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Montana HB246 - WOW!
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:28 pm
by TheArmedFarmer
The Montana legislature passed, and the governor just signed, HB246 which is entitled the "Montana Firearms Freedom Act".
I'm speechless. Read read the law for yourself:
http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2009/billhtml/HB0246.htm
The bill basically says that any firearms and accessories (with four specific exceptions) made in Montana that stay in Montana, are not subject to Federal law or regulation! This bill will take effect on October 1st, 2009.
Go Montana! We need to do this exact same thing here in Texas. The feds have overstepped their bounds so far, that the only recourse is that we simply start ignoring what they are doing (at least as it pertains to intrastate affairs).
Re: Montana HB246 - WOW!
Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 9:50 pm
by Aric
That is a big WOW, could that happen in Texas? We could only hope.
Re: Montana HB246 - WOW!
Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 11:02 pm
by Liberty
Congratulations to Montana for passing a 10th amendment law that actually means something.
Re: Montana HB246 - WOW!
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 8:18 am
by Oldgringo
Montana is cool. Are there any guns made in Texas?
Re: Montana HB246 - WOW!
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 8:29 am
by Kalrog
From a legal challenge standpoint... how would this differ from the drug law that SCOTUS struck down from CA about a year ago? CA said that drugs that spent their entire existence in CA were not subject to Federal laws. They lost at SCOTUS on the thought that they were just a car ride away from being interstate commerce. Flimsy at best, but that was the ruling.
Re: Montana HB246 - WOW!
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 8:44 am
by phoneguy
Sounds good, feels good, BUUUUUT?
How many firearms manufacuturing facilities are there in Montana?

Re: Montana HB246 - WOW!
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 8:48 am
by tfrazier
Even if there are none right now, if the law stands I bet a few factories will pop up real quick.
I found only this one, it they may just be customizers, not manufacturers:
http://www.altiusguns.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Re: Montana HB246 - WOW!
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 9:02 am
by KD5NRH
Oldgringo wrote:Montana is cool. Are there any guns made in Texas?
Bond Arms comes screaming to mind. I know there are others, but I can't think of them off the top of my head.
Re: Montana HB246 - WOW!
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 1:30 pm
by gemini
Oldgringo wrote:Montana is cool. Are there any guns made in Texas?
Probably one of the most well known is STI.
They make very nice pistolas...... they're just up the road from Austin.
Check them out.
Re: Montana HB246 - WOW!
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 5:28 pm
by lrb111
STI was getting their frames from the same folks in the Philippines that makes Rock Island Armory and a few others. I wonder if having international suppliers would be a deal breaker?
Re: Montana HB246 - WOW!
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 5:44 pm
by gemini
lrb111 wrote:STI was getting their frames from the same folks in the Philippines that makes Rock Island Armory and a few others. I wonder if having international suppliers would be a deal breaker?
All frames for all models? I was not aware of this. I knew the Spartan was being partially assembled
In the Phillipines. I've personally fired 2 different STI weapons and both were nice. My next carry piece
will probably be an Escort (you can't have too many .45's).
Re: Montana HB246 - WOW!
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 7:46 pm
by tfrazier
lrb111 wrote:STI was getting their frames from the same folks in the Philippines that makes Rock Island Armory and a few others. I wonder if having international suppliers would be a deal breaker?
It would be a deal breaker for the Montana law. Primary components like frames have to be manufactured in-state.
Re: Montana HB246 - WOW!
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 8:12 pm
by The Annoyed Man
tfrazier wrote:Even if there are none right now, if the law stands I bet a few factories will pop up real quick.
I found only this one, it they may just be customizers, not manufacturers:
http://www.altiusguns.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Cooper Arms of Montana. . . .the owner of which, by the way,
is either not particularly friendly to the full exercise of 2A rights, or he's a fool.
Re: Montana HB246 - WOW!
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 4:49 pm
by txflyer
Kalrog wrote:From a legal challenge standpoint... how would this differ from the drug law that SCOTUS struck down from CA about a year ago? CA said that drugs that spent their entire existence in CA were not subject to Federal laws. They lost at SCOTUS on the thought that they were just a car ride away from being interstate commerce. Flimsy at best, but that was the ruling.
IIRC, one of the portions to the drug decision is that pot grown in CA is indistinguishable from pot grown in AZ. So the Feds can apply interstate commerce control. However, firearms marked "Made in Montana" are certainly distinguishable from arms made in other states. On that basis, interstate commerce would have a tough time.
Good for Montana.

Re: Montana HB246 - WOW!
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 5:00 pm
by txflyer
Oldgringo wrote:Montana is cool. Are there any guns made in Texas?
http://www.amderringer.com/
http://www.laruetactical.com/
http://viperactions.com/
Those are just the ones off the top of my head. They may not make their receivers here, but that could be dealt with by subbing out to a machine shop in Texas. At that point, the firearm is made in Texas. If I were a manufacturer and Texas passed a law like that, I'd be looking for a machine shop in Texas. And ditch the Federal taxes as well. Pay only when shipped out of state.