by The City of Chicago has released it roster of “unsafe” (sic) handguns. You can download the PDF here.
My first impression after reading the list is that they really scrounged hard to find some of those manufacturers. I would estimate that I didn’t recognize the name of about 90% of them.
They had some of the obvious choices given the demonization of anything made by Lorcin, Davis, Jimenez, or Bryco Arms by the anti-gun lobby.
They also banned everything from F.I.E. and Hi-Point. Now I may not want a Hi-Point and they get some grief in gun circles but I don’t think they are particularly unsafe. As to F.I.E.being on the list, this would mean my Tanfoglio-made F.I.E. TZ-75 9mm is banned. Obviously not much thought went into that choice as it is a solid, well made pistol.
Derringers are out. Michael Bane is going to be pissed at them that they dissed his Bond Arms derringers! Anything with a spur trigger or a sheathed trigger is out – not that you usually see these outside of collections of early pistols for the most part.
I am incredulous that they included the Walther P22, the SIG Mosquito, and anything by Whitney such as the Wolverine on the list as “unsafe”. WTF?
And, finally, in a swipe at Wile E. Coyote, they banned anything and everything by Acme and Acme Arms.
UPDATE: A reader on SayUncle notes that the Unique DES-69U is not a cheap handgun. The Canadians include the DES-69U on a list specifically exempted from classification as “unsafe”. Why? Because it is used in Olympic shooting and it is on a list of firearms provided to them by USA Shooting. I guess that isn’t good enough for Chicago.
Are there any commonly available inexpensive handguns still available in Chicago?
I would have suggested a mil-surp such as a CZ-50 or CZ-52 but they have really gone up in price over the last few years. The days of the $79.95 CZ-52 are gone.
I guess it all depends on what you consider "inexpensive".
It depends what you consider inexpensive and if you're attached to buying new. There are tons of used 38 special k-frames out there for around $250. If I needed a cheap gun for personal defense, that's what I'd buy.
It's funny that F.I.E. made the list but Excam who also imported Tanfoglio products didn't.
No rhyme or reason apparently.
The Sig and Walther are on the list for only one reason, threaded barrels.
@ Chris
If threaded barrels were the only criteria, then HK USP Tacticals would be banned.
Yeah, the Walther P22. Why?
And, as repugnant as I find their meddlesome list, if they are going to have one, put my old Grendel .380 on it. Awful gun, just awful. If there's going to be a ban list, it should be on it.
(No fan of the Beretta 21A either)
MJM
mjm.luckygunner.com