Right after the 1994 "Assault Weapon Ban," I bought an AR-15 receiver (the bare frame of the weapon) from a friend for $65.  My then wife liked how mine handled, and wanted one of her own.  I wanted one that could have all the "evil" features, just for completion's sake. (NOTE: Per the law, it would be illegal to assemble those features even on a pre-ban receiver, if it hadn't already been a complete weapon. This had been a complete weapon.)

The previous owner before my friend had attempted to modify it. He'd done so within the law, but cosmetically it was damaged and had a small crack. A friend of mine welded it up and we re-heat treated it and refinished it.

Flash forward to 2002 when I got around to completing it. It turned out, as my wife was of small stature, she didn't need the full length nor adjustable stock. A standard old fashioned short stock worked fine for her.  Since she preferred the 16" barrel, the bayonet lug wasn't really useful.  This meant that if the muzzle brake was welded in place, a post-ban receiver would work fine.

So I sold the $65 repaired receiver for $400, since it was "pre-ban."  Then eventually the ban went away and nothing changed.

So the two relevant facts are:  I made a huge ROI from the single receiver, and the so-called ban did not stop me from building an AR-15, only an AR-15 with certain cosmetic features that did nothing to stop it from shooting bullets--the important part.

 

PART 2: As of May, 1986, it is illegal to make a new machine gun that is civilian transferrable. Dealers and manufacturers can have samples pursuant to government sales, but those can't be sold to non-licensed civilians.

As of that date, the price of full auto, legally transferrable weapons went through the roof.  $300 MAC-10s turned into $750 MAC-10s by 1995, and into $8000 MAC-10s now.

 

MOVING TO THE PRESENT:

I own, among others, a very nice submachine gun with changeable barrels, a silencer, multiple magazines, and a custom fitted case. When I bought it, it was $13,000.  A week later, the manufacturer (Who is STILL selling guns they made in 1986) raised the price to $14,000.  A realistic price for this without National Firearm Act and Hughes Amendment bullshit is probably about $4000.

I own some other stuff.

If the Hughes Amendment was repealed and all these could be legally made again, that SMG would probably drop back down to $4000. I'd lose $10,000 in value instantly, on that gun alone.

If there is another pointless "Assault weapon" ban, I have enough liquid assets to buy several hundred AR-15 receivers.  With a call to the bank I could buy several thousand. My wife could buy several thousand of her own, using her assets. If I bought that many, the manufacturer would sell me receivers for about $25 each. I'd mount each one with an upper, for ten seconds, just to make them "finished" rifles per the letter of the law, and photograph them, timestamped and notarized by my firearm attorney (As noted previously, my firearm collection is incorporated and has an attorney on retainer) to prove it.

And in ten years, I'd sell them for $400, $500, $600 each.

In twenty years, possibly $1000 each.

In thirty years? Who knows.

I am in a position where, if you pass one of these stupid laws, I stand to profit a million bucks or more.

And if you repeal one of the previous stupid laws, I lose several thousand dollars instantly.

I know how to exploit every retarded gun control law for fun and/or profit.

And despite that, I'd vote to eliminate every single one of them tomorrow.

Because morals trump profit, and gun control of any kind is utterly immoral, classist, racist and disgusting.