We are halfway through December and about two weeks left of 2020. 2020 has been both the longest and shortest decade of my life. It seems like this year has both dragged on and blazed by at the same time. Sad to say, it does not look like 2021 is shaping up to be much of a better, at least not as far as the firearms community is concerned.
The news that has been breaking over the weekend concerning the ATF’s raids on Polymer 80 has many of us concerned as to what the future might hold for 80% firearm receivers. From everything I have read, what seems to have the ATF’s ire is the kit being offered by Polymer 80 which included not just an 80% pistol frame, but also the jigs, tools, and parts needed to complete the pistol.
The frustrating part of this is the fact that the law has long been that the part considered a firearm, the frame or receiver, is the only part that requires a background check. Every other component in that kit can be purchased online/over the counter without any sort of paper work. If the frame or receiver is unfinished, or deemed to need at least 20% more work to finish it, then it is lawful to purchase it without filling out a 4473. The precedent that the ATF is trying to set is that “A kit” of parts and tools, accompanying a 80% firearm is essentially the same as a 81% firearm and should be treated the same. We know it’s only these kits, as that the only thing they’ve targeted, the rest of the Polymer 80 inventory is on sale right now.
The ATF is going so far as to request customer records, and then tracking down customers who have purchased these kits and demanding forfeiture in lieu of a obtaining a warrant and searching a homeowners house. If I was someone who had purchased on of these kits, and the ATF came up to my door demanding I hand it over or they will get a warrant to tear through my house, I would be inclined to turn it over. I completely understand where owners are coming from.
I strongly suspect we can see more of these shenanigan’s from the ATF over the next few years. Unfortunately there are lawyers who take definitions and laws which seem pretty clear to you and I, but argue to form these legal grey area’s. All it takes is one court case and a willing judge to redefine a that serves to only burden the law abiding. The frustrating part is it can take years and large amounts of $$$ for cases like these to work their way through the legal system. It’s all politically motivated garbage, that just further infuriate those in the firearms community.
If I was to guess what we are going to see in the next four years, here is my list.
- ATF redefining a pistol brace to a stock, and classifying any weapon with a pistol brace an illegal SBR. (Before you think I’m going a bit far, look at what they did with Bump stocks…)
- Reinterpreting the definition of pistol in order to limit the importation of firearms which currently fall under the “Pistol” version of long arms. This would include weapons like the CZ Scorpion EVO, AR-15 variants, and PCC pistol configurations.
- Another hard look at M855 ammunition, that has long enjoyed a sporting exemption. This came under fire back in 2015/2016 but ultimately retain its exemption.
- A further slow down in NFA transfers. Current wait times for paper transfers are around 9 to 12 months, while electronic transfers typically take 1 to 2 months. It would not at all surprise me to see the ATF change it’s rules on individual ownership and trusts to further burden the process.
- A hard look at the definition of 80% and homemade firearms. This includes 3D Printing or sharing of CAD models, and prints online.
I also anticipate we will see at least one or two more big pushes for a so called “Assault” Weapons Ban (AWB) in the first two years of a Biden/Harris administration. Two years from now, are elections which are projected to be favorable to the GOP. If this election was any indication, we are likely to see the House flip Red, which will help (not totally prevent) any sort of AWB from being enacted. If the GOP retains the Senate in January, we may stand a better chance at preventing an AWB, but I would not bet a dime on it. There are two many GOP senators which are pretty tepid on firearms.
From all indications should an AWB come to the floor in the House, it will far more reaching and more restrictive then the 1994 bill that expired in 2004. While many in the firearms community will cast their hopes to the conservative majority on the Supreme Court, this is not the sure bulwark some believe it to be. If the Bills that have been submitted in the past are any indication, we can expect pretty much every semi-automatic rifle, most shotguns and a good deal of pistols to be affected by this change. It is unclear to me at this time if there is any grandfather provisions for existing firearms.
Biden has already announced his support for $200 tax stamp on firearms that fall under these arbitrary Assault Weapon definitions and are in current circulation. Further more he wants to enact a tax stamp on each magazine that holds over 10 rounds. Ten mags, that is $2,000 dollars, in tax stamps. I think I tallied it up, and I was well over $10,000 in tax stamps for what I owned should this legislation go through. My collection is not all that big compared to many I know. Do not lie to yourself, they know full well the impact of this legislation will create a financial burden so large for most firearm owners, that firearm owners will opt to destroy their mags, hide them, or turn them in. Which ever you do, it has the same effect, removing these magazines out of circulation.
Unfortunately it is hard to talk about firearms and stay completely out of politics because the two have become so intertwined, to the point what is legal one year, can turn you into a felon in the next year if you are not paying attention. Being involved with organizations like the Gun Owners of America, or the 2nd Amendment Foundation is about the only way to keep tabs on what’s going on.
As far as other news goes, I have been quite busy with trying to find some work. Both of my consulting contracts have fallen through, one permanently the other one has just been delayed. In the mean time we’ve still got bills to pay and lives to live and all that takes a bit of money. So I’ve become a full time job seeker, at least until things pick back up again. That has once again put a bit of a delay on some of my other projects. We’ll continue to work on them as we have time and post updates here.
As always if you are looking to get in touch, best way is to send me an email jay@theballisticassistant.com. You may check us out on Parler, Facebook, Instagram, MeWe, and Reddit If you’d like to submit a load to our load database the instructions are here.
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The Ballistic Assistant