I'm no great firearms aficionado. When I go deer or turkey hunting, I borrow a rifle or a shotgun, respectively. I did earn the designation as an Expert Marksman with both the M-16 and a .38 revolver during my Naval career, but that merely reflected my innate skill, not due to any hard work, experience or any particular familiarity with firearms.

But as I've heard more and read more about the expiring "assault" weapons ban, I've come to the conclusion that the ban doesn't make much sense. I can't see where the banned weapons are any more dangerous than other non-banned ones.

What many people don't realize is that automatic weapons, what most of us think of as "machine guns," are already severely restricted by federal law (they're effectively banned other than a few dealers and specially-licensed folks). Although the M-16, as an example, can be built so that it can fire as long as you hold down the trigger and ammunition remains in the magazine, that design is limited to military and law enforcement use.

The weapons that fall under the ban are semiautomatic, which means you must pull the trigger for each bullet you intend to send down-range. This isn't to say that every semiautomatic rifle is banned; far from it. The features which can turn a legal rifle into a banned one include: a "pistol-grip" stock; lugs for mounting a bayonet; flash suppressor; and a magazine that holds more than 10 rounds. None of these features have any impact on the lethality of the weapon (with the possible exception of a rifle-mounted bayonet, but c'mon, when was the last time you heard of anyone getting even a scratch from one?).

None of these weapons will kill you any faster or any deader than other non-banned semiautomatic weapons. This law makes no sense, and should be allowed to expire.

Update: Spoons celebrates. Of course, he's a self-professed gun nut. :)

Update 2: And on the other side of the coin, my liberal pal David Anderson thinks that so-called "assault weapons" are unnecessary. I've left him comments to find out what he thinks is the problem with so-called "assault weapons."