What are the current criteria for an assault weapon in NY state? Judging from the wiki-article on the AWB, the criteria are/were mostly/entirely cosmetic. Edit: there's no strikethrough on hubski?
Here is the run through of the new law that recently passed.
I don't get it, how does this make killing-sprees any harder? Those are basically ALL cosmetic criteria, in none of the recent killing sprees did the perpetrator need any of these things. Grenade launchers are almost impossible to get for civilians in the U.S. this way or another, bayonet mount? When was the last person killed by a bayonet. Flash-suppressors make the muzzle-flash less noticeable, the gun is still as loud as before and huge flames gushing out of your barrel are a Hollywood-fantasy anyway. The folding stock only makes it easier to carry the rifle close to your body, heck - if someone would really want to shorten his rifle, he'd simply saw it offA semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least two of the following
characteristics:
A folding or telescoping stock
A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon
A bayonet mount
A flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor
A grenade launcher
The more useful parts of this law are the limits on rounds in both a fixed and detachable magazine, and the addition of background checks being required for ammunition purchases. Supposedly, more thorough background checks will be conducted for weapon purchases as well. The last potentially useful part will be how more weapons have been banned entirely (which I don't believe was included in that link), and more in-depth registration of weapons. So while there a lot cosmetic issues brought up, I feel that there are some teeth to this law. It can be argued that if a person wants to kill, no amount of laws will stop them.