Discuss Detroit » Archives - Beginning July 2006 » Assault Weapons - Increased Use? « Previous Next »
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Jerome81
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Username: Jerome81

Post Number: 1049
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 205.153.103.15
Posted on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 1:15 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs .dll/article?AID=/20060726/NEW S99/60726002

Maybe I'm just imagining it, but it seems the reports of shootings/hold-ups with AK-47's is increasing. I've heard many here who report hearing AK fire.

Is it true? Is this the latest "fad" for criminals or does it have to do ANYTHING with the lifting of the assault weapons ban? Something tells me they would have AK's anyway, banned or not, but worth asking.

This is downright scary. Your little 9mm, and anything the police likely have is useless against such weapons.

What a mess. And another life taken. Unfortunately they'll be just another number on a homicide list that is already way out of hand.
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Thejesus
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Username: Thejesus

Post Number: 113
Registered: 06-2006
Posted From: 24.169.224.43
Posted on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 1:22 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"This is downright scary. Your little 9mm, and anything the police likely have is useless against such weapons."

it's good that congress didn't renew the assault weapons ban though...it's not fair that criminals could get these types of weapons but they are illegal for the law-biding citizen...not anymore...
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Solarflare
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Username: Solarflare

Post Number: 482
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 65.112.56.3
Posted on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 1:37 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Has nothing to do with the expiration of the assualt weapons ban. All the same weapons were still available, they just had certain "features" not available to them. You could still buy them, they just had no bayonet lug, no muzzle devices, basically nothign that had to do with actual function. The dems got a bill passed and were happy, the bill had no teeth so the repubs were happy. The ban was toothless, 100%.

BTW, there are no "AK-47's" available, only knock-offs. And a bolt action hunting rifle is far more powerful and accurate than an AK knock off.
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Solarflare
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Username: Solarflare

Post Number: 483
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 65.112.56.3
Posted on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 1:39 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

and actually the current BATFE imported barrel ban is having WAY more effect on these AK knock-offs than any legislation passed previously, and I'm not even sure it was legislated, it may just be a BATFE restriction.
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Thejesus
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Username: Thejesus

Post Number: 114
Registered: 06-2006
Posted From: 24.169.224.43
Posted on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 1:51 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Solarflare:

I was kinda refering to the part of the article where it said at least a dozen rounds were fired. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the 1994 ban outlawed the sale of magazines holding more than 10 rounds...

I supposed the shooters could have reloaded or have been firing with multiple weapons, but I'm just speculating that they were using a higer-capacity magazine.
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Solarflare
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Username: Solarflare

Post Number: 484
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 65.112.56.3
Posted on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 1:56 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It outlawed the sale of magazines holding more than 10 rounds that were produced after the ban, and no more could be imported.

Pre-existing magazines could still be sold, and trust me, there are/were MILLIONS of high capacity magazines already in country. When the ban expired there wasn' even a price drop, which indicates to me the ban had no effect on their availability.
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Thejesus
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Username: Thejesus

Post Number: 115
Registered: 06-2006
Posted From: 24.169.224.43
Posted on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 2:04 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

hmmm...the info on Wikipedia says there WAS a price hike up until the ban ended...either way, it's still not right IMO to pass laws making illegal for the law-biding citizen to buy them, especially if they are so readily available

"Possession of illegally imported or manufactured equipment was outlawed as well, but note that the law did not ban the possession or sale of assault weapons or high-capacity magazines that were manufactured before the ban took effect. This provision for "pre-ban" weapons created an artificially inflated price point in the free market for such items, a disruption in the market that lasted until the ban sunset."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A ssault_weapons_ban_(USA)
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Warriorfan
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Username: Warriorfan

Post Number: 471
Registered: 08-2005
Posted From: 68.43.81.191
Posted on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 2:15 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I highly doubt these criminals went to a gun store and went throught the requisite federal criminal background check to obtain these weapons.

Lots of AKs, including fully-auto weapons, are illegally smuggled into this country from Mexico and most end up in America's inner cities in the hands of thugs and criminals.
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Ron
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Username: Ron

Post Number: 243
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 66.174.79.230
Posted on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 4:29 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

This is one issue that I am somewhat conservative on. (Livernoisyard, are you out there listening?????????)

I agree that criminals are not the ones obtaining weapons legally. I also agree that the government should not limit law-abiding citizens access to guns.

To those who criticze this position, I simply reflect on the history of our country. One of the primary reasons we exist as a country is because we had guns and the Native Americans did not. (Not that it is the only reason). We are country founded because we had access to firearms. We will never get rid of them. So we have to "even the playing field."

And to address the issue of criminal access to firearms. A good friend of mine was killed with an AK in 2000, before the ban expired. Another good friend of mine has an AK. Yep, they have certainly been available for many years.

Thanks Mr. Kalishnikov (I was being sarcastic there).
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Supersport
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Username: Supersport

Post Number: 10375
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.118.137.226
Posted on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 4:51 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I have a feeling that anytime somebody hears a fully automatic weapon, they assume it was an AK47. Ban or no ban, fully automatic weapons were illegal unless you were granted a special license by the feds to purchase one. If you were one of the lucky ones to obtain such a license, your reasoning was hardly one that included selling them on the street.

I'm even willing to bet that a lot of people may actually be hearing multiple shots from a hand gun in rapid fire, possible a few people firing at the same time. Combine that with echos off the surrounding buildings in the area and they conlude "Oh yeah, it was definitely AK47 fire.
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Warriorfan
Member
Username: Warriorfan

Post Number: 473
Registered: 08-2005
Posted From: 68.43.81.191
Posted on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 4:54 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The AK is no better or worse than any other rifle, the only difference is that the AK is ingrained in global pop culture and is seen as a "status symbol." It's popular because of the famous name and appearance, that's why criminals carry it and that's why you read about lots of murders in Detroit being committed with one. Just like it is with clothes and cars, the ghetto thugs of Detroit only want to carry "name brand" guns that give them street cred and make them look tough instead of the pussies they actually are, so that means an AK.
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Jerome81
Member
Username: Jerome81

Post Number: 1051
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 64.142.86.133
Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 12:41 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Warriorfan, agreed. However, the power of the AK (or any other rifle) is far far greater than your everyday handgun.

That is what I find scary. Sure a bolt action rifle is crazy accurate and powerful, but it can't pop off as many shots as quickly as an automatic rifle.

If handguns are scary, automatic rifles just take that to the next level.
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Paulmcall
Member
Username: Paulmcall

Post Number: 837
Registered: 05-2004
Posted From: 68.40.119.216
Posted on Sunday, July 30, 2006 - 5:50 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

This post will sure entice more folks to move back to Detroit. Shootings with an AK-47 (or not) are out of control.
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Iseries840
Member
Username: Iseries840

Post Number: 233
Registered: 08-2005
Posted From: 68.40.155.67
Posted on Sunday, July 30, 2006 - 6:05 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

AKs are popular because they are easy to use and don't require much maintenance. A ten year old could use one.
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Jerome81
Member
Username: Jerome81

Post Number: 1055
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 64.142.86.133
Posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 2:09 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

And 10 year olds probably are....

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