California, originator of most wacky laws, is about to make the sales of semi-automatic weapons and their ammo effectively illegal, by demanding science-fictional requirements from the manufacturers. The cops, unlike the little people, will still be able to buy real-world armament, of course. And the criminals, being criminals, will ignore the law. Only law-abiding citizens will be disarmed.

I wonder how this will stand up to a Second Amendment challenge? Given the composition and nutty opinions of that particular circuit, I'm sure that it will be found up to Constitutional muster, but I would hope that the Supreme Court would have something to say about it.

Oh, and is there any useful sense in which Arnold Scharzenegger can be considered a Republican? He seems to have gone completely native along with the legislature.

Slightly off topic since the subject is semi-automatic and not assault rifles.

Did you know that here in Madison, Wisconsin at our 150'th Anniversary celebration, there were assault rifles on public display, out of cases and in contact with the crowds? Unloaded of course, but fully-functional military assault rifles with bayonet rings and in some cases mounted bayonets? Weapons in active use being fired on ranges?

OK, they were single-shot Civil War vintage black powder muskets, but with the bayonet fixtures, they met every definition of an assault rifle.

I disagree with the original linked post. If I was a liberal Californian law maker, I'd be thrilled if "red state gun-lovers" began boycotting gun manufacturers. If you truly believe that the technology cannot be developed by 2010, then you must believe the California law enforcement agencies will still buy guns from the same manufacturers that they do today.

That's not to say I don't agree with Ronnie Barrett's position. His .50 caliber weapons has already been banned by California. Some of his points are over the top, but I think the key one of not supporting LAPD when they didn't support him, or the people of California, is sound.

This'll have the effect of gun makers not selling to California,which of course is what the antis wanted all along.
I don't know what will happen to the makers bottom line,since I don't know what percentage of their sales are there,but I imagine it won't be good.

Of course this will have absolutely no effect on crime,other than to increase the black market in illegal guns that don't have the technology.

Way to go,Ahhhnold....

A buffing wheel, jeweler's rouge, and a dremel tool can buff out tool marks, any microscopic marking could be easily removed.

I have salvaged rough firing pin tips that were piercing primers. That is like the grand canyon compared to their micro stamping.

What's more, the law does not have any penalties for removing these marks once the weapon is sold.

Let us also not forget how easy this would make it for someone to pick up some brass at a firing range and drop it at a crime scene.

I hope the manufacturers pass all this cost along to the government and citizens of California. If a manufacturer will not, I will buy from one that does.

This'll have the effect of gun makers not selling to California,which of course is what the antis wanted all along.

I doubt very many of the antis want firearm and ammo makers to refuse to sell to California police departments or government agencies. That's what Bartlett is doing and I support his idea. Let the government have to live with the consequences of their actions for a change.

Never, never, ever let the bastards take your weapons. That way lies police state, fascism etc. Hitler removed weapons from the population as soon as he could get away with it. Australia, Canada and the UK have strict gun controls and look what's happening there. In fact in the UK it's got so bad that if you defend yourself they will gaol your corpse and let your murderer go free!

Co-habitating with a Kennedy, it was only a matter of time before she'd sucked all his brains out.

Kick the Kraut Klear out of Kalifornia.

WhaT, no ban on "phased plasma rifles in the 40 watt range"

Freddie has it right.

As bad as Arnold is, the awful thing is Gray Davis was much worse.

Was it coincidental that the previous post was titled "Meet The New Nazis"?

Appropriate nonetheless.