Skip to main content

Gun Control: How a Bureaucracy Does It

Gun Control: How a Bureaucracy Does It

You can get a Supreme Court decision affirming your rights, but as this story: http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/guns/2011/nov/7/miller-washingtons-unsafe-gun-safety-class/ demonstrates, that's just the first step toward exercising them. Washington Times editor Emily Miller is going through the process of getting a legal handgun in the city, and one of the requirements is taking a city-approved safety class. Since the classes can't be given in the city, she embarks on a confusing search for a certified instructor, not helped a bit by the city's police establishment, which clearly is going for governance as imagined by Kafka.

I was working at the NRA when D.C. banned handguns in 1976, and the association complained that the law would prevent the American Rifleman from fulfilling its customary role as consumer watchdog of the gun world. Obligingly, the D.C. government created a new occupational category called "licensed firearms tester." If you were one, you could transport guns in and out of the District, which I did, quite often, on the bus and Metro subway system.

The only bad part of it was going down to D.C. Police Headquarters for fingerprinting. My advice is, don't get arrested in D.C. The whole licensed tester thing became moot when we moved our operation to Virginia in 1987, but somewhere I still have my licensed tester card.


GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

Perfect for concealed and everyday carry, the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro is feature-packed and built for rough use.
Guns

Daewoo AR-100

Perfect for concealed and everyday carry, the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro is feature-packed and built for rough use.
Gear

Shooting Blanks

Perfect for concealed and everyday carry, the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro is feature-packed and built for rough use.
Gear

5.7 Elite Ammunition

Perfect for concealed and everyday carry, the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro is feature-packed and built for rough use.
Guns

Laser Pistols

Perfect for concealed and everyday carry, the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro is feature-packed and built for rough use.
Learn

The Famous CAR-15's Path to Modern Combat Rifles

Perfect for concealed and everyday carry, the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro is feature-packed and built for rough use.
Guns

Mossberg 590s Review

Perfect for concealed and everyday carry, the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro is feature-packed and built for rough use.
Gear

The Latest from Black Hills Ammunition

Perfect for concealed and everyday carry, the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro is feature-packed and built for rough use.
Gear

Headrest Safe – a new way to secure your firearm.

Perfect for concealed and everyday carry, the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro is feature-packed and built for rough use.
Guns

Having Fun with the HK MP7 PDW

Perfect for concealed and everyday carry, the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro is feature-packed and built for rough use.
Guns

SIG Sauer MPX

Perfect for concealed and everyday carry, the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro is feature-packed and built for rough use.
Guns

Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro CCW Pistol Review

Firearms News Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW OUR CURRENT ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Buy Single Digital Issue on the Firearms News App

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Firearms News subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now