Two Popular Gun Myths Dispelled

I'm not going to get into some of the more controversial topics of guns; what I present here are going to be pure, technical facts. Not statistics which can be mis-interpreted, and not opinions. Just fact.


Myth #1) "Plastic Pistols"
In reference to the current Heller vs DC Supreme Court case, I have read in several prominant newspapers and heard on recent newscasts talk of plastic guns, which supposedly can be smuggled through metal detectors in airports and other high security areas. One newspaper even went so far to state that such guns are banned!

The truth is, when people talk about these so-called plastic guns, they are undoubtably referring to Glocks, or one of the many other polymer guns now on the market. The truth is that, by weight, these guns are more than 80% steel. They will show up on any metal detector.


Myth #2) "Fully Automatic Guns Are Banned"
While it is true that full auto guns have been heavily restricted since the 1930s, and banned from further manufacture since 1986, any machinegun manufactured and registered before 1986 is fair game in most states. If you want one, though, be prepared to dig deep into your savings account. Because the supply is fixed (no new examples since 1986) and demand is only increasing, basic laws of economics dictate that the price is only going upwards. Currently, a Thompson submachinegun like the one shown above will set you back about $15,000, possibly more if its in great condition or has a history. In addition, you have to get a $200 tax stamp, which essentially amounts to a registration fee and gets you your FBI backround check. And for those who will protest full-auto guns' legality, please note that, to the best of my knowledge, only one crime has ever been commited with a registered, full-auto gun.


Myth #2.1) One other thing many people and journalists misunderstand is the 1994 assault weapons ban, which sunsetted in 2004. The ban DID NOT REGULATE fully automatic guns. It instead banned semi-automatic guns which bore a cosmetic similarity to their fully automatic counterparts. For a more in depth look at the differences, and similarities between the two types of guns, you might want to take a look at this video. It was made at about the time of the 1994 ban.


Myth #2.2) The final myth I'll look at tonight is based on another common misconception that people have about fully automatic guns, and their semi-auto cousins. There are a good number of people who seem to think that the semi-auto guns you can buy at any gun store today can be easily modified to shoot full-auto, perhaps with little more than a screwdriver and a paperclip. While this was true of a few guns before 1986, this is almost univerally not true today. In order to convert a semi-automatic gun to full auto, one would need to have a machine shop to actually fabricate new parts out of raw steel. This is hardly an easy modification, and not one that your average person is capable of. Unless you have something like the above machine at your house, forget about it.

There you have it, 2.2 gun myths flushed down the toilet. Until next time...