922(r) is what covers imported non-sporting firearms. I'm not sure that a list of non-sporting firearms even exists.
"EKIE" from AR15.COM has said it best:
1989 policy change, commonly known as the '89 Bush Ban
The Bush administration directs the Secretary to find that low and behold there are unsporting firearms being imported right under our noses. This was not a new law, regulation, ruling or executive order as is commonly reported. At this point Form 6's (import permits for firearms) are denied for our ugly guns, under 18 U.S.C. section 925(d)(3). No criteria is released stating what is good and what is bad other then a huge "report" put out by the ATF which consisted of a bunch of mumbo jumbo, and later a list of specific models in letter format, neither of which was ever put out as regulation or ruling by the ATF. Remember this is not a law banning anything it is simply a government policy shift where by permits are denied for imports, so calling it the '89 ban is a misnomer, the '89 import restriction would be a better name for it. This was a rather odd situation. Permits were approved for some of our rifles but with strings attached on the importer saying that they would only be sold to law enforcement or other favored Americans like Government employees.
Importers find that they can get Form 6 approval for really ugly looking thumbhole mutant rifles, because some how these rifles are sporting and thus importable. There is still no published criteria for what is sporting. Seems that any rifle is okay as long as it has a thumbhole stock, and nothing more then a muzzle nut on the end. Many rifles are brought in with simple tack welds holding these on and some with nothing at all. Bayonet lugs seem to be bad too but, again some rifles are brought in with them.
1990 18 U.S.C. section 922®
Congress reacts to all this funny business by passing a new bill that Bush signs into law. It states that it is illegal to assemble a un-importable firearm from imported parts, or more specifically makes it illegal to build any firearm prohibited from importation under 18 U.S.C. section 9235(d)(3). There is still no criteria listed for what is unsporting and thus importable in law, regulation, ruling, etc.
Well since this law is so vague ATF writes regulation (178.39) that spells out the 10 parts rule in 1993 that spells out what imported parts means. It states that only 10 imported parts are allowed in a unsporting imported firearm. The odd part is that the Federal Firearms Regulation Guide that is circulated by the ATF is put out in 1990 and is too late to include this in it. This new law and regulation shows up in the 1995 Guide.
So you see, all the government needs to do is deny Benelli Form 6's and prohibit importation. The M1014 doesn't actually have to be on any list. If the government finds the M1014 sporting and allows Benelli an exemption, then form 6's will be approved. We can only cross our fingers and hope.
[ 10-21-2004, 05:20 PM: Message edited by: M4Madness ]
