True Stats

[mustang5o]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/02/15/its-time-to-bring-back-the-assault-weapons-ban-gun-violence-experts-say/?utm_term=.22d250b43440

For some reason I thought I had read something different on gun violence shown between ban, non-ban periods.  Anyone have links to data?

[Mntnman]

It’s total bs. The 94 “ban” did nothing to ban ar15s. All it did was limit features that made them less scary looking and raised the price of the millions of magazines out there. Also, using 6 as a number intead of 4 surely skewed the data in their favor if at all true.

There are so many semiautomatic guns out there that anything short of confiscation is useless. Any “common sense “ law they pass will only make them feel better and the effect is sure to be the opposite of their stated intentions.

[mustang5o]

It’s total bs. The 94 “ban” did nothing to ban ar15s. All it did was limit features that made them less scary looking and raised the price of the millions of magazines out there.

Oh yeah, I didn't even think about that.  I remember buying my first pistol (Ruger P89) during that time and it came with 2 10 round magazines.  I was excited when I found an aftermarket 15 round magazine at a gun show. 

[depserv]

I bought two AK47s during that period, for $350 each.  And quite a few 30 round magazines.

What I don't understand is this: after the ban sunsetted, the same places I had bought mine from offered AKs with things that weren't allowed during the ban, the flash hider for example.  And they sold those at a higher price.  And then all of them were selling for a higher price, when I had expected the price to come down.  And now look what they're selling for: as much as or more than ARs.  Anyone know why that is?  I remember when you could pick one up at a hardware store for well under $100.  And an SKS for around $70.  Why has the industry become so proud of them?

[CrazyGolfNut]

Not sure the numbers in the article are accurate.  Thoughts?

[Wildgoose]

I bought two AK47s during that period, for $350 each.  And quite a few 30 round magazines.

What I don't understand is this: after the ban sunsetted, the same places I had bought mine from offered AKs with things that weren't allowed during the ban, the flash hider for example.  And they sold those at a higher price.  And then all of them were selling for a higher price, when I had expected the price to come down.  And now look what they're selling for: as much as or more than ARs.  Anyone know why that is?  I remember when you could pick one up at a hardware store for well under $100.  And an SKS for around $70.  Why has the industry become so proud of them?

Kind of a supply and demand sort of thing. Several years ago there was a pretty good demand for the AK platform. European manufacturers most notably Romania and also China were making US market specific guns for export at pretty low prices. There were also former soviet controlled countries joining NATO and changing over small arms dumping a goodly number of de-milled parts kits. These parts kits were being built into complete guns here in the US using the required number of US made parts to make them legal and not classified as imports. Both individuals and small businesses were doing this. Supply met demand so prices stayed low. As the kits dried up, importation laws changed ( All Chinese made guns were banned from import.) requiring that the barrels on the de-milled kits be cut up driving building costs to go up quite a bit as new barrels had to be made and a rising interest in the AR platform over the AK things changed. Sales fell off, prices rose the Europeans stopped making AKs for import and China was banned. So now there isn't as great a supply and those that are available are more costly. A few are being made here in the US now with 100% US parts at a higher cost than in the past. I think interest is still pretty low too. As for the SKS these were being supplied mostly by the Chinese with few being brought in from Europe. Again when the Chinese ban went in the supply was limited to those already here in the market. It has taken as few years but interest in the SKS has been on the upswing and with limited numbers the prices have risen. The more hard to find European guns of course are higher priced in a now collector driven market for them.
I am no expert but as a military surplus and vintage military gun enthusiast this is what I have been able to more or less observe.