Senator Dianne Feinstein Introduces New “Assault Weapons” Ban

U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)- Once again Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is back with a fresh “assault weapons” ban.

On Wednesday Sen. Feinstein was joined by 24 Democrats, including Chuck Schumer, in introducing new legislation that would ban AR-15s which is the most popular rifle in the US. The gun as mentioned above is the same rifle that Stephen Willeford used to stop the deranged mass shooter, Devin Patrick Kelley, at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas.

According to Sen. Feinstein, an AR-15 is a military weapon. No militaries use civilian AR-15s. It is most likely she is getting civilian AR-15s confused with M16s or M4 carbines. She released a statement about the bill saying, “We’re introducing an updated Assault Weapons Ban for one reason: so that after every mass shooting with a military-style assault weapon, the American people will know that a tool to reduce these massacres is sitting in the Senate, ready for debate and a vote,”

The bill as introduced would ban more than just AR-15s. The new Feinstein bill will also prohibit the ownership, manufacture, or sale of bump stocks. It incorrectly states that bump stocks modify semi-automatic rifles to be fully automatic weapons. The dubious proposed law would as well ban magazines that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition.

The proposed legislation is similar to the 1994 Assualt Weapons ban that was implemented by Congress under then-president Bill Clinton. Multiple independent studies showed that the 1994 ban did not affect crime. These studies had the same conclusion as a study that was done by the Clinton Justice Department in 1997 which was not known for being pro-gun.

The new bill list 205 firearms by name that would automatically be banned. Also, any rifle with a detachable ammunition magazine and has a pistol grip, a forward grip, a barrel shroud, a threaded barrel or a folding or telescoping stock would be prohibited. The statement reads that the bill “will begin removing the weapons of war on our streets.”

The bill would also grandfather existing modern sporting rifles which contradicts removing modern sporting rifles from our streets. Owners of these guns would be able to keep these rifles, but would also have the burden of additional regulations on how the owners store those weapons.

Those grandfather weapons could still be transferred from owner to owner, but it would require the transfer to go through an FFL. There has to be a background check performed on the transferee under the proposed law. Magazines that hold more than ten rounds, which the bill incorrectly refers to as high capacity magazines, could not be transferred with the firearm. These would be outright banned.

Dianne Feinstein and the other 24 senators are claiming that this bill is a direct result of the 57 people killed in Las Vegas by Stephen Paddock, and the 26 people killed by, church shooter, Devin Patrick Kelley in Sutherland Springs, Texas. Looking at the legislation that Sen. Feinstein has introduced in the past this does not seem to be the case. In fact, this is the latest in the long line of gun control bills introduced by Feinstein.

In 2013 Sen. Feinstein introduced a very similar assault weapons ban. The only real difference between the two is the addition of the banning of bump stocks in the latest bill. That bill failed by a vote of 40 to 60. Dianne Feinstein then brought out a blown up picture of 20 dead children from the Sandy Hook Elementary School, where crazed shoot Adam Lanza attacked the school, with the headline “Shame on U.S.”

Dianne Feinstein then famously said, “I believe the American people are far ahead of their elected officials on this issue.” She vowed to keep fighting to pass an assault weapons ban. This evidence is in direct contradiction that she introduced this new bill in response to Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs, Texas.

None of the Senators including Feinstein address the fact that if there was an assault weapons ban that Stephen Willeford would not have been able to stop the shooting Sutherland Springs, Texas. They also did not address the fact that there is at least 100 million magazines capable of holding more than ten rounds in the United States, and there is no way of knowing where and who has these magazines.

The bill has very little chance of passing the Senate. Even if it made it through the Senate, it would be almost for sure dead on arrival in the House Of Representatives. If by some miracle it made it through Congress President Trump would veto it almost immediately. The Democrats are well aware of this leading some to believe that this is political theater.

About John Crump

John is a NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. He is the former CEO of Veritas Firearms, LLC and is the co-host of The Patriot News Podcast which can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/patriotnews. John has written extensively on the patriot movement including 3%’ers, Oath Keepers, and Militias. In addition to the Patriot movement, John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and is currently working on a book on the history of the patriot movement and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss or at www.crumpy.com.