The good old sawed-off shotgun is a staple of American culture. The idea that we could have a devastating weapon in a small package that will make it more likely to hit what you're aiming at under stress? That's the dream for a lot of people.
However, the National Firearms Act restricts how short that barrel can be. Now, a bill seeks to change that.
In fact, it seeks to do it precisely because these short-barreled shotguns are so handy for home defense:
A local congresswoman has recently introduced two bills, both aimed at increasing freedoms associated with the Second Amendment.
...The second bill removes short-barreled shotguns from unnecessary federal regulation under the National Firearms Act, eliminating what the release called “costly and burdensome registration requirements.”
“Law-abiding citizens will no longer have to pay a $200 tax or complete months-long paperwork just to own a practical firearm for self-defense,” the release said.
“South Carolinians and Americans across the country deserve leaders who will protect their constitutional rights — not bureaucrats who tie them up with red tape,” Biggs said. “These bills restore common sense, stand up for the Second Amendment and make sure freedom isn’t lost to outdated laws and regulations.”
The first bill seeks to preserve the ability for concealed-carry firearms to be shipped through the mail. This is something of a preemptive bill, one designed to prevent a future administration from trying to engage in shenanigans via the USPS. However, there are more restrictions for shipping handguns, shotguns, or rifles, and this would address that issue as well.
At least one gun rights group celebrated the shotgun bill:
The NAGR also commented on the bill.
“For nearly 100 years, the National Firearms Act has regulated certain shotguns for no particular reason. This has resulted in a series of bizarre, inconsistent and politically motivated determinations on which shotguns are regulated by the NFA and which are treated like ordinary firearms under federal law,” the NAGR said. “The No Frivolous Applications for Short-Barreled Shotguns (NFA SBS) Act, supported by the National Association for Gun Rights, would simply end the confusion by putting all shotguns on an even playing field under federal law.”
These guns are useful for home defense, but more importantly, they're arms that are supposed to be protected by the Second Amendment. We shouldn't have to jump through special hoops just to buy or make such a weapon if we so desire.
While that's not my preference for protecting my home, one's preferences shouldn't dictate policy. Lots of people like shotguns for that, and a shorter barrel is ideal for navigating around the home if you're forced to do so.
I sincerely hope Biggs's bills pass, especially the NFA SBS Act.
However, considering the makeup of the Senate, that seems like a long shot. It's not that it would lose a vote so much as never get one thanks to the filibuster. Democrats will never vote to repeal a gun control law in this day and age, which is funny to me.
Gun control is a vestige of Jim Crow, and while the left was busy tearing down statues all over the place because of their supposedly racist roots, they never blinked about laws that were designed to keep black men and women disarmed and still result in thousands being thrown in prison even today.
Again, funny, that.