Some gun control pushers are too coy to admit that they simply want everyone disarmed and defenseless. They try to sound reasonable by going after technical features, nibbling away at functionality, affordability and accessibility of self-defense tools. They either don’t understand or do not care how sadistic their claims sound to the rest of the world. For example, the 1994-2004 law banned adjustable length stocks. Some states still do. What did that measure accomplish?

A tall person can generally use a gun with a short stock, if without great comfort. But a short person, precisely the kind who would most benefit from the equalizing effect of a firearms, cannot use a long stock effectively. Gun control discriminates against shorter people.

The prohibition on ventilated shrouds was even more obviously sadistic in its intent. Far from being a “shoulder thingie that goes up“, a shroud is a safety feature that keeps a marksman from burning his hands.

With a medium or large caliber bolt action, the barrel heat becomes an issue in as few as 10-15 shots. Wooden barrel handguards have been around since at least the 1870s, metal shrouds have been around since the German Comission rifle of the 1888.

Venilation simply means reducing the weight and improving air flow, and that has been around since the early 20th century as well. The distinctive perforated look of a barrel jacket is what caught the prohibitionist’s eye, and the safety aspects were completely irrelevant to those who view gun owners in general as their enemies. The same view extends to sound suppressors (mufflers), a basic safety feature present on every car, motorcycle, boat and lawn mower engine but heavily restricted for firearms.

The end result of gun control laws is to restrict access of the peaceable people to self-defense tool. When they cannot accomplish the prohibition, gun control pushers settle for making guns less effective and less safe for the shooters. They do not care if people get bruised by ill-fitting stock, burn hands for lack of protective fencing around hot parts (which is all a barrel shroud mitigates) or suffer hearing damage from unmuffled reports. Those who push gun control seek control first and foremost. The sadistic nature of the restrictions they seek in the meantime gives us a glimpse into how they would use control over others if they ever manage to gain it.