Gun laws

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by clockwork

this is slightly off topic but thought should be posted. The U.S. Congress is trying to place a gun ban that includes semi autos to browning model 1885 single shot rifles to most shot guns please read the list of Guns in the list.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill...bill=h110-6257

Actually, this is indeed 'off topic' as when we began this forum it was unique in bringing the discussion of firearms into the scope of discussion, as well as broadening our topics to all types of arms and armour.
We did however decide not to include firearms post 1900, primarily because of the heated discussions that can often arise with the controversial topic of gun control legislation, and its deviation to editorials that both conflict and distract from the study of historic weaponry.

I think we all are concerned with the ever encroaching movement of government bodies toward legislating ownership of weapons, but it seems that activism and action toward these matters should be handled separately and personally by those inclined to do so.

This forum was initiated as a subforum in a medium where the principle focus has always been primarily edged weapons, and the inclusion of firearms was in recognition of thier importance as historical weapons along with the edged weapons. I know that I have learned a great deal from the contributions here concerning firearms of historic periods, though I admit I have never been especially interested in guns, and often felt that the inclination for guns to dominate weapons collecting was disappointing. It seemed that every weapons collecting show was a 'gun show' with a few edged weapons here and there.

There is clearly great interest in firearms as evidenced by the participation here, but I personally prefer to focus on learning about historic weapons here rather than focus on the aggravation of constant legislative problems and issues. It would seem that the 'modern' guns have sort of come in 'under the radar' here. You'll notice the posts becoming increasingly aggressive in this thread, which is exactly what I had hoped to avoid in our forum, and seems to run hand in hand with these editorial threads, especially involving current legal issues. This is not intended to be a 'political 'forum.

Regardless, I know there are concerns about issues of weapons ownership, and you guys have all expressed some interesting and pertinant views, but this topic is, as noted, outside our scope.

All the best,
Jim