When buying an assult rifle what does pre-ban mean???

Answer 1

It was manufactured/imported before the 1989 assault weapons ban. Meaning it has a flash hider or threaded barrel, bayonet lug or grenade cut out, a modifiable trigger group, extending or retracting stock, larger than 10 round capacity... It may have only one of these attributes or it may have them all.

Answer 2

The "Assualt Weapons Ban" was a provision of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, signed by president Clinton. It banned certain types of firearms, based primarily on external/cosmetic features, rather than function, despite what some people will tell you. Likewise, it had nothing to do with fully automatic weapons (Machineguns), or anything that would fit any military definition of an "assualt weapon". The law expired in 2004, was not renewed by congress, and is no longer in effect.

A "pre-ban" firearm, therefore, was manufactured before 13 September 1994. Since it has expired, pre-ban is not the big deal that it was. During the ban years, no new "assault weapons" could be manufactured but existing ones could still be sold, so the price of "Pre-ban" stuff went through the roof. Though prices have come back down post-2004, they're still above what they were in 1993.

Some states, however, notibly New York and California, have their own bans in place which may still apply.

Answer 3

Ohari above is essentially correct except for one item. On firearms manufactured outside the US....they had to be IN THE USA before the ban. You musy have unimpeachable documentation to prove it was here before the ban.....like a ATF importation certificate. If you don't have that....then it's NOT PRE-BAN.


This whole "Pre-Ban" myth is out of control. It's a term used by people who do not understand or comprehend the laws. I have seen many a con-man dupe unsuspecting buyers with tags on rifles that claim PRE-BAN. It means almost nothing.

Answer 4

When phrased the way you put it, it's meaningless. The 1994 assault rifle ban did not affect assault rifles, just semi-autos and such that looked like assault rifles. You still have to have a class III permit to buy an assault rifle.

Answer 5

This has proven confusing due to the Clintonistas. Traditionally it means pre-89. BUT it also means a rifle that was made from 1989-1994 (or pre-AWB 94).

Answer 6

It is referring to the ban on automatic assault rifles

Answer 7

Automatic assault rifles? LOL

It has been illegal to buy a machine gun without federal clearance since 1934

Answer 8

it means it used to be illegal or banned in a certain state