At midnight Monday, a federal ban on the manufacture of 19 "military style" semi-automatic rifles, ceratin shotguns and ammunition clips "holding more than 10 rounds" expired. In 2000, President Bush ran in support of the ban; he did nothing to encourage Congress to act on an extension, although he said he would sign the bill should it arrive on his desk. Sen. Kerry said little publicly about the ban until the eve of its expiration, although he has urged its extension.

An Annenburg survey notes that 68 percent (+/- 1 percent) of American adults wanted to see the ban extended; 57 percent of those with a gun in the home and 32 percent of NRA members supported a continuance of the ban. Annenburg reports that no demographic showed less than 60 percent support for the ban, with women showing the most support.

Kerry has the endorsement of the National Association of Police Organizations; Bush has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police. Reportedly, both organizations supported the ban.

Kerry said: "[F]or the first time in 10 years when a killer walks into a gun shop, when a terrorist goes to a gun show somewhere in America, when they want to purchase an AK-47 or some other military assault weapon, they're going to hear one word: sure."

News reports stated that Bush ignored questions about the ban.

Gun control advocate Sarah Brady accused Bush of providing no leadership on the issue. Her husband, Jim, was injured in an attack on President Reagan in 1981.

The ban was part of the Brady legislation.

The Federal Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 specifically prohibited manufacture and sale of:

• Norinco, Mitchell, and Poly Technologies Avtomat Kalashnikovs (all models)
• Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI and Galil
• Beretta Ar70 (SC-70)
• Colt AR-15
• Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR, and FNC
• SWD M-10, M-11, M-11/9, and M-12
• Steyr AUG
• INTRATEC TEC-9, TEC-DC9 and TEC-22
• revolving cylinder shotguns, such as (or similar to) the Street Sweeper and Striker 12

In addition, the bill banned any semi-automatic rifle that can accept a detachable magazine and that also has at least two of the following characteristics:

• a folding or telescoping stock
• a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon
• a bayonet mount
• a flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor
• a grenade launcher;

The bill banned any semi-automatic pistol that can accept a detachable magazine that also has at least two of the following characteristics:

• an ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip
• a threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer
• a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the nontrigger hand without being burned
• a manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded;
• a semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm

Finally, the bill banned any semi-automatic shotgun has at least two of the following characteristics:

• a folding or telescoping stock
• a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon
• a fixed magazine capacity in excess of 5 rounds
• an ability to accept a detachable magazine

See: ABC, New York Times, Newsday, Washington Post (editorial), Annenberg Survey (pdf)