Sen. Feinstein Posts Proposed 'Assault Weapons' Legislation -- and It Includes Provisions on Handguns and 'Grandfathered' Weapons

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) (L) speaks during a press conference responding to comments made earlier in the day by the National Rifle Association December 21, 2012 in Washington, DC.  (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Last week, Sen. Dianne Feinstein promised to on the first day of new the Congress introduce legislation that would ban so-called assault weapons and certain types of ammunition.

Now, the Californian senator has posted a summary of this legislation that would be introduced in 2013, showing more details about the provisions that she would hope would be included. And it doesn't just have to do with what she calls "assault" weapons.

Here are a few bullet points on the guns that would be banned from sale, transfer, importation and manufacturing:

• 120 specifically-named firearms
• Certain other semiautomatic rifles, handguns, shotguns that can accept a detachable magazine and have one military characteristic
• Semiautomatic rifles and handguns with a fixed magazine that can accept more than 10 rounds

Those who have acquired weapons recently under the pretense of being "grandfathered" in under prior laws see mention in Feinstein's provisions as well. It requires these weapons to be registered under the National Firearms Act that will include collecting the following information

• Background check of owner and any transferee;
• Type and serial number of the firearm;
• Positive identification, including photograph and fingerprint;
• Certification from local law enforcement of identity and that possession would not violate State or local law; and
• Dedicated funding for ATF to implement registration

In addition, Feinstein proposes banning large-capacity magazines, which for her includes those that can hold more than 10 rounds.

The proposed legislation would protect hunters and existing gun owners' rights by:

• Grandfathering weapons legally possessed on the date of enactment
• Exempting over 900 specifically-named weapons used for hunting or sporting purposes and
• Exempting antique, manually-operated, and permanently disabled weapons

The legislation also proposes to strength the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban and some state bans by forbidding "thumbhole stocks" and "bullet buttons," among other suggestions. Thumbhole stocks allow for easier more ergonomic grip of the weapon and bullet buttons release an empty magazine quickly to allow the user to pop in a new one, which some have said skirts around existing assault weapon bans.

Check out the legislation's summary in PDF form here.

“[The legislation] will be carefully focused on the most dangerous guns that have killed so many people over the years while protecting the rights of gun owners by exempting hundreds of weapons that fall outside the bill’s scope," Feinstein said in a December 17 statement. "We must take these dangerous weapons of war off our streets.”

Related:

• White House Actively Supportive of Assault Weapons Ban
• This Is the Latest City Asking Its Residents to Voluntarily Surrender Firearms for Cash
• Here's the Audio of NY Gov. Talking Gun Control: 'Confiscation Should Be an Option'
• Why Guns? 'Because Too Many White People Are Afraid of Black People': The 6 Most Inflammatory Parts of Michael Moore's Latest Blog Post
• 'The Sandy Hook Effect': Something Remarkable Is Happening With Gun Sales and Stocks

(H/T: Drudge Report)