Second Amendment Law Applied to Attachments and Modifications to Firearms
By Christopher R. Estock
Publication Date
December 23, 2024
Abstract
The term ‘assault weapon’ has been a subject of debate for at least the past five decades due to its alleged connection and intertwinement with gun crime in the United States. This essay aims to inform the reader about the difference between an assault weapon and the typical, everyday firearm. Specifically, it aims to inform the reader of the vast differences in definitional federal and state statutes and ordinances that implicate the term ‘assault weapon’. Additionally, this paper attempts to subject federal and state restrictions on firearms and attachments to the ‘dangerous and unusual’ test recently brought to the forefront of Second Amendment discussions. Interestingly, some firearms and attachments commonly thought of as ‘assault’ style likely would be protected under this test, while other firearms and attachments that do not implicate the ‘assault’ moniker should fail.
Recommended Citation
Christopher R. Estock, Second Amendment Law Applied to Attachments and Modifications to Firearms (Firearms Rsch. Ctr., Working Paper No. 2024-6).
