Everybody needs to read the last few paragraphs of that short article mentioning our good buddy, Jerry "Nads" Nadler D(NY):
“So, to clarify, Mr. Chairman, you’re saying it is the point of the bill to ban weapons that are in common use in the United States today?” said Bishop.
“Yes,” replied Nadler.
Still, even with this revised estimate, it's very difficult for me to get my head around the notion that there are
only 24.4 million ARs, AKs, and variants (meaning, of course, all stripped lowers sitting in safes, as well) in circulation in the U.S. All imports and all manufacturers? I don't doubt that only a modest number would have been sold prior to 1990, but they were being sold and the majority of those would still "in the wild" and functioning, as well. Let's say that accounts for the 0.4, roughly; that's likely a conservative number. Then if CONUS-manufactured ARs account for about 85% of the 24 million, that's 20.4 million.
Even a decade ago we had at least 280 AR manufacturers active in the U.S; I'll bet there's more now. Over a span of 30 years,
all manufacturing of AR lowers or complete rifles, SBRs, and pistols amounted to only about 2,400 units per manufacturer per year? From the niche manufacturers to the big names like S&W?
Man; I feel like I've received that many email ads just this year from companies who have me on their mailing lists.
