Hughes amendment ...

... there was just a bit of discussion while at the Luckygunner shoot.

Cargosquid mentioned to me that we need to do something to get rid of the Hughes amendment, a sentiment with which I heartily agree. However, like Sebastian, I think that politically, it's a losing game.

Kevin at Smallest Minority wrote a good post about the relevant court cases (and linked a couple more articles), and how after Rock Island Armory and Dalton, district courts have mostly ignored those (and others) decisions.

But it seems to me that where we've dropped the ball with regards to the Hughes amendment, is that after the favorable decision (and the decision of the government not to appeal), Rock Island Armory did not immediately start selling fully automatic weapons to regular FFL's (in the 10th district), to be sold under the requirements of GCA '68. That is, to anyone legally able to buy a long gun.

That would get some action. I know that if there were to be a decision like Rock Island Armory in my district, I'd be making machineguns a quickly as my funding would allow.

I don't pretend to be anything other than an interested layman, so your mileage may vary. I know that politically, Hughes is most likely here to stay. Our only hope is the Supreme Court, and that's a crap shoot at best. You can understand the reluctance of the legal community to attack this.

But we do have Alan Gura (and I'm damn glad we do!); it sure would be nice to have him argue in the Supreme Court against 922(o).

He might even win!

pm