Handgun Ownership: In order to understand Mitt Romney’s actions here, it is necessary to give a little background information about Massachusetts gun control laws: In 1998, Massachusetts established a list of “safety” criteria for handguns sold in the state. The criteria were designed to disqualify most handguns. The Roster is the list of those few makes and models which have passed the testing requirements.
Mitt Romney created two exemptions: One for handguns already licensed in the state prior to October 21, 1998, and one for “match-grade” pistols (high-dollar handguns purpose-built for shooting competitions).
The 1998 exemption is significant when one understand the “preban effect”: Some gun laws are written with an effective date, where firearms sold after the date are subject to the law, while those sold before the date are “grandfathered”. Since there is a limited supply of grandfathered items, the sale price of those items skyrockets.
The net effect of Mitt Romney’s exemptions was this: In Massachusetts, a person now has three options for legally owning a handgun: 1) an expensive pre-1998 handgun; 2) an expensive “safety-approved” handgun; 3) an expensive match-grade handgun.
Much more at the link. Including how his "We worked this out with the support of gun owners, And It Was Good" line is a load of crap.
Update: from Jay G in comments:
Mitt Romney had nothing to do with the 1998 Gun control Act in MA.
That was Paul Cellucci.
Mitt Romney signed the 2004 Assault Weapons Ban in MA.
Completely different animal, but same sentiment. I can own a 17 year old magazine that holds 11+ rounds, but not a new one. I can't have a bayonet on my new AR-15, but if I find one made before Sept. 1994 it's fine.
Romney sucks on 2A issues, but he can't be saddled with the 1998 GCA.
4 comments:
Mitt Romney is just another RINO, more of a liberal than a conservative, and apparetly almost a dyed in the wool socialist.
All the best,
GB
Firehand,
Mitt Romney had nothing to do with the 1998 Gun control Act in MA.
That was Paul Cellucci.
Mitt Romney signed the 2004 Assault Weapons Ban in MA.
Completely different animal, but same sentiment. I can own a 17 year old magazine that holds 11+ rounds, but not a new one. I can't have a bayonet on my new AR-15, but if I find one made before Sept. 1994 it's fine.
Romney sucks on 2A issues, but he can't be saddled with the 1998 GCA.
To the point, the original article was correct; Romney's fig leaf in signing the 2004 AWB extension was that it allegedly "addressed" certain aspects of the 1998 GCA.
Now, I live in MA. I still can't buy a competition-worthy Kimber, Springfield, or other high-end 1911, so I'm not sure which firearms the 2004 exception refers to. It certainly doesn't mean things like G34L or even the M&P long barrel (which, you'll recall, are made in MA).
Perhaps $5,000 Pardinis make the cut...
Didn't mean to discount the message at all, just to clarify.
Clarify away, that's not something that bothers me
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