Keep and Bear Arms
Home Members Login/Join About Us News/Editorials Archives Take Action Your Voice Web Services Free Email
You are 1 of 2180 active visitors Thursday, March 28, 2024
EMAIL NEWS
Main Email List:
Subscribe
Unsubscribe

State Email Lists:
Click Here
SUPPORT KABA
» Join/Renew Online
» Join/Renew by Mail
» Make a Donation
» Magazine Subscriptions
» KABA Memorial Fund
» Advertise Here
» Use KABA Free Email

» JOIN/Renew NOW! «
 
SUPPORT OUR SUPPORTERS

 

YOUR VOTE COUNTS

Keep and Bear Arms - Vote In Our Polls
Do you oppose Biden's anti-gun executive orders?
Yes
No
Undecided

Current results
Earlier poll results
4725 people voted

 

SPONSORED LINKS

 
» U.S. Gun Laws
» AmeriPAC
» NoInternetTax
» Gun Show On The Net
» 2nd Amendment Show
» SEMPER FIrearms
» Colt Collectors Assoc.
» Personal Defense Solutions

 

 


Keep and Bear Arms

Search:

Archived Information

Top | Last 30 Days | Search | Add to Archives | Newsletter | Featured Item


DCM, Military Gun Ban Repealed In South Carolina
by Joseph P. Tartaro
Executive Editor Gun Week

Individual activism on behalf of the right to keep and bear arms can still pay big dividends as the June 9 repeal of the South Carolina ban on semi-automatic military style rifles reveals.

The state legislature voted to change the language so as to safeguard thousands of gunowners who could have been prosecuted under the old statutory language which was an outright ban on all rifles, shotguns and handguns which had originally been designed and manufactured under a military contract.

The new language amending the statute is more precise to the legislature’s intent. It reads:

"Military firearm" means any military weapon, firearm, or destructive device, other than a machinegun, that is manufactured for military use by a firm licensed by the federal government pursuant to a contract with the federal government that does not include a pistol, rifle, or shotgun which fires only one shot for each pull of the trigger.

The careful wording of the "one shot for each pull of the trigger" eliminated the usual legislative debate over "assault weapons" and "semi-automatic" actions.

Sponsor of the repeal measure was Rep. Dwight Loftis (R-19th Dist.) and Senator Larry martin (R 2nd).

The story of how he became the legislative champion for this bill is a text book case in grassroots politics.

In 1994, Weldon Clark, a long time gun rights activist in Maryland, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and nationally as a member of the NRA board of directors, was asked by a friend, Rick Daniel, to help the election campaign of Loftis, then a candidate for the South Carolina House of Representatives.

With the help of other gunowners, including Frank Allen, Loftis was elected.

Another flashback is needed in the story: When Clark first relocated to his native South he was astonished to learn that it was illegal to transport, store, keep, posses, sell, rent or give away a "military firearm;" that is any firearm manufactured for military use by a firm licensed by the federal government pursuant to a contract with the federal government. Yet, when going to firearms events he saw many such firearms. Obviously the law was not being enforced.

Clark copied and read all sections of the South Carolina laws on firearms, and decided on a subtle approach. He decided to modify the definition in the law and wrote the new language with the help of Rob Butler.

Then Clark went to state Sen. Larry A. Martin (R-2nd Dist.) and Rep. Loftis (R19th) and asked them to introduce his proposal. They did as S-505 and H-3632. To avoid massive publicity which could be harmful, he did not notify or seek the help of any pro-gun group, including NRA which had opposed the governor for election.

Clark supported his proposal with a convincing justification argument and helped answer all questions about the amended law.

Now the bill has been signed by Democratic Gov. Jim Hodges and this issue is resolved. But the repeal of an onerous gun law in the Palmetto state, even if it was not being enforced, is a step forward for gun owners, and an example of what can be accomplished by dedicated activists anywhere.

Gun Week
PO Box 488
Buffalo, NY 14209
Subscription rates $20 18 issues ˝ year
$35 per year
$45 per year foreign

For more articles by or information about Weldon Clark, click here.

Printer Version

 QUOTES TO REMEMBER
Most reporters are very sympathetic to gun-control agendas and will skew or lie outright about facts to promote them. — DENNIS CAUCHON, USA TODAY

COPYRIGHT POLICY: The posting of copyrighted articles and other content, in whole or in part, is not allowed here. We have made an effort to educate our users about this policy and we are extremely serious about this. Users who are caught violating this rule will be warned and/or banned.
If you are the owner of content that you believe has been posted on this site without your permission, please contact our webmaster by following this link. Please include with your message: (1) the particulars of the infringement, including a description of the content, (2) a link to that content here and (3) information concerning where the content in question was originally posted/published. We will address your complaint as quickly as possible. Thank you.

 
NOTICE:  The information contained in this site is not to be considered as legal advice. In no way are Keep And Bear Arms .com or any of its agents responsible for the actions of our members or site visitors. Also, because this web site is a Free Speech Zone, opinions, ideas, beliefs, suggestions, practices and concepts throughout this site may or may not represent those of Keep And Bear Arms .com. All rights reserved. Articles that are original to this site may be redistributed provided they are left intact and a link to http://www.KeepAndBearArms.com is given. Click here for Contact Information for representatives of KeepAndBearArms.com.

Thawte.com is the leading provider of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and digital certificate solutions used by enterprises, Web sites, and consumers to conduct secure communications and transactions over the Internet and private networks.

KeepAndBearArms.com, Inc. © 1999-2024, All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy