't have X and I'm trying to figure out how to get X. Do I really need an AR pistol? No. Do I have a fixed mag one? Yep.
 
Lol. I don't either, but the 20-rounders let me get my belly closer to the ground or under cover... [smile]

I know what you mean.
I was somehow able to get a lot closer to the ground when I was 19, not sure what happened.:)
After many decades of telling soldiers it would cause malfunctions, the US Army finally changed their training manuals to admit that monopoding on a 30 round Magazine on the ground assists in stabilizing the prone shooting position.
I found that I can shoot as well as I can in the supported position.

Will Resting My Magazine on the Ground Induce a Malfunction?
 
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