The expired Assault Weapons Ban

I hear alot in the media about how horrible the expiration of the so called "Assault Weapons Ban" was. The people who say this don't have a clue about what the ban actually did. Why is this? Because before the ban you could legally buy a semi-automatic AK-47 clone just as easily (in most states) as you could buy a single-shot shotgun. And during the ban? You could still legally buy that semi-automatic AK-47 clone, but now it's had a few minor cosmetic changes made to be in compliance, and you couldn't buy new magazines that held over 10 rounds. But, you could still buy used mags that held 20, 30, or even 75 rounds, at a cost premium. So what did the ban really do? It made all the hi cap mags more expensive, and it made the so called "assault weapons" look slightly different, with no real functional change.

For more details on what the ban did, check out: What is an "Assault Weapon?" and Comparison: "Assault Weapons" vs. Other Firearms

Now, that being said, some states do have further restrictions placed upon semi-automatic weapons. California being one of them. Some states merely have limits on what type of magazines you can purchase (i.e. none over 10 rounds). I would never move to California for this reason.

Also, the Assault Weapons Ban had absolutely no effect upon the legal & licensed purchase of full-automatic weapons, which have been heavily regulated since 1934. In America, it is completely legal to purchase a fully automatic weapon if you go through the proper FBI background checks and pay hundreds in fees. But, due to an artificially low supply of these weapons, their price is usually 10 times the cost of their comparable semi-automatic clones. What this basically means is that only the upper-middle class and above can afford such expensive toys.