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AK-47s Flooding US Cities

Gun dealers skirt import ban, as assaults with semiautomatics skyrocket

By Paul Stinson,  Newser User

Posted Jul 17, 2008 3:03 PM CDT

(Newser) – At least one of America’s borders is wide open: Gun manufacturers are selling imported semiautomatic weapons with ease ever since the Bush administration allowed 1994's assault weapons ban to lapse, writes Bruce Falconer for Mother Jones. “We’re being flooded with these AK-47s,” said Miami’s police chief, who has seen semiautomatic usage account for 20% of his city’s homicides.

With some assault weapons priced lower than a handgun, skirting the rules has become automatic and easy for manufacturers: By bringing in foreign parts and combining them with American-made materials prohibited by import laws, assault rifles such as the Chinese MAK-90s technically qualify as American-made. The only thing preventing Falconer from his semiautomatic purchase? His DC driver’s license. One dealer offered a solution: Move to Virginia.
A user's manual for the Mak-90 semiautomatic rifle is shown here. The gun is a variation of the Russian AK-47 designed to circumvent federal regulations on the import of assault weapons.
A user's manual for the Mak-90 semiautomatic rifle is shown here. The gun is a variation of the Russian AK-47 designed to circumvent federal regulations on the import of assault weapons.   (Flickr © scottzcamaro)
Available at gun shows for $450, the Mak-90 semiautomatic rifle is shown with its owner. It's the same gun (as the AK-47), the dealer told Falconer. They just eliminated the pistol grip.
Available at gun shows for $450, the Mak-90 semiautomatic rifle is shown with its owner. It's the same gun (as the AK-47)," the dealer told Falconer. "They just eliminated the pistol grip."   (Flickr Stan_the_sock_monkey)
ATF officer Carlos Baixauli holds an AK-47 in Miami. A popular weapon in Third World conflicts, Florida's coastal metropolis has seen a steady build in AK usage, now accounting for 1 in 5 homicides.
ATF officer Carlos Baixauli holds an AK-47 in Miami. A popular weapon in Third World conflicts, Florida's coastal metropolis has seen a steady build in AK usage, now accounting for 1 in 5 homicides.   (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
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COMMENTS
Showing 1 of 1 comment
elchucko
Jul 24, 2012 3:22 PM CDT
I'm a long time gun owner who owns several handguns, rifles and shotguns. I guess I'm "50 50" on the subject of "assault weapons". There are folks that use this type of gun for hunting. Yes there are hunting rifles that will fall under the term "semi-automatic". Most shotguns are semi-automatic. Taking the path of prohibiting "assault weapons" because you can fire rounds of ammunition with multiple pull of a trigger is a slippery slope. The primary design "feature" is the capability to fire multiple rounds as opposed to a "single shot" rifle or shotgun. This is one of the reasons pro-gun folks are wary of any attempt to pass additional laws.

Is it really absurd to have an AK in your trunk?
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Bush administration • ATF • AK-47 • gun ban • assault weapons • guns

 
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