Obama Administration Should Renew, Expand Ban on Military Firearms Import, Say Lawmakers
President Barack Obama should renew the ban on imported military-style firearms fully manufactured abroad and those imported as parts, said more than 80 Democratic House lawmakers in an April 9 letter. The import ban, which expired under the George W. Bush administration, should also include newly developed AK-type pistols that incorporate the firepower of a rifle, said the letter. The lawmakers urged action from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, including the following:
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- "Prohibit importation of all non-sporting, semiautomatic rifles, regardless of caliber, that can accept or be readily converted to accept any large-capacity ammunition magazine of more than 10 rounds. The standard should not be dependent on the military pedigree of the gun nor should it make arbitrary distinctions based on the configuration of a specific gun’s magazine as well. Such a standard will prevent importers from making slight variations in a gun’s design that in the past would make it eligible for import."
- "Prohibit importers from circumventing any new restrictions by 'sporterizing' their weapons (for example, making slight cosmetic changes to the guns while still retaining their firepower and capacity, such as incorporating “thumbhole stocks” in place of pistol grips on rifles)."