Do you think ownership of AK-47s should be illegal?

[Junkdrawer]

Poll question: Do you think ownership of AK-47s should be illegal?

[NightWatcher]

1. what's the difference between an AK 47 and any other semi auto that fires a large round?

a 7.62x39 to be exact

[TheWraith]

78. The 7.62x39 isn't a very large round.

It's .30 caliber, yes, but compared to the striking power of a .308 or a 30-06, it's still low to medium power.

[LWolf]

2. Other:

It's not a question I've ever seriously entertained.

I need some time to consider it.

Get back to me when we are no longer at war, the economy has stabilized, we have universal, single-payer, not-for-profit health care, and my profession is not longer under attack.

[Democracyinkind]

3. I'm no gun expert, but anyone who thinks that

carrying around an assault rifle is not somehow fundamentally out of place within a populace that is governed by a social contract just beats me.

As for posession... I can live with it.. On your property, that is. Anyone carrying an AK 47 in public should be shot in sight.

God I love radical statements. Makes me feel so manly. Like owning a gun.

[DS1]

10. How about while loading one into a car in your driveway when taking it out to a range?

Would you have shot at me because my brother has one?

[Democracyinkind]

23. I wouldn't shoot, since I wouldn't carry a gun, that's my point.

I would suggest to leave your AK 47 at the range, like it is done in most sane countries.

As for your driveway, I wouldn't have a problem with that, I'd consider it part of "your property" even if it isn't legally.
My point was that you cannot argue for the right to carry around a weapon of war in a society that is based on a social contract.

It wasn't really a policy proposal.

[SteveM]

95. Which AK 47 is a "weapon of war"?....

The semi-auto variety which millions of Americans own

or

The full-auto variety which a few hundred own?

HINT: the semi-auto variety (much weaker than a Remington 742 in .30-06) is not used in military forces -- these use full-auto.

[Xenotime]

89. I would call and have Law Enforcement take a look at you.

[Tim01]

98. And they tell you to stop bothering them unless somebody is being threatened.

[depakid]

69. "governed by a social contract."

I'm no longer certain that a majority of Americans either know what a social contract is- or possess the values and ethics necessary to sustain one.

The is true of certain regions more than others- but by in large, it's been a general trend over the last 28 years or so.

Heated opposition to responsible gun regulation is simply one aspect of that.

[jeepnstein]

87. You're not really that radical.

Carrying a weapon in public is subject to laws and restrictions. I have no problem with that and comply to the letter with my state's laws.

Keeping arms in your home is one thing, carrying in public raises legitimate safety concerns that should be and are addressed by the various States.

I'm not a big fan of shooting anyone on sight.

[NNN0LHI]

4. Not positive but I think someone could do more damage with a 12 gauge pump shotgun and ØØ buckshot

At least thats what I have been told. I'm sure they have their limitations but if I ever got sent off to war I think thats what I would want to have with me.

I know the police are real leery of them for some reason.

Don

[TahitiNut]

6. Shotguns are frowned upon by the Geneva Conventions.

Strange, huh?

(Actually, it's the kinds of projectiles often used in shotguns, but the point remains.)

[NNN0LHI]

13. I didn't know that I will do some research now

Thanks for the tip.

Don

[madeline_con]

16. So is most of the crap Israel does.

Someone should do more than "frown" if they want results.

OOOO, I went there!

[aquart]

34. Another "I can smoke because air pollution is worse" argument.

Only made by people who can't genuinely defend their position.

And if anti-semitism is your first refuge in defeat, you got a whole other list of problems.

[Hugabear]

88. Here we go again...

Please explain why any criticism of Israel is automatically "anti-semitism" in your opinion. I take it that Israel is the ONLY nation in the world that cannot be criticized without fear of being labeled a bigot.

[SteveM]

96. Do you equate criticism of Israel with anti-semitism? Explain. Use examples (nt)

[Synicus Maximus]

45. You're right

At short distances a 12 gauge will do a lot more damage. Police are leery of them because of the spread of the pelletswhen you shoot a shotgun. With a pistol or rifle you have to aim, you have one projectile to hit the target with, with buckshot you have between 8 (00 shot) and 27 (#4 shot) projectiles to hit a target with.

[TheWraith]

79. It depends on the scenario.

For instance, at short to medium ranges shotguns are extremely deadly. Fire one into a crowd from say 50 feet and you could kill 3-4 people with each shell. Over long ranges they're almost worthless, since the pellets drop faster than bullets. However, most gun crimes are committed at close range.

Of course, shotguns like rifles are bulky and almost impossible to conceal. Criminals and people going on rampages almost always pick handguns for their size and convenience. The power of long guns is unnecessary in that case.

[NewMoonTherian]

92. Sometimes.

They have less range and penetration(penis joke here, let's just get that out of the way right now), which is preferable in some cases. They also have a bigger round which limits the amount of ammunition you can carry, and most models use an integral tube magazine which you have to load on round at a time. You could get around a lot of these limitations, and the military obviously has access to automatic versions.

On the plus side, yes, they can do a lot of damage, and you can cram almost anything you want inside a 12 gauge shell and blast it out of the barrel. There are lots of less-lethal rounds like pepper, rock salt, rubber pellets and sandbags, and special rounds for breeching doors, minimizing wall penetration, disabling car engines(serious doubts as to their effectiveness) and a ton of other purposes.

[stray cat]

5. Mixed feelings - if we ever have to rise against a dictator it would be nice to have arms

The revolutionary war would've been different if the populace did not have access to arms.

[creeksneakers2]

41. If we ever have a dictator

Most of the gun loving crowd will be on his side.

[SteveM]

97. Ah, more of that intellectual argument progressives are known for (nt)

[Merlot]

43. Like a few people with guns can actually hold off the military.

Between chemical warfare, tanks, bombers, etc, I think the guns of the citizenry are only going to be used against each other.

[wartrace]

7. AK-47's are tightly regulated, rare & very expensive,

You need to buy a tax stamp, go through an extensive FBI background check that often takes six months before you can even buy an AK-47.
Here is a link to explain the rules.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Firearms_Act

Here is a link to a seller of machineguns; They retail for right around 20,000 dollars.

http://www.impactguns.com/store/machineguns.html

[Junkdrawer]

9. WRONG: It is easy to buy an AK-47...

....

Firearms Unlimited followed all of the laws. Canella even cajoled me into a four-day wait period while I applied for the Pennsylvania driver’s license.

I had entered the store at 1:22 p.m. Store clerk Brandon Moore loaded the gun into my trunk at 2:22 p.m. The actual purchase took an hour because of cash register technicalities.

Six days after Watts was murdered, four days after I applied for a driver’s license, one hour after entering the store and five minutes after a criminal record check, I legally owned a semiautomatic AK-47-style rifle.

....

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_318331.html

[spoony]

15. I believe the poster was talking about a real select-fire model

Cheap repros in semiauto only are plentiful, but I think we need to ask what we're trying to ban here. It can't be power, as there are oodles of more powerful calibres. It's not easy to make full-atuo, so that's not it. Price may make it attractive to criminals, but also to rifle shooters without much money. I dunno, what about these guns is special enough to single out?

[Hangingon]

42. I believe the poster does not have any knowledge of the matter.

This appears to be another knee jerk reaction post.

[dmallind]

17. BIG difference

The real AK-47 is NOT semiautomatic.

Neither version however is all that desperately powerful. An average deer rifle has way more muzzle energy.

[wartrace]

19. Are you referring to a semi-automatic version of the AK47?

I suggest you look at the links I provided. Yes, you can buy a semi-automatic version of the AK47 as easily as you could buy any firearm. None of these knockoffs are called an AK47 by their manufacturers.

In your story it says "I legally owned a semiautomatic AK-47 STYLE rifle".....

What was the poll referring to? The AK47.

BTW- I wouldn't want one personally. I have no use for one.

[Pavulon]

28. You have been bamboozled, with orwellian langugae

firearms have a technical language, same as anything. AK47 was issued by the USSR, design sold to other countries. It is a fully automatic rifle and not available in the method you describe.

The AK47 is available in NFA and costs 15000 or so. Rich people generally dont go on shooting sprees and have access to mental health.

No legal AK (real machine guns, not replicas you describe) has ever been used in a crime.

So yeah, I support my right to spend 20 grand on a machine gun if I see fit.

[hack89]

40. Are you referring to a real AK-47 or a civilian market semi-auto clone? nt

[Ghost in the Machine]

47. The key words from your post are: "a semiautomatic AK-47-style rifle."

You *do* know the difference between a "a semiautomatic AK-47-style rifle" and a fully automatic AK-47, don't you?

Your post was an example of an epic failure to comprehend what you're reading...

[rl6214]

51. WRONG

That was NOT an ak47 she purchased. Ak47s are fully automatic. She did not purchase a full auto.

Try again.

[gorfle]

75. No, it is not easy to buy an AK-47.

An AK-47 is a machine gun. It fires in either fully-automatic or semi-automatic mode. In order to purchase one of these, it has to have been manufactured and registered prior to 1986. Currently they cost around $15,000 ( http://machinegunpriceguide.com/html/rest_mg_0.html ). In order to own one, you have to pay a $200 annual tax for a machine gun permit, and have to go through an extensive background check.

There are many civilian variants of the AK-47 which are easy to purchase. These are semi-automatic rifles no different from any other semi-automatic hunting rifle. They fire one bullet with each pull of the trigger.

[slackmaster]

82. That was not an AK-47, and the author even says so...

...I legally owned a semiautomatic AK-47-style rifle.

Emphasis added.

[DonP]

90. Key word in your post "style"

... as in I own a NASCAR "style" Chevy Malibu.

Even if it has the racing stripes and 50 decals on the side with big old Number 1 on the door, it still won't hit 200+ on the straightaway.

An AK-47 "style" rifle is a plain old semi auto, just like great-grandpa's Browning Auto 5 shotgun or the M-1 Garand Uncle Fred carried in WWII. One trigger pull, one shot, only not as accurate at distances over 100 yards.

The author is either woefully ignorant of what he bought or suffers from the delusion that many people have, that any rifle can be easily converted to full auto with a paper clip or similar technology. The BATFE says otherwise.

[anigbrowl]

8. No, but I think it should require special licensing

Like the way it's quite a lot of work to acquire and maintain a trucking license. Annual re-certification or suchlike. There's no doubt about the fact that it's an enthusiast's gun, as opposed to one for hunting or home defense or whatever. I think of AKs as being equivalent to drag racing cars or monster trucks or something, it's not illegal to operate one but they're not meant to be on the public road.

[benEzra]

74. That's already the case, if you're talking about real AK-47's...

and you will pay about $17,000 for a civilian-transferable AK-47 in the United States (there are probably 200 civilian-transferable Title 2 AK-47's in the entire nation).

If you're talking about non-automatic civilian AK lookalikes, then no, race cars or monster trucks are not a good analogy. A civilian AK lookalike would be a street-legal Honda Civic with a factory-stock 4-cylinder engine, air dam, rear wing, aftermarket wheels, low-profile tires, and a flat black paint job.

And yes, I own one. (Not a Civic, a civilian AK.)

[BlooInBloo]

11. No. Just regulated.

[WindRiverMan]

12. Nah, it just looks fearsome.

My Alaskan rifle is a .338 Remmington Ultra Magnum that shoots a 250 grain bullet just a tad under 3000 ft per second and is really, an accurage cartridge out to about 350 yards, little drop in elevation and not much windage changes at that distance. It hits at 300 yards with the same foot pounds of energy that a .30-06 does at the muzzle. Police armor will not stop it. I have this gun for bear protection in Alaska, and I guess the point is, an AK-47 is a crappy little round for close in combat, and other than than high capacity banana-clip, it is woefully underpowered compared to most deer or elk rifles you can get at WalMart.

[NNN0LHI]

18. Jeez I have owned a .30-06 before and that thing would knock down a tree with old military ammo

What is the .338 Remmington used for? Hunting walruses? Elephants?

Don

[WindRiverMan]

25. Mainly moose and the big bears for me, probably a decent African rifle as well.

It's a .338 Remmington ULTRA Magnum, a step up from a regular .338. Big alaskan bulls can go 1600 lbs and have the sick tendency of wanting to run into the nearest river when hit, so it has that application, you want to break them down before they get to a place where you can recover them. For the big bears, if it comes down to having to defend life or property, you want to break bones, because a lung shot bear can still deal out a shit load of damage in the time it takes it to bleed out. If you have never been face to face wtih an Alskan brown bear, you have no idea how much better it feels knowing if push comes to shove, you are going to be shooting a bullet the size of your thumb at the thing.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

14. Ownership by whom exactly? The people who we trust to enforce

the "law" or the people who depend on the law to be upheld?? Seems to me that if they were good enough for the Iraqis, they ought to be good enough for us.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6932710.stm

The US military cannot account for 190,000 AK-47 assault rifles and pistols given to the Iraqi security forces, an official US report says.

[rl6214]

53. Now those

are real, full auto ak47s. Not the same as you can get here in the US which is only semi auto.

Big difference. The AK clones you can get here are just low caliber rifles with a pistol grip that can accept a hi capacity mag.

[Demobrat]

20. I think manufacturing of AK-47s should be illegal.

That's not on the poll.

[doctor jazz]

21. Well, they started making them 65 years ago...in Russia so you're a bit late.

...

[Pavulon]

30. I have seen a guy in pakistan hammer one out in a shed. Not like nuclear

weapon levels of machining are required.

[Occam Bandage]

37. You can practically make one in your garage. That's why they're so common in the world. nt

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

71. It is illegal in the United States. Illegal to import them also.

[wartrace]

22. No, if somehow they all disappeared criminals would upgrade to better rifles.

Next thing you know people would want to ban the gun I own.......

[Ian David]

24. You need an option for "other." n/t

[FudaFuda]

26. Semi-auto rifle should be legal . Full auto, not so much. nt

[Pavulon]

31. Been that way since 34. You guys have been duped.

edit:grammar

[FudaFuda]

32. I know dat.

1934 NFA. Problem is, the OP didn't specify.

[immoderate]

27. I think you need to be more specific.

Full auto AK-47s are very hard to obtain (except if you're an Iraqi.) Knock-off semi-autos based on AK-47 design are middle of the road rifles that are not assault weapons, unless you dress them up a bit.

--imm

[provis99]

29. if machineguns are banned, only criminals will have machineguns!!

If thermonuclear weapons are banned, only criminals will have thermonuclear weapons!!

[Bonn1997]

39. True by definition!

By definition, the group of people who own something that's banned are criminals

[Hangingon]

44. Timely comment --

Obama goal for a nuke free world and North Korea's missle launch.

[rl6214]

54. Machine guns are regulated not banned

Genius.

[Spider Jerusalem]

33. No.

There is no functional difference between a semi-automatic Kalashnikov and any other semi-automatic firearm. Fully automatic weapons are tightly controlled and not legal for private ownership per the National Firearms Act of 1934; the semi-automatic versions of military weapons available for civilian purchase (Kalashnikovs, AR-15's, SKSs, etc) are structurally different to their fully automatic military counterparts in such a way that their conversion to full-auto requires essentially rebuilding the firing assembly and advanced machining skills and equipment; it is not something you can do in a basement with a file and a set of screwdrivers.

[Noodleboy13]

35. Gee I hope not. I'm in the market for a good SHTF rifle.

I've never owned a firearm in my life, but lately I've been re-considering. I've used firearms (My brother shoots, uncle hunts, mom was on the college rifle team), but never felt the need for anything myself. I don't hunt, I live in a safe area in Minneapolis, so it was always kind of a non-issue.
Lately however, I've been reconsidering. Maybe I've been infected by the recent national zeitgeist, maybe I've been researching Zombie Apocalypse culture for too long, who knows? All the articles I've read and folks I've talked to like the AK. It's a simple proven design (60+years, fires a fairly common round, and although it LOOKS scary, is really no different than any other wooden stocked semi-automatic rifle.

Have fun guys

peace
Noodleboy

[Endangered Specie]

61. Consider a Vz-58

its a Czech made rifle that looks like an AK, fired the AK round, but is much better in nearly every regard than an AK:

http://www.czechpoint-usa.com/products/vz-58-rifles/sa-vz-58-military/

[X_Digger]

77. Consider a home build ar-15, if you want to hunt..

I know benEzra will disagree with me (it's kind of a mac vs pc thing) but I like an ar-15 for hunting, as it's accurate to a longer distance.

[Occam Bandage]

36. If they're semi-automatic-only, sure, why not?

What makes them particularly worse than any other semiautomatic rifle?

[ThomWV]

38. I agree with the 'if its semi ...' statement completely. If they want a junk gun let them have it.

You all do know that the AKs that flood the market are generally pretty poorly made (built to a very low price) hardware.

[Seeking Serenity]

46. No, we should ban "ugly" guns

Guns that look "scary," irrespective of their efficacy in comparison with other long arms, need to be banned.

We'll be a lot safer when people don't have access to scary-looking guns.

[ConcernedCanuk]

48. In MY country - yuppers

.
.
.

In a country on our borders?

yuppers - that'd be y'all.

Other countries across the globe yes and no.

I'm glad Saddam left his people well armed to fight the invaders.

Haven't got the time or knowledge to respond regarding every country,

but countries that are subject to invasion - I think the populace should be armed.

USA ain't one of them in my opinion.

[rl6214]

55. Therefore I am glad

You don't live in my country.

[depakid]

70. I am damn glad that you're right here in this failing nation- and not in more successful ones

Please, keep it that way- as your attitudes are surely not wanted.

[rl6214]

94. You wanna give some examples

Of what you consider to be more successful than the US

Because in my opinion there aren't any.

But that's just me.

[Junkdrawer]

49. The gunners crack me up....

"the SEMI-AUTOMATIC AK-47 is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT than a REAL AK-47"

"The civilian AK-47 is just an ugly, junk gun"

etc, etc...

But talk about banning the "civilian" AK-47 and watch the howls. Why?

Because the semi-automatic AK-47 represents an enormous amount of firepower and the gunners want them and want then badly. You fool no one.

[bossy22]

52. LMAO

give me an M1A any day over a civilian legal AK-47

enormous fire power....nah....sizable power...yes.

its an intermediate powered cartridge- the 7.62 x 39mm

my M1A fires the more powerful 7.62 x 51mm

the AK-47 (civilian version) is a cheap gun- its not junk, its just nothing great....its accuracy at over 50 yards also leaves alot to be desired

why we howl....because it makes no sense to ban these guns.

fool no one? we arent trying to fool anybody but by your lack of knowledge im guessing it wouldnt be too hard to fool you

[rl6214]

56. I am glad you admit you are cracked up

"the SEMI-AUTOMATIC AK-47 is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT than a REAL AK-47"

"The civilian AK-47 is just an ugly, junk gun"

etc, etc...

But talk about banning the "civilian" AK-47 and watch the howls. Why?

Because the semi-automatic AK-47 represents an enormous amount of firepower and the gunners want them and want then badly. You fool no one.


Why? Because the civilian ak47 IS NOT an ak47. It does not fire full auto therefore it cannot be an ak47. That is why there is so much howling about a ban on them. The semi auto "civilian ak" does not represent any more firepower than any other civilian firearm. It shoots a relatively low powered round. Much less power from one of these rifles than that which Lee Harvey Oswald used when he shot President Kennedy. The only ones fooled here are those that believe the hype coming from the Brady campaign and so many others screaming gun control.

[wartrace]

63. As if the AK knockoff is the only one that would be banned.

No, it isn't just the AK47 you want to ban, you want to ban all semiautomatic rifles. If I wanted an AK I would have it right now. I do like my M1a which will be included in your gun ban. If you were serious about reducing gun murders you would be seeking to ban handguns. I can only assume that attempts to ban "assault weapons" are made because gun grabbers see it being easier than going after the real "killer guns".

I guess I "fooled" you, I don't give a rats ass about AK knockoffs as much as protecting my right to own other rifles you want banned.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

72. Your ignorance of the issue cracks me up.

[durdypants]

80. The Truth About AK-47 Firepower

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vgr3kTU68uw

[slackmaster]

83. How would you construct a law that would ban semiautomatic AK-style rifles without also banning...

...All kinds of other firearms that don't look as scary but function exactly the same way?



The subject is inherently technical, Junkdrawer.

[SteveM]

99. Your intellectually dishonest approach to polling fools no one...

Not surprising. You do not address the semi- vs. full-auto distinction because this corrupt conflation on your part (and many gun-controllers) is all you have.

You fool no one. Got that, now?

[melm00se]

50. this weapon

and other "assault" style semi automatic weapons were outlawed simply because they are scary and intimidating in appearance.

there are plenty of off the shelf civilian issue hunting rifles that chamber similar sized rounds (.3xx caliber). the .3xx caliber round was (and still is) a standard military round that migrated to the civilian market overtime. my remington woodmaster chambers a .308 round and is perfectly legal (and hopefully will stay so)

[baldguy]

57. So its a matter of fashion more than anything else, right?

The problem is, when you see an assault "style" weapon pointed at you can you take the chance that its just a fashion statement by the guy holding it?

Should a cop?

[bossy22]

58. why does it matter

if a gun is pointed at you....no matter what the type of gun....you should be greatly concerned. No one goes "well hes only holding a .38 SW at me"

with police officers, the response is not dependent on the type of gun


your argument is silly

[baldguy]

65. An assault weapon is inherently more dangerous than a simple semi-automatic rifle.

And you can't read the model number off the side to determine what kind of threat you're facing. If it looks like an assault "style" weapon, the only sane response is to treat it as an actual assault weapon.

You can be damn sure the police response IS dependent on the type of weapon they're facing. In Pittsburgh they thought they were responding to a domestic dispute. If they knew they would be facing an assault weapon, they would have responded with helmets, body armor & high powered weapons themselves.

[bossy22]

73. oy vay

"An assault weapon is inherently more dangerous than a simple semi-automatic rifle."

explain?

"And you can't read the model number off the side to determine what kind of threat you're facing. If it looks like an assault "style" weapon, the only sane response is to treat it as an actual assault weapon."
how about they treat it as a man with a firearm, since basically it IS THE SAME RESPONSE.

"You can be damn sure the police response IS dependent on the type of weapon they're facing. In Pittsburgh they thought they were responding to a domestic dispute. If they knew they would be facing an assault weapon, they would have responded with helmets, body armor & high powered weapons themselves."

let me put it this way, IF THEY KNEW THEY WOULD BE FACING ANY FIREARM THEY WOULD HAVE RESPONDED WITH HELMETS, BODY ARMOR, AND HIGH POWERED WEAPONS.

do you honestly think cops think this way "well its only a 38 calibre revolver being fired at us, no need to worry......." IT DOESNT MATTER WHAT TYPE OF GUN THEY ARE FACING SINCE ANY GUN CAN KILL. when they start taking fire....REGARDLESS OF THE WEAPON....they will first seek to take cover.

let me put it one more way for you
would you rather be hit by a sedan going 100 mph, an SUV going 100 mph, or a Truck going 100 mph.....or maybe it doesnt matter cause EITHER WAY YOU WOULD BE DEAD. thats how it works with firearms

[benEzra]

76. Where to start....

News reports say the officers were shot in the head. A Kevlar helmet may stop a low-velocity AK round, but it will NOT stop a round from a deer rifle.

The difference between an "assault weapon" and a non "assault weapon" is stock shape, not power/lethality/rate of fire.



The tactics one would use against a suspect armed with a small- or intermediate-caliber rifle would be the same for ANY small- or intermediate-caliber rifle, regardless of whether Sarah Brady calls it an "assault weapon" or not. Knowing whether it's a handgun, rifle, or shotgun may matter from a tactical standpoint; knowing if the rifle has a protruding handgrip, a threaded muzzle, or a bayonet lug most certainly does not.

[slackmaster]

86. That statement is absolutely ridiculous

:argh:

[rl6214]

59. You are the one for a ban

So you tell us, is it all about fashion and style?

Why should a civilian ad47 clone be banned? No talking points just facts please.

[slackmaster]

85. Anyone pointing a firearm at someone is either a threat or ignorant of the basic safety rules

The type of firearm is irrelevant.

[aikoaiko]

60. No. The gun in your picture is a semi-auto SAR, not a fully automatic AK47

And I wouldn't steal bandwidtch from Arsenal, the imagemay be replaced by Goatse.

[Endangered Specie]

62. If you outlaw AK type rifles, then people will simply seek out alternatives

such as .308 battle rifles, AR platforms, which can be made to shoot .223, 7.62x39, 5.45x39, 9mm, and .22lr, or, my personal favorite, vz-58s

Canada does ban AK-47 and all their clones by name, fortunately for our northern friends, the vz-58 is not a clone

[dashrif]

64. One

More and my fav ak type dam good hog gun Saiga 12ga moded by Tromix

[AlinPA]

67. Or buy them illegally.

[AlinPA]

66. Yes, but it doesn't matter. Anyone can get them if they want them.

[jody]

68. IMO the 50+% yes voters to your poll have no idea that an AK47 is controlled under NFA (1934),

therefore their vote is based on gross ignorance and of no value.

[slackmaster]

84. I agree with Jody - Ignorance is common even among gun owners

The deception has been intentionally propagated by people who want to ban most if not all firearms.

[slackmaster]

81. Junkdrawer - Do you mean real selective-fire AK-47s, or semiautomatic variants?

Selective-fire and automatic firearms have been strictly regulated since 1934.

[HPSteam]

91. Guns...guns....JUNK but what cops do...

if they had to buy their own weapon(s) instead of the tax payer? You buy what you like and price helps make up your mind. That weapon will protect you, but hardly an assault gun. I'LL say it this way, it aint no Caddy and it beats a knife. And if ya sleep better at night,law abiding and pay your taxes on time, buy two. Please learn to handle and store, just like driven a car, lots of rule.

[jeepnstein]

93. I bought my own duty weapon.

At the time, my Colt was about two-week's wages. My backup was almost as expensive. I also own my shotgun and AR15.

It wasn't until departments began "militarization" that issue weapons were the norm.

[SteveM]

100. Really, do you want a serious discussion or...

are you just shilling for the Brady Bunch? We've heard this kind of thing before.

BTW, if you are shilling for the Brady's, be aware of their GOP affiliations. Or are political parties conflated -- just like "assault weapons."