State laws on the books are weak and dont work.Federal laws do which is why no one is being killed with fully automatic weapons and less than 10% of those arrested for illegal guns are convicted felons.
If someone is intent on committing murder the possession charge wont matter,but their ability to get a gun would be harder with a limited supply of illegal guns and fewer people willing to engage in the illegal gun trade because of harsher jail sentences.
If a person wanted to kill someone but could only do it a fully automatic weapon its likely they would be shit out of luck because they aren't available on the streets.A big reason why is because no one fucks with fully automatic weapons because illegal passion is 10 years federal prison time and prosecution.
I have family who deal with shady characters that could get me a semi auto hand gun,AR 15 or AK in a matter of hours.No matter how much I pay or wait they couldn't get me a fully automatic AR or AK.
Federal law keeps fully automatic weapons off the streets.Federal law keeps weapons out of the hands of most felons.And we have to address the thousands of guns that are getting into the hands of criminals from legal gun owners by holding them accountable.If there weren't 5,000 guns a year from just 1 city from car break ins hitting the streets in time the supply would start to dry up.Cost for illegal guns would then go up.Add harsher federal jail sentences and supply would go down even more because fewer criminals would dabble in the illegal gun trade.In time a difference would be made imo.All of this would not restrict legal gun owners from owning guns,unless they prove to be irresponsible with them.
First, the majority of hand guns are semi auto. People who throw that around are doing so to make it sound more scary. Other than revolvers, pistols are semi auto. As for guns being available, what you say is true. But its already happened. You can't undo it.
I could get an automatic weapon if I wanted, tomorrow. You just need to know where to go. You could also mod one if you had patience and resources.
I don't care whether we have state or federal laws, just enforce them. If you pass a federal law because you think a state law has no teeth or is not enforced, then its just as stupid if there's no federal enforcement. The issue isn't the law, its the (lack of) enforcement.