Citation

Chandler CH. J. Firearms Public Policy 1990; 3(1): 155-163.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1990, Second Amendment Foundation)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The perceived Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms has had the effect that well-designed and well-made firearms are generally available as items of commerce. In recent years, however, the private ownership of firearms has become subject to increasing legal and regulatory restriction as an anti-crime measure. The possession of handguns, in particular, could foreseeably become illegal. Indeed, if present trends continue, legitimate sources of privately-owned firearms may disappear.

A total legal ban on handguns would be enormously difficult to enforce. One reason for the difficulty is that serviceable guns are not as hard to make as most people suppose. Indeed, the small-scale manufacture of handguns, rifles, and even machine guns is essentially a "cottage industry" in certain parts of the world. Crude but deadly pistols have been hand-made in such unlikely places as prisons.

This study undertakes to evaluate the feasibility of small-scale firearms fabrication in the United States.