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17-01-2021, 18:43 #1
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Are slamfire capable shotguns considered fully automatic?
Some pump action shotguns that lack trigger disconnects, such as the Winchester 1897 "trench sweeper", are capable of firing multiple shots if the action is operated while the trigger is depressed.
According to the FCA:
A “fully automatic firearm” is one “capable of discharging more than one shot with a single depression of the trigger.”
Does this definition render any shotgun which is capable of performing an intended slamfire a 'fully automatic firearm' in terms of the Act?
Thanks.
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17-01-2021, 18:49 #2
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Re: Are slamfire capable shotguns considered fully automatic?
Not as far as I know, and you are overthinking it.
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17-01-2021, 21:07 #3
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Re: Are slamfire capable shotguns considered fully automatic?
I heard of a LM rifle that sear decided to break on the range, causing a run away fire situation. It's still licenced as a semi auto rifle.....
A mulfunction, is a mulfunction. Curious George is correct, don't invent a problem that doesn't exist...
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17-01-2021, 21:09 #4
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19-01-2021, 19:26 #5
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Re: Are slamfire capable shotguns considered fully automatic?
Not referring to a firearm malfunction but to shotguns which are, by design, able to fire without releasing the trigger between shots.
Unless I have missed something the only reference I can find in the Act to the type of action is when defining semi-automatics:
‘‘semi-automatic’’ means self-loading but not capable of discharging more than one shot with a single depression of the trigger;
I can't find anywhere in the FCA that explicitly states that FA in question must be self-loading to be considered 'fully-automatic'. Was thus unintentional or do the powers that be not want FAs to be sold in SA where the user can fire a shot without consciously manipulating the trigger? I assume most people think of a full-auto as a FA capable of sustained fire *without* the operator having to do anything except squeezing the trigger but does that matter when the Act says otherwise?
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19-01-2021, 19:35 #6
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Re: Are slamfire capable shotguns considered fully automatic?
What is the motivation behind this question?
Apart from the definition in the Act, there is a general, established understanding that a "fully automatic" firearm is one that automatically loads itself and continues to discharge as long as the trigger remains pressed. What could possibly be your motivation to seemingly want to include firearms that need to be manually cycled?
Sleeping dogs, itchless scratches etc...
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19-01-2021, 19:58 #7
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Re: Are slamfire capable shotguns considered fully automatic?
Fully automatic: it defines itself.
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19-01-2021, 20:18 #8
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Re: Are slamfire capable shotguns considered fully automatic?
Do you want these to be classified as fully automatic, or do you have one and you are worried it would be seen that way?
The act is far from perfect, but ‘fully automatic’ is pretty obvious to most, i.e. it cycles and fires with sustained trigger pressure after the first trigger pull until it is empty or the trigger is released.
Sometimes we just need to not scratch where it is not itching.
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