On Jan 9, 2:37*pm, wrote:
On Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:08:05 -0500, Happy John
wrote:









On Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:11:29 -0500, wrote:

On Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:01:36 -0500, Happy John
wrote:

I loved that M-14.

I have an M1A (semi-auto M-14).
The selective fire model is really not useful enough to go through
the NFA hassles. To be useful you would have to make it as heavy as a
BAR, (the rifle, not the guy) *;-)
It may have been a mistake not to buy a real M14 in 1981 when I bought
this one tho. I could have had one for $1800 (vs the $600 I paid for
the M1A) and they go for about $20k now

Wow. I had no idea they were that valuable.

Ronald Reagan and Tip O'neil guaranteed that when they passed the 1986
firearms act, in fact raising the price of all Class III firearms. The
act froze the NFA machine gun registry at the number that were
currently registered and transferrable M-14s were fairly rare anyway
at that time. The reason why they were not overly expensive in the
early 80s was it was assumed the millions the US had here and
transferred to governments abroad would eventually work themselves
back here into the civilian market. That can't happen now because if
it isn't in the registry, it isn't going to be in the registry.

The ironic thing is in the same time frame (86 to present) the number
of NFA34 firearms in the hands of exempt police departments and
paramilitary agencies has exploded. It is possible that the average
beat cop might have a machine gun in his car and all of the special
weapons teams have them. The old standard of a cop in a uniform with a
pistol and maybe a shotgun has been replaced by masked men in combat
gear, carrying full auto assault rifles and submachine guns.

Our local sheriff's deputies have selective 'mini-14' Sturm Rugers
Locked in the jail's arsenal.