Why Are Open Bolt Guns Illegal? A Deeper Look at Restrictions and Misconceptions
The legality of open bolt firearms is a complex issue, varying significantly by location and often misunderstood. While it's not universally illegal to own an open bolt gun, many jurisdictions heavily restrict or outright prohibit them due to safety and regulatory concerns. Let's delve into the reasons behind these restrictions.
What is an Open Bolt Gun?
First, it's crucial to define the term. An open bolt firearm is a fully automatic weapon where the bolt is held open until the trigger is pulled, at which point the bolt closes, chambers a round, and fires. This contrasts with a closed bolt weapon, where the bolt is already closed and a round is chambered before the trigger is pulled.
Key Reasons for Restrictions:
Several factors contribute to the legal restrictions placed on open bolt firearms:
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Increased Risk of Accidental Discharge: The open bolt design inherently increases the risk of accidental discharge. If the weapon is dropped or mishandled while the bolt is open, a round could be loaded into the chamber and fired unexpectedly. Closed bolt firearms offer a crucial safety mechanism against this.
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Higher Rate of Fire: The open bolt design often facilitates a higher rate of fire than closed bolt weapons. This higher rate of fire can make the weapon more dangerous, particularly in uncontrolled environments.
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Regulatory Concerns: Many governments classify open bolt firearms as more dangerous and regulate them more stringently than closed bolt weapons, often requiring special licenses or permits for ownership or even banning them outright. This often stems from the association of open bolt designs with military-style automatic weapons.
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Association with Fully Automatic Weapons: The vast majority of open bolt firearms are designed as fully automatic weapons, which are significantly more heavily regulated than semi-automatic firearms. The open bolt design is often viewed as a characteristic of military-style fully automatic weaponry, leading to stricter controls.
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Difficulty in Regulating Conversions: There are concerns regarding the potential for modifying closed-bolt weapons to function as open bolt, potentially circumventing regulations.
Misconceptions:
It's important to address some common misconceptions:
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All open bolt guns are illegal: This is false. While many jurisdictions severely restrict or prohibit them, the legality varies depending on location, specific weapon design, and prevailing laws.
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Open bolt equals fully automatic: While most open bolt firearms are fully automatic, it's not always the case. There can be exceptions, though these are rare.
Conclusion:
The restrictions on open bolt guns aren't a blanket ban everywhere, but the inherent safety risks, high rate of fire, and association with fully automatic weapons contribute to their stringent regulation or outright prohibition in many places. Before purchasing or possessing any firearm, including those with open bolt designs where permitted, individuals must be thoroughly familiar with and compliant with all applicable local, state, and federal laws. Always consult legal professionals and relevant authorities to ensure compliance.
