Quote:
Originally Posted by Icelander
It's probably easier to avoid unwanted attention, both inside and outside the US government, when borrowing equipment already in stores and/or adding to procurement orders already in place than make a special purchase of a weapon system no one uses.
To some extent, having individual black ops operators buy the weapons on the commercial market using phony IDs might bypass this, but in that case, nothing that couldn't be bought at a gunshow would be available. Nothing that requires Class III status, NFA tax, etc. Semi-automatic only, no suppressors and probably not barrels threaded for them (even if technically legal, it brings undesirable attention). If they can get the surpressors through an alternate source (any .30 caliber suppressor would do, right?), it might not matter that the weapons are not selective fire, as highly skilled operators will rarely have occasion to use that feature anyway.
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Actually, suppressors are becoming easier and easier to get around the States. Not only do suppressors count as barrel length for SBR statutes, but there is even a federal Hearing Protection Act (I'm serious) being discussed that would make it even easier to get suppressors.
So, I imagine that in a few years, suppressors will be common as dirt. Even right now, you only need to pay a $200 tax. My dad bought one. I could go out and get one right now, no problem.