Chuck Schumer Pushes Tougher Ban on Plastic Guns

As the Senate prepares a vote to extend the U.S.’s federal plastic gun ban, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is pushing to expand the ban to require “undetachable” metal parts.

The Undetectable Firearms Act originally passed in 1988, the height of the anti-Glock/plastic gun frenzy, and has been renewed twice since then. On December 3rd the House voted to extend it for another 10 years. 

According to the Associated Press, Schumer wants the law expanded as well as extended. He contends that some guns have detachable metal parts that, once removed, can render the guns invisible to metal detectors. Without an expansion of the law, he argues, plastic guns could pass through metal detectors at airports and stadiums, and “Who in God’s name wants [that]?”

Schumer’s proposal has little support in the Senate. 

Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) responded that the Senate ought to extend the law now and research “Schumer’s more restrictive plan later.”

Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins.