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115th CONGRESS
2d Session |
To regulate the importation, manufacture, possession, sale or transfer of assault weapons, and for other purposes.
Mr. Cicilline (for himself, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Ms. Adams, Mr. Aguilar, Ms. Barragán, Ms. Bass, Mr. Bera, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Ms.Bonamici, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr. Brown of Maryland, Ms. Brownley of California, Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Capuano, Mr. Cárdenas, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Ms. Castor of Florida, Ms. Judy Chu of California, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Correa, Ms. Clark of Massachusetts, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Clay, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Courtney, Mr. Crist, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Mrs. Davis of California, Ms. DelBene, Ms. DeGette, Ms.DeLauro, Mr. Delaney, Mrs. Demings, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Michael F. Doyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Ellison, Mr. Engel, Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Eshoo, Ms.Esty of Connecticut, Ms. Frankel of Florida, Mr. Foster, Ms. Fudge, Mr. Gallego, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Gomez, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Gutiérrez, Ms. Hanabusa, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Heck, Mr. Higgins of New York, Mr. Himes, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Huffman, Ms. Jayapal, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Jeffries, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Kaptur, Mr.Keating, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Kihuen, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Kuster of New Hampshire, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mrs. Lawrence, Mr. Lawson of Florida, Ms. Lee, Mr. Levin, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Ted Lieu of California, Mr. Loebsack, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Lowenthal, Mrs. Lowey, Mr. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico, Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Mr. Lynch, Ms. McCollum, Mr. McEachin, Mr. McGovern, Mr. McNerney, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Meng, Mr. Moulton, Ms. Moore, Mrs. Murphy of Florida, Mr. Nadler, Mrs.Napolitano, Mr. Neal, Mr. Nolan, Mr. Norcross, Ms. Norton, Mr. O’Rourke, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Payne, Mr. Perlmutter, Mr. Peters, Ms. Pingree, Mr.Polis, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Raskin, Miss Rice of New York, Mr. Richmond, Ms. Rosen, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr. Ruppersberger, Mr. Rush, Mr.Ryan of Ohio, Ms. Sánchez, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Serrano, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Schneider, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Ms. Shea-Porter, Mr.Sherman, Mr. Sires, Mr. Smith of Washington, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Soto, Ms. Speier, Mr. Swalwell of California, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Takano, Ms. Titus, Mr. Tonko, Mrs. Torres, Ms.Tsongas, Mr. Vargas, Ms. Velázquez, Mr. Visclosky, Mr. Walz, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Ms. Maxine Waters of California, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Welch, Mr. Yarmuth, and Ms. Pelosi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
To regulate the importation, manufacture, possession, sale or transfer of assault weapons, and for other purposes.
(a) In General.—Section 921(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by inserting after paragraph (29) the following:
“(30) The term ‘semiautomatic pistol’ means any repeating pistol that—
“(A) utilizes a portion of the energy of a firing cartridge to extract the fired cartridge case and chamber the next round; and
“(B) requires a separate pull of the trigger to fire each cartridge.
“(31) The term ‘semiautomatic shotgun’ means any repeating shotgun that—
“(A) utilizes a portion of the energy of a firing cartridge to extract the fired cartridge case and chamber the next round; and
“(B) requires a separate pull of the trigger to fire each cartridge.”; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
“(36) The term ‘semiautomatic assault weapon’ means any of the following, regardless of country of manufacture or caliber of ammunition accepted:
“(A) A semiautomatic rifle that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any one of the following:
“(i) A pistol grip.
“(ii) A forward grip.
“(iii) A folding, telescoping, or detachable stock.
“(iv) A grenade launcher or rocket launcher.
“(v) A barrel shroud.
“(vi) A threaded barrel.
“(B) A semiautomatic rifle that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds, except for an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition.
“(C) Any part, combination of parts, component, device, attachment, or accessory that is designed or functions to accelerate the rate of fire of a semiautomatic rifle but not convert the semiautomatic rifle into a machinegun.
“(D) A semiautomatic pistol that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any one of the following:
“(i) A threaded barrel.
“(ii) A second pistol grip.
“(iii) A barrel shroud.
“(iv) The capacity to accept a detachable magazine at some location outside of the pistol grip.
“(v) A semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm.
“(E) A semiautomatic pistol with a fixed magazine that has the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds.
“(F) A semiautomatic shotgun that has any one of the following:
“(i) A folding, telescoping, or detachable stock.
“(ii) A pistol grip.
“(iii) A fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 5 rounds.
“(iv) The ability to accept a detachable magazine.
“(v) A forward grip.
“(vi) A grenade launcher or rocket launcher.
“(G) Any shotgun with a revolving cylinder.
“(H) All of the following rifles, copies, duplicates, variants, or altered facsimiles with the capability of any such weapon thereof:
“(i) All AK types, including the following:
“(I) AK, AK47, AK47S, AK–74, AKM, AKS, ARM, MAK90, MISR, NHM90, NHM91, Rock River Arms LAR–47, SA85, SA93, Vector Arms AK–47, VEPR, WASR–10, and WUM.
“(II) IZHMASH Saiga AK.
“(III) MAADI AK47 and ARM.
“(IV) Norinco 56S, 56S2, 84S, and 86S.
“(V) Poly Technologies AK47 and AKS.
“(ii) All AR types, including the following:
“(I) AR–10.
“(II) AR–15.
“(III) Alexander Arms Overmatch Plus 16.
“(IV) Armalite M15 22LR Carbine.
“(V) Armalite M15–T.
“(VI) Barrett REC7.
“(VII) Beretta AR–70.
“(VIII) Black Rain Ordnance Recon Scout.
“(IX) Bushmaster ACR.
“(X) Bushmaster Carbon 15.
“(XI) Bushmaster MOE series.
“(XII) Bushmaster XM15.
“(XIII) Chiappa Firearms MFour rifles.
“(XIV) Colt Match Target rifles.
“(XV) CORE Rifle Systems CORE15 rifles.
“(XVI) Daniel Defense M4A1 rifles.
“(XVII) Devil Dog Arms 15 Series rifles.
“(XVIII) Diamondback DB15 rifles.
“(XIX) DoubleStar AR rifles.
“(XX) DPMS Tactical rifles.
“(XXI) DSA Inc. ZM–4 Carbine.
“(XXII) Heckler & Koch MR556.
“(XXIII) High Standard HSA–15 rifles.
“(XXIV) Jesse James Nomad AR–15 rifle.
“(XXV) Knight’s Armament SR–15.
“(XXVI) Lancer L15 rifles.
“(XXVII) MGI Hydra Series rifles.
“(XXVIII) Mossberg MMR Tactical rifles.
“(XXIX) Noreen Firearms BN 36 rifle.
“(XXX) Olympic Arms.
“(XXXI) POF USA P415.
“(XXXII) Precision Firearms AR rifles.
“(XXXIII) Remington R–15 rifles.
“(XXXIV) Rhino Arms AR rifles.
“(XXXV) Rock River Arms LAR–15.
“(XXXVI) Sig Sauer SIG516 rifles and MCX rifles.
“(XXXVII) SKS with a detachable magazine.
“(XXXVIII) Smith & Wesson M&P15 rifles.
“(XXXIX) Stag Arms AR rifles.
“(XL) Sturm, Ruger & Co. SR556 and AR–556 rifles.
“(XLI) Uselton Arms Air-Lite M–4 rifles.
“(XLII) Windham Weaponry AR rifles.
“(XLIII) WMD Guns Big Beast.
“(XLIV) Yankee Hill Machine Company, Inc. YHM–15 rifles.
“(iii) Barrett M107A1.
“(iv) Barrett M82A1.
“(v) Beretta CX4 Storm.
“(vi) Calico Liberty Series.
“(vii) CETME Sporter.
“(viii) Daewoo K–1, K–2, Max 1, Max 2, AR 100, and AR 110C.
“(ix) Fabrique Nationale/FN Herstal FAL, LAR, 22 FNC, 308 Match, L1A1 Sporter, PS90, SCAR, and FS2000.
“(x) Feather Industries AT–9.
“(xi) Galil Model AR and Model ARM.
“(xii) Hi-Point Carbine.
“(xiii) HK–91, HK–93, HK–94, HK–PSG–1, and HK USC.
“(xiv) IWI TAVOR, Galil ACE rifle.
“(xv) Kel-Tec Sub-2000, SU–16, and RFB.
“(xvi) SIG AMT, SIG PE–57, Sig Sauer SG 550, Sig Sauer SG 551, and SIG MCX.
“(xvii) Springfield Armory SAR–48.
“(xviii) Steyr AUG.
“(xix) Sturm, Ruger & Co. Mini-14 Tactical Rifle M–14/20CF.
“(xx) All Thompson rifles, including the following:
“(I) Thompson M1SB.
“(II) Thompson T1100D.
“(III) Thompson T150D.
“(IV) Thompson T1B.
“(V) Thompson T1B100D.
“(VI) Thompson T1B50D.
“(VII) Thompson T1BSB.
“(VIII) Thompson T1–C.
“(IX) Thompson T1D.
“(X) Thompson T1SB.
“(XI) Thompson T5.
“(XII) Thompson T5100D.
“(XIII) Thompson TM1.
“(XIV) Thompson TM1C.
“(xxi) UMAREX UZI rifle.
“(xxii) UZI Mini Carbine, UZI Model A Carbine, and UZI Model B Carbine.
“(xxiii) Valmet M62S, M71S, and M78.
“(xxiv) Vector Arms UZI Type.
“(xxv) Weaver Arms Nighthawk.
“(xxvi) Wilkinson Arms Linda Carbine.
“(I) All of the following pistols, copies, duplicates, variants, or altered facsimiles with the capability of any such weapon thereof:
“(i) All AK–47 types, including the following:
“(I) Centurion 39 AK pistol.
“(II) CZ Scorpion pistol.
“(III) Draco AK–47 pistol.
“(IV) HCR AK–47 pistol.
“(V) IO Inc. Hellpup AK–47 pistol.
“(VI) Krinkov pistol.
“(VII) Mini Draco AK–47 pistol.
“(VIII) PAP M92 pistol.
“(IX) Yugo Krebs Krink pistol.
“(ii) All AR–15 types, including the following:
“(I) American Spirit AR–15 pistol.
“(II) Bushmaster Carbon 15 pistol.
“(III) Chiappa Firearms M4 Pistol GEN II.
“(IV) CORE Rifle Systems CORE15 Roscoe pistol.
“(V) Daniel Defense MK18 pistol.
“(VI) DoubleStar Corporation AR pistol.
“(VII) DPMS AR–15 pistol.
“(VIII) Jesse James Nomad AR–15 pistol.
“(IX) Olympic Arms AR–15 pistol.
“(X) Osprey Armament MK–18 pistol.
“(XI) POF USA AR pistols.
“(XII) Rock River Arms LAR 15 pistol.
“(XIII) Uselton Arms Air-Lite M–4 pistol.
“(iii) Calico Liberty pistols.
“(iv) DSA SA58 PKP FAL pistol.
“(v) Encom MP–9 and MP–45.
“(vi) Heckler & Koch model SP–89 pistol.
“(vii) Intratec AB–10, TEC–22 Scorpion, TEC–9, and TEC–DC9.
“(viii) IWI Galil Ace pistol, UZI PRO pistol.
“(ix) Kel-Tec PLR 16 pistol.
“(I) MAC–10.
“(II) MAC–11.
“(III) Masterpiece Arms MPA A930 Mini Pistol, MPA460 Pistol, MPA Tactical Pistol, and MPA Mini Tactical Pistol.
“(IV) Military Armament Corp. Ingram M–11.
“(V) Velocity Arms VMAC.
“(xi) Sig Sauer P556 pistol.
“(xii) Sites Spectre.
“(xiii) All Thompson types, including the following:
“(I) Thompson TA510D.
“(II) Thompson TA5.
“(xiv) All UZI types, including Micro-UZI.
“(J) All of the following shotguns, copies, duplicates, variants, or altered facsimiles with the capability of any such weapon thereof:
“(i) DERYA Anakon MC–1980, Anakon SD12.
“(ii) Doruk Lethal shotguns.
“(iii) Franchi LAW–12 and SPAS 12.
“(iv) All IZHMASH Saiga 12 types, including the following:
“(I) IZHMASH Saiga 12.
“(II) IZHMASH Saiga 12S.
“(III) IZHMASH Saiga 12S EXP–01.
“(IV) IZHMASH Saiga 12K.
“(V) IZHMASH Saiga 12K–030.
“(VI) IZHMASH Saiga 12K–040 Taktika.
“(v) Streetsweeper.
“(vi) Striker 12.
“(K) All belt-fed semiautomatic firearms, including TNW M2HB and FN M2495.
“(L) Any combination of parts from which a firearm described in subparagraphs (A) through (K) can be assembled.
“(M) The frame or receiver of a rifle or shotgun described in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), (F), (G), (H), (J), or (K).
“(37) The term ‘large capacity ammunition feeding device’—
“(A) means a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device, including any such device joined or coupled with another in any manner, that has an overall capacity of, or that can be readily restored, changed, or converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition; and
“(B) does not include an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition.”.
(b) Related Definitions.—Section 921(a) of title 18, United States Code, as amended by this Act, is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(38) The term ‘barrel shroud’—
“(A) means a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel of a firearm so that the shroud protects the user of the firearm from heat generated by the barrel; and
“(i) a slide that partially or completely encloses the barrel; or
“(ii) an extension of the stock along the bottom of the barrel which does not encircle or substantially encircle the barrel.
“(39) The term ‘detachable magazine’ means an ammunition feeding device that can be removed from a firearm without disassembly of the firearm action.
“(40) The term ‘fixed magazine’ means an ammunition feeding device that is permanently fixed to the firearm in such a manner that it cannot be removed without disassembly of the firearm.
“(41) The term ‘folding, telescoping, or detachable stock’ means a stock that folds, telescopes, detaches or otherwise operates to reduce the length, size, or any other dimension, or otherwise enhances the concealability, of a firearm.
“(42) The term ‘forward grip’ means a grip located forward of the trigger that functions as a pistol grip.
“(43) The term ‘rocket’ means any simple or complex tubelike device containing combustibles that on being ignited liberate gases whose action propels the tube through the air and has a propellant charge of not more than 4 ounces.
“(44) The term ‘grenade launcher or rocket launcher’ means an attachment for use on a firearm that is designed to propel a grenade, rocket, or other similar destructive device.
“(45) The term ‘permanently inoperable’ means a firearm which is incapable of discharging a shot by means of an explosive and incapable of being readily restored to a firing condition.
“(46) The term ‘pistol grip’ means a grip, a thumbhole stock, or any other characteristic that can function as a grip.
“(47) The term ‘threaded barrel’ means a feature or characteristic that is designed in such a manner to allow for the attachment of a device such as a firearm silencer or a flash suppressor.
“(48) The term ‘qualified law enforcement officer’ has the meaning given the term in section 926B.
“(49) The term ‘grandfathered semiautomatic assault weapon’ means any semiautomatic assault weapon the importation, possession, sale, or transfer of which would be unlawful under section 922(v) but for the exception under paragraph (2) of such section.
“(50) The term ‘belt-fed semiautomatic firearm’ means any repeating firearm that—
“(A) utilizes a portion of the energy of a firing cartridge to extract the fired cartridge case and chamber the next round;
“(B) requires a separate pull of the trigger to fire each cartridge; and
“(C) has the capacity to accept a belt ammunition feeding device.”.
SEC. 3. RESTRICTIONS ON ASSAULT WEAPONS AND LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICES.
(a) In General.—Section 922 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by inserting after subsection (u) the following:
“(v) (1) It shall be unlawful for a person to import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a semiautomatic assault weapon.
“(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the possession, sale, or transfer of any semiautomatic assault weapon otherwise lawfully possessed under Federal law on the date of enactment of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2018.
“(3) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any firearm that—
“(A) is manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action;
“(B) has been rendered permanently inoperable; or
“(C) is an antique firearm, as defined in section 921 of this title.
“(4) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to—
“(A) the importation for, manufacture for, sale to, transfer to, or possession by the United States or a department or agency of the United States or a State or a department, agency, or political subdivision of a State, or a sale or transfer to or possession by a qualified law enforcement officer employed by the United States or a department or agency of the United States or a State or a department, agency, or political subdivision of a State, for purposes of law enforcement (whether on or off duty), or a sale or transfer to or possession by a campus law enforcement officer for purposes of law enforcement (whether on or off duty);
“(B) the importation for, or sale or transfer to a licensee under title I of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 for purposes of establishing and maintaining an on-site physical protection system and security organization required by Federal law, or possession by an employee or contractor of such licensee on-site for such purposes or off-site for purposes of licensee-authorized training or transportation of nuclear materials;
“(C) the possession, by an individual who is retired in good standing from service with a law enforcement agency and is not otherwise prohibited from receiving a firearm, of a semiautomatic assault weapon—
“(i) sold or transferred to the individual by the agency upon such retirement; or
“(ii) that the individual purchased, or otherwise obtained, for official use before such retirement;
“(D) the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a semiautomatic assault weapon by a licensed manufacturer or licensed importer for the purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the Attorney General; or
“(E) the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a firearm specified in Appendix A to this section, as such firearm was manufactured on the date of introduction of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2018.
“(5) For purposes of paragraph (4)(A), the term ‘campus law enforcement officer’ means an individual who is—
“(A) employed by a private institution of higher education that is eligible for funding under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.);
“(B) responsible for the prevention or investigation of crime involving injury to persons or property, including apprehension or detention of persons for such crimes;
“(C) authorized by Federal, State, or local law to carry a firearm, execute search warrants, and make arrests; and
“(D) recognized, commissioned, or certified by a government entity as a law enforcement officer.
“(6) The Attorney General shall establish and maintain, in a timely manner, a record of the make, model, and, if available, date of manufacture of any semiautomatic assault weapon which the Attorney General is made aware has been used in relation to a crime under Federal or State law, and the nature and circumstances of the crime involved, including the outcome of relevant criminal investigations and proceedings. The Attorney General shall annually submit a copy of the record established under this paragraph to the Congress and make the record available to the general public.
“(w) (1) It shall be unlawful for a person to import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a large capacity ammunition feeding device.
“(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the possession of any large capacity ammunition feeding device otherwise lawfully possessed on or before the date of enactment of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2018.
“(3) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to—
“(A) the importation for, manufacture for, sale to, transfer to, or possession by the United States or a department or agency of the United States or a State or a department, agency, or political subdivision of a State, or a sale or transfer to or possession by a qualified law enforcement officer employed by the United States or a department or agency of the United States or a State or a department, agency, or political subdivision of a State for purposes of law enforcement (whether on or off duty), or a sale or transfer to or possession by a campus law enforcement officer for purposes of law enforcement (whether on or off duty);
“(B) the importation for, or sale or transfer to a licensee under title I of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 for purposes of establishing and maintaining an on-site physical protection system and security organization required by Federal law, or possession by an employee or contractor of such licensee on-site for such purposes or off-site for purposes of licensee-authorized training or transportation of nuclear materials;
“(C) the possession, by an individual who is retired in good standing from service with a law enforcement agency and is not otherwise prohibited from receiving ammunition, of a large capacity ammunition feeding device—
“(i) sold or transferred to the individual by the agency upon such retirement; or
“(ii) that the individual purchased, or otherwise obtained, for official use before such retirement; or
“(D) the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of any large capacity ammunition feeding device by a licensed manufacturer or licensed importer for the purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the Attorney General.
“(4) For purposes of paragraph (3)(A), the term ‘campus law enforcement officer’ means an individual who is—
“(A) employed by a private institution of higher education that is eligible for funding under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.);
“(B) responsible for the prevention or investigation of crime involving injury to persons or property, including apprehension or detention of persons for such crimes;
“(C) authorized by Federal, State, or local law to carry a firearm, execute search warrants, and make arrests; and
“(D) recognized, commissioned, or certified by a government entity as a law enforcement officer.”; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
“(aa) Secure Storage Or Safety Device Requirement For Grandfathered Semiautomatic Assault Weapons.—It shall be unlawful for any person, other than a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer, to store or keep under the dominion or control of that person any grandfathered semiautomatic assault weapon that the person knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, will be accessible to an individual prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm under subsection (g), (n), or (x), or any provision of State law, unless the grandfathered semiautomatic assault weapon is—
“(1) carried on the person, or within such close proximity that the person can readily retrieve and use the grandfathered semiautomatic assault weapon as if the grandfathered semiautomatic assault weapon were carried on the person; or
“(2) locked by a secure gun storage or safety device that the prohibited individual has no ability to access.”.
(b) Identification Markings For Semiautomatic Assault Weapons.—Section 923(i) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: “The serial number of any semiautomatic assault weapon manufactured after the date of enactment of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 shall clearly show the date on which the weapon was manufactured or made, legibly and conspicuously engraved or cast on the weapon, and such other identification as the Attorney General shall by regulations prescribe.”.
(c) Identification Markings For Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Devices.—Section 923(i) of title 18, United States Code, as amended by this Act, is amended by adding at the end the following: “A large capacity ammunition feeding device manufactured after the date of enactment of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 shall be identified by a serial number and the date on which the device was manufactured or made, legibly and conspicuously engraved or cast on the device, and such other identification as the Attorney General shall by regulations prescribe.”.
(d) Seizure And Forfeiture Of Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Devices.—Subsection (d) of section 924 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(A) by inserting “or large capacity ammunition feeding device” after “firearm or ammunition” each time it appears;
(B) by inserting “or large capacity ammunition feeding device” after “firearms or ammunition” each time it appears; and
(C) by striking “or (k)” and inserting “(k), (r), (v), or (w)”;
(A) in subparagraph (C), by inserting “or large capacity ammunition feeding devices” after “firearms or quantities of ammunition”; and
(A) in subparagraph (E), by inserting “922(r), 922(v), 922(w),” after “922(n),”.
(e) Appendix A.—Section 922 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
APPENDIX A—FIREARMS EXEMPTED BY THE ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN OF 2017
Centerfire Rifles—Autoloaders
Centerfire Rifles—Lever & Slide
Centerfire Rifles—Bolt Action
Centerfire Rifles—Single Shot
Drillings, Combination Guns, Double Rifles
Rimfire Rifles—Autoloaders
Rimfire Rifles—Lever & Slide Action
Rimfire Rifles—Bolt Actions & Single Shots
Competition Rifles—Centerfire & Rimfire
Shotguns—Autoloaders
Shotguns—Slide Actions
Shotguns—Over/Unders
Shotguns—Side By Sides
Shotguns—Bolt Actions & Single Shots
SEC. 5. BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR TRANSFERS OF GRANDFATHERED SEMIAUTOMATIC ASSAULT WEAPONS.
(a) In General.—Section 922 of title 18, United States Code, as amended by this Act, is amended—
(1) by repealing subsection (s);
(2) by redesignating subsection (t) as subsection (s);
(3) in subsection (s), as redesignated—
(A) in paragraph (3)(C)(ii), by striking “(as defined in subsection (s)(8))”; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
“(7) In this subsection, the term ‘chief law enforcement officer’ means the chief of police, the sheriff, or an equivalent officer or the designee of any such individual.”; and
(4) by inserting after subsection (s), as redesignated, the following:
“(t) (1) Beginning on the date that is 90 days after the date of enactment of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2018, it shall be unlawful for any person who is not licensed under this chapter to transfer a grandfathered semiautomatic assault weapon to any other person who is not licensed under this chapter, unless a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer has first taken custody of the grandfathered semiautomatic assault weapon for the purpose of complying with subsection (s). Upon taking custody of the grandfathered semiautomatic assault weapon, the licensee shall comply with all requirements of this chapter as if the licensee were transferring the grandfathered semiautomatic assault weapon from the licensee’s inventory to the unlicensed transferee.
“(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a temporary transfer of possession for the purpose of participating in target shooting in a licensed target facility or established range if—
“(A) the grandfathered semiautomatic assault weapon is, at all times, kept within the premises of the target facility or range; and
“(B) the transferee is not known to be prohibited from possessing or receiving a grandfathered semiautomatic assault weapon.
“(3) For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘transfer’—
“(A) shall include a sale, gift, or loan; and
“(B) does not include temporary custody of the grandfathered semiautomatic assault weapon for purposes of examination or evaluation by a prospective transferee.
“(4) (A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Attorney General may implement this subsection with regulations.
“(B) Regulations promulgated under this paragraph—
“(i) shall include a provision setting a maximum fee that may be charged by licensees for services provided in accordance with paragraph (1); and
“(ii) shall not include any provision imposing recordkeeping requirements on any unlicensed transferor or requiring licensees to facilitate transfers in accordance with paragraph (1).”.
(b) Technical And Conforming Amendments.—
(1) SECTION 922.—Section 922(y)(2) of title 18, United States Code, is amended, in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “, (g)(5)(B), and (s)(3)(B)(v)(II)” and inserting “and (g)(5)(B)”.
(2) SECTION 925A.—Section 925A of title 18, United States Code, is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “subsection (s) or (t) of section 922” and inserting “section 922(s)”.
(c) Effective Date.—The amendments made by this section shall take effect 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 6. NOTIFICATION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES OF PROHIBITED PURCHASE OR ATTEMPTED PURCHASE OF A FIREARM.
(a) In General.—Title I of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 (34 U.S.C. 40911–40916) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“SEC. 107. NOTIFICATION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES OF PROHIBITED PURCHASE OR ATTEMPTED PURCHASE OF A GRANDFATHERED SEMIAUTOMATIC ASSAULT WEAPON.
“(a) In General.—In the case of a background check conducted by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System pursuant to the request of a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer of firearms (as such terms are defined in section 921 of title 18, United States Code), which background check determines that the receipt of a grandfathered semiautomatic assault weapon (as defined in section 921(a)(49) of title 18, United States Code) by a person would violate subsection (g) or (n) of section 922 of title 18, United States Code, the System shall notify the law enforcement agencies described in subsection (b), including in a case where such a determination is made after 14 business days have elapsed since the licensee contacted the System.
“(b) Law Enforcement Agencies Described.—The law enforcement agencies described in this subsection are the law enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction over the location from which the licensee contacted the System and the law enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction over the location of the residence of the person for which the background check was conducted, as follows:
“(1) The field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“(2) The local law enforcement agency.
“(3) The State law enforcement agency.”.
(b) Clerical Amendment.—Section 1(b) of such Act (34 U.S.C. ch. 409, front matter) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 106 the following:
“107. Notification to law enforcement agencies of prohibited purchase or attempted purchase of a firearm.”.
SEC. 7. USE OF BYRNE GRANTS FOR BUY-BACK PROGRAMS FOR SEMIAUTOMATIC ASSAULT WEAPONS AND LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICES.
“(H) Compensation for surrendered semiautomatic assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices, as those terms are defined in section 921 of title 18, United States Code, under buy-back programs for semiautomatic assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices.”.
Almost every shooter in the US has heard of or seen the Mosin-Nagant rifle, due to the large volume of them that were imported over the last decade or so. The WWII variant was quite readily available and inexpensive until very recently. As it turns out, they have actually been floating around our nation for quite a long time. In the process, they have ended up in some very interesting situations.
During the First World War the Russian army, like everyone else, was in dire need of weapons and ammunition. Casualties and losses of equipment were absolutely staggering. So the Russians approached US arms manufacturers to make rifles for them. Most of these contracts were for their standard rifle, the Mosin-Nagant Model 1891 or M91, though Winchester did produce some lever action rifles chambered in 7.62x54r. There were some delays, so it took some time for the American made M91s to get into production. Then once they were delivered, they apparently sat in warehouses near the ports where they were offloaded. As a result, there weren’t very many actually issued to Russian soldiers before the October 1917 Revolution.
In case anyone reading this is not familiar with the Mosin-Nagant rifle, it is a bolt action rifle chambered in 7.62x54r with a 5 shot single stack magazine. There have been many variants of these rifles, produced in several different countries. The barrel length on the Model 1891 is fairly long, being 31 inches.
Here is the rear sight flipped up for shooting at some rather optimistic ranges-even after you convert the arshins to yards or meters.
The rear sight on the Model 1891 is more elaborate than later models of Mosin-Nagant rifles. It has something similar to the typical tangent rear sight, though it is graduated in arshins, an antiquated form of measurement that translates to about 28 inches. It is also possible to flip the sight leaf up 90 degrees, in a ladder sort of arrangement, for shooting at some rather optimistic ranges.
The bayonet for the Model 1891 is similar but different than the 91/30 bayonets. It is still has a triangular, needle type blade. It also has a sort of socket that goes over the barrel. Where it is different is the lock. Where the 91/30 bayonet has a spring loaded tab, the 1891 has a locking ring. Basically, you slide the socket over the barrel and rotate the ring to “lock” it behind the front sight. Mosin-Nagant bayonets, much like the rifles themselves, were not made to high tolerances. If you have a bayonet, it may require some fitting to properly attach. 91/30 bayonets will attach to 1891 rifles (if you aren’t concerned with being “period correct”) but not the other way around. The M91 bayonet that I have actually came with a 91/30 I bought later.
In case you are wondering about what the designation actually means: “7.62” refers to the 7.62mm bullet, “54” refers to the 54mm casing length and the “r” notes that it is a rimmed case. While it is referred to as a 7.62mm, most weapons of this caliber are intended to use .310 diameter bullets rather than .308s as we are usually accustomed to in this country. For those that handload, this means that you can likely use the same bullets you use in that .303 SMLE or 7.7 Arisaka that you already load for. That said there are some exceptions, and there are some Mosin-Nagant rifles with bores sized for .308 bullets. So make sure you figure out what you have before you start loading. Also given the age of these rifles, if you are handloading for them be gentle. There is no good reason to hot load these.
The action of the Mosin-Nagant rifle is very strong. During WWI, the Austrians even rechambered captured M91s to 8x50r without rebarreling them. In testing they found that the action would have no problem withstanding the added pressures of shoving an 8mm bullet down a 7.62mm bore, not that I would want to try, however!
The caliber itself also has quite a history. 7.62x54r was the first smokeless powder cartridge issued to the Russian Army. It is the longest running issued cartridge in the world, as it was first used in 1891 with the first Mosin-Nagant rifles, which were obviously Model 1891s. It is still in front-line service with the Russian army (and many others as well), with the SVD rifles and PKM machine guns chambered in it. This is really quite remarkable. To give you an idea, the US Army’s first smokeless cartridge was the .30-40 Krag, and it was issued at around the same time. Needless to say, we have changed cartridges several times since then.
In all of those years of service, the loading of the cartridge has changed several times. The original loading was a 212 grain round nose loaded to approximately 2020fps. In 1908, the Russians, like everyone else at that time, designed a pointed or “spitzer” bullet (this is what the common profile for rifle bullets are today) for the cartridge. It was 147grs and referred to as the “L” bullet(for light) and had a velocity of approximately 2800 fps. Ironically enough, that loading is what is still being loaded.
All of this is great, but what does it have to do with the US Army? When the United States entered the war in 1917, there were not enough rifles to issue the rapidly growing American Expeditionary Force. In addition to rifles for the troops to carry into combat, weapons were needed for various stateside duties such as training (think teaching troops how to march), guard details, and similar tasks. At the same time, Remington-UMC and New England Westinghouse were stuck with a bunch of rifles, since the Bolsheviks both did not want to pay, and did not have the means anyway. This would have meant disaster had the US government not stepped in and purchased these rifles, both to prevent those companies from financial ruin (which was important given the US Army’s sudden need for vast amounts of small arms) and to help free up 1903s and 1917s to ship to the western front.
This is what the receiver markings on a Remington-UMC rifle are supposed to look like. photo courtesy of 7.62x54r.net
Rifle with accessories- Mosin-Nagant Model 1891, Bayonet, and Ammunition
Since these duties were not as ammunition intensive or as maintenance intensive as combat, obsolete weapons and non-standard weapons were used to fill these roles. Mosin-Nagant rifles were ideal for this purpose, being a military design and very durable. They were given the designation, “Russian Three-line Rifle, Caliber 7.62 mm. (.3 inch)”. As an interesting side note on stateside US duties: supposedly a small number of the US made M91s were modified to take the Pederson Device.
The Model 1891’s wartime service to the US does not end with stateside duty. When the Bolsheviks seized power in 1917, the Allies had already shipped a large amount of military aid to the Czar. It was decided that this war material should not fall into the hands of the revolutionaries. So the North Russia Expeditionary Force was formed. The US Army sent a contingent, the 339th Infantry. At that time, the US Army units of draftees would be formed of men from an area and trained in the region before being shipped out. So, different regiments had very distinct regional identities. This regiment was referred to as “Detroit’s Own” and its personnel came from the Midwest, which proved to be fortuitous given the harsh climate where they ended up being sent.
The ammunition issued to the troops in the North Russia campaign would’ve looked similar to this. It was loaded onto 5 round stripper clips, 3 clips to a box.
Because of a large amount of 7.62x54r ammunition already at the locations they were to be sent, the Americans traded their rifles in for Model 1891s. This was done to ease the logistics of deploying troops to such a far-flung location as Archangel. M91s were not exactly popular with American soldiers. They didn’t care for the bayonet, and the sights were considered crude in comparison to the 1903s. Also, in a lot of cases, soldiers found that the rifles were not properly zeroed. At that time marksmanship was highly stressed in training, and the normal US weapons were made with accuracy in mind in contrast to most of the other combatant nations involved in the war. But the M91s seem to have performed acceptably in combat anyway.
11:00 am on the 11th of November 1918, which marked the end of the fighting on the western front, came and went with no change for the soldiers fighting in what was essentially Siberia. The fought on until well into 1919 before being finally withdrawn and shipped home. Ironically enough, in spite of the purpose of the North Russia campaign, when the Americans left, they left their rifles to the Bolsheviks rather than bring them home.
This particular rifle is quite unique. It is definitely one of those “if it could talk, the stories it would tell” firearms. It is dated 1917. But most of the original markings were defaced from it. It looks as though someone took a punch or a chisel and peened over all of the manufacturer’s marks. I suspect that the fledgling Red Army was in dire need of weapons since the Russian Army was in pretty rough shape from its part on the Eastern Front. While this was the case, it wouldn’t do much for the propaganda of the new worker’s state, if the Red Army was using weapons made by nations that it was just fighting. The markings between different makers of Model 1891s were fairly distinctive. The peen marks on my rifle match up with where the letters would have been on a Remington made rifle, and no others interestingly enough.
Since not very many of these rifles were actually issued, it is likely that it was captured at some point in time either during the fighting or after the withdraw of Allied troops from North Russia. Then sometime after 1986(since it has import marks, which weren’t put on surplus firearms until then) it was imported back to the US. I found it in a rural North Carolina gun shop, for a very reasonable price. At the time I bought this rifle, the 91/30s were cheap and readily available, and I almost didn’t give it a second look. Sometimes you can find a surprise hiding in plain sight, so keep an eye out.
While I was not exactly expecting 1 MOA out of a 100-year-old rifle, with ball ammunition, I figured I should shoot it anyway. For this, I used Tula 7.62x54r 148gr FMJ, since it’s fairly close to the same load as what this rifle was intended for. I would be amiss if I didn’t throw this safety statement in here: If you have an old rifle such as this, be sure to have it inspected to ensure that it is safe to fire before you attempt to do so. These rifles are 100 years old, so be careful with them.
I fired the rifle at 50 yards off of an improvised rest (prone supported, for all of you other military folks). I fired the first 5 round group to get an idea as to how well it would shoot, as well as the exact point of impact for this rifle. I had fired this rifle before, so I had a pretty good idea of where that would be. But I hadn’t ever tried to group in on paper. Given that the lowest sight setting is 400 arshins or about 311 yards, I expected the impact to be a few inches high, given the distance that I was shooting at. This is very common for bolt action military rifles. In the days before assault rifles and intermediate cartridges, it was thought that combat would likely be either at distances of several hundred yards or in bayonet range. As such the sights on rifles of this era generally start at 3-400. So if you decide you want to “paper” your old surplus rifle, make sure you have a big enough target to account for this.
My first 5 rounds settled in at about 3 ¾”. The point of impact was roughly about 2” high and right. I decided I would speed up my rate of fire a little bit and do a little “combat shooting” since this is a military rifle after all. I used a 6 o’ clock hold, to account for the sights. I kept all 5 rounds in the “head” portion of the target without a whole lot of effort. Not terrible for a 100-year-old rifle, with a so-so barrel.
After the war, the M91s still in the service of the US government were sold as surplus (along with a whole lot of other items no longer needed) to the American people. These appear to have been the first surplus Nagants for sale in the US. Now it’s beginning to look as though we’re seeing the last of them in any quantity. The Mosin-Nagant rifles have been like the $25 Lugers or $15 1903 Springfields for those of us who were born too late to see those gems. But occasionally you can find something extraordinary, even when you are looking a whole rifle rack worth of history.

Someday!










This is the Infantry Model as opposed to the Cavalry model. Which was shorter. This model was the last one to have two different sizes for different branches of the Green Machine. (US Army slang for the civilians out there)











If you’ve ever been at an event with a high-level person like a politician, celebrity, or business executive, you’ve likely noticed the guys wearing sunglasses and sporting an earpiece, trying to look as unassuming as possible while vigilantly keeping an eye out for their client, or “principal.”
These guys are part of a personal security detail (PSD), and their job is to protect VIPs from embarrassment, harassment, and harm.
While you probably don’t work as a personal security agent as your day job, if you’re a man with a family, you’ve still got some VIPs that you’re responsible for keeping safe: your wife and your kiddos.
The world is an unpredictable place. While you and your family are unlikely to find yourselves in the middle of a dangerous emergency, crimes and accidents happen, and random, civilian-targeted terrorist attacks are statistically on the rise.
A man’s most ancient role is to act as protector for those he loves. The skillset needed to fulfill this calling has changed from time period to time period, but the charge has remained consistent. It’s a job that need not involve paranoia, becoming overly cautious, or loading up on tons of “tactical gear.” Rather, it involves adopting a calm, but vigilant mindset — a state of relaxed alert — and carrying a few tools that are better to have on hand and not need, than need and not have.
To help us learn how to treat our families like VIPs, I talked to the owner of Greyfox Industries here in Tulsa, OK. He runs personal security details for high-level business and NGO executives when they travel internationally. Below you’ll find insights and tactics that the everyday family man can use to provide personal security protection for the VIPs in his life — his principle loved ones.
Note: Due to the nature of his work, the owner of Greyfox asked that we didn’t use his name in this article. So throughout the post, I’ll simply be referring to him as “Greyfox.”
PSD spend most of their time planning and preparing to protect their client. While you likely don’t have the time or resources to do the same sort of preparation as a professional PSD, you can apply the same ethos when taking care of your family.
Do Your Research
Before a PSD team goes somewhere with their principal, they’ve done reconnaissance on the place to ensure there aren’t any security threats, and if there are, they do what they can to eliminate or mitigate them. You can do something similar with your family. Before you visit a location you’ve never been, read up on it. If you find out people have died jumping off a certain cliff at a watering hole, avoid that cliff. If the forecast calls for rain, tell the kids to pack ponchos. If the destination is in an entirely unsafe part of town, well, don’t go there.
Be Thoughtful About Your EDC

Besides reconnaissance, PSD teams carry the gear they need to protect their clients. Greyfox recommends always having a first aid kit in your car to take care of minor injuries that may occur when out and about. (While you’re at it, consider adding a few other things too.) He also suggests keeping tourniquets stocked in the first aid kit to stop massive bleeding in the event of an active shooting or similar attack.
On your person, you’ll want to keep at a minimum your cell phone (to call emergency crews when needed) and a tactical flashlight. The tactical flashlight is one of the most underrated personal defense tools. A bright flashlight can help you identify threats in dark environments and can be used to momentarily disorient attackers. In a pinch, it could also double as an improvised weapon. Greyfox recommends tactical flashlights from Klarus because of their ease of use and compactness.
Consider Carrying a Weapon
Most professional PSD teams are armed. Whether you carry weapons to defend your familial VIPs from a life-threatening attack is a decision only you can make. If you do decide to carry a firearm, make sure you understand the laws governing its use in self-defense situations and that you regularly train with it. Simply carrying a gun around without knowing how to use it, and regularly practicing your marksmanship, does not constitute adequate personal defense.
As Greyfox puts it, “I want to be at the highest level I can possibly be because my family deserves it, just like my client does.” To keep himself accountable, Greyfox asks himself whether he’d want someone with his own firearms background and training to protect his family:
“If I was hiring someone to protect my family, would my skills be enough? Would I look at my own resume and say, ‘Yeah, this guy is good. This guy is worth putting in’? That’s the way I like to look at it. If I ask them, ‘Well, when was the last time you were at the range, what did you do at the range? Are you actually training or are you just shooting? What are you actually doing on a day-to-day basis?’ Would I hire this individual to protect my family? That’s how I judge myself.”
If carrying a firearm isn’t something you want to do, or you’re in a location (bars, schools, government buildings) or a country that doesn’t allow it, you can carry a knife (though some countries and even states forbid this as well). Greyfox recommended the Ka-Bar TDI knife. Again, if you’re going to carry a weapon for self-defense, make sure you understand the laws governing its use in self-defense situations and train on how to use it.
And if carrying a weapon isn’t something you want to do, at least consider carrying a tactical pen — a pen that can improvise as a weapon if needed. You can carry them anywhere discreetly and legally. For a pen that packs more punch, but looks more obviously “tactical,” check out the Hoffman Richter Stinger pen. For a pen that appears more innocuous (and is cheaper), pick up a Zebra F-701.
Most ruffians are ruffians of opportunity. They’ll only attack or bother a VIP if they think they’ll have a chance of succeeding without suffering harm. If they see a team of strong, fit, and stern-looking men near a potential target, they’re not likely to bother him. The mere presence of these bodyguards is a threat deterrent.
As the PSD for your family, make sure you have a presence that will deter would-be troublemakers. First, get strong and look fit. Like other animals, humans key in on certain physical characteristics to determine whether another person would be dominant or submissive in a fight. Wide shoulders with a tapered torso in men indicate strength and physical fitness, and thus physical dominance. Would-be attackers will likely think twice before attacking a man who looks fit and strong because there’s a good chance they’ll suffer some damage in the attempt. So if you’re not as in shape as you’d like to be, get going on it; being able to protect your family is some of the best motivation for getting and staying strong.
Besides being fit, just carry yourself in a confident manner. This doesn’t require that you look like a scowling Secret Service agent or stick out your chest like an Affiliction-tee-wearing dude-bro. Stand up straight, look people in the eyes, and speak low, slow, and with confidence. The goal is to project to others that if there’s a problem, you’re going to do something about it and not be a passive victim.
A full PSD team has several agents who have different jobs. For example, there’s an advance team that’s on location before the VIP arrives to assess the situation and head-off any potential threats. And pre-posted agents assume positions throughout an area to monitor risks.
As the PSD for your family, you don’t have the luxury of having a full team of agents dedicated to protecting your family. So think of your role as that of the “Agent In Charge” or AIC. In the world of PSD, the AIC stays one step to the rear and one step to the right of the VIP at all times. This position allows him to constantly keep the principal in sight, and to direct them to where they need to go should a threat arise.
As the AIC of your family, you’ll want to assume a physical position similar to that of a professional AIC. Stay near your wife and kids. If a threat arises, you’ll be able to direct them to safety. When entering a building, open the door for your family and let them go in first. It’s good manners, but it also naturally and discreetly puts you in the ideal AIC tactical position, as it allows you to keep your family in sight as they go inside.
When you’re out walking on sidewalks, stand between the street and your family. “Not only is it the gentlemanly thing to do, but in the world of security, that’s what you should be doing,” said Greyfox. “It adds a layer of protection to your family. If some car starts swerving towards you, you can move them out of the way. This is especially important nowadays with people texting and driving.”
As the AIC, work with your wife to have a plan in place on what you two would do if trouble arises. Again, you don’t have to be super intense with this. Just make sure you’re both on the same page. Decide which parent would be in charge of/responsible for which kid(s) if you had to escape from an active shooter or other threat. For example, Kate and I know that if something bad were to happen, she’s to grab our daughter, and I’m to grab our son when we hightail it out of there. Also decide that if you guys get separated during the situation, you’ll meet each other at the car.

In the professional PSD world, the AIC is the man who decides if the principal needs to be directed out of a potentially dangerous environment. The best outcome for a PSD is if the principal never has to encounter the potential for harm, harassment, or embarrassment. As the AIC of your family, your job is to do likewise.
When you’re out with your family, survey the place you’re in. Be prepared to leave if you don’t feel like it’s safe for your family. This will rarely happen, but it should be an option. Don’t be paranoid, but don’t let the inconvenience of having to go to another restaurant or skip out on a baseball game early deter you from keeping your family safe, either. A PSD does his job well if he can completely avoid a situation that may potentially escalate.
As you’re out and about with your family, practice good situational awareness. We’ve written about how to do that in detail here, but here are the basics:

Put yourself in a position of optimal observance. Typically this means being in a place where you can see all entrances and exits. At a restaurant, ask to be seated at a table with the best vantage point. If that’s not possible, at least sit at the table with your family so you can see the most exits and entrances.
Establish baselines. When you’re in a place, figure out what’s “normal” for that situation. That’s going to change from situation to situation, but you should be able to establish baselines relatively quickly.
Look for anomalies. Once you establish a baseline, start looking for anomalies. What sort of behavior would cause a person to stick out in that particular situation? Greyfox recommends checking faces and hands to look for anomalies, as these parts of the body reveal threats the best. Hands hold what can kill you; faces (particularly eyes), show intent. You don’t have to be nutty about this. Don’t stare people down one-by-one. Just play it cool, glance at hands and faces, and actually notice what you see.
If you observe an anomaly, it doesn’t necessarily mean the person is a threat, so there’s no need to get all amped up. Just notice it and keep it front of mind.
Have a plan. In every place you go, have a plan of what you’re going to do if you notice an anomaly. Let’s say you’re in a movie theater with your family. One baseline would be that people would enter the theatre through the normal entrances and exits, not the emergency exits near the screen. What would you do if someone entered the theater through one of those exits? It could just be a kid trying to sneak in for a free movie, or it could be an active shooter. Increase your level of alertness and decide what you’ll do should the interloper turn violent.
Again, anomalies are rarely going to happen, but you’ve got to have a plan for what you’re going to do should they occur.
Complete these games/exercises to further increase your situational awareness.

If your family is facing an imminent, life-threatening attack, your priority is to keep them safe. And that usually means getting them out of there as fast as possible. As we discussed in our article about what to do in an active shooter situation, running is your first line of defense. Fighting back should always be on the table, but typically as a last resort. When you’re with your family, the priority should always be to get them as far away from the threat as quickly as possible. If running isn’t an option, then you do what you have to do to protect your family.
Where things get murky is what to do if someone is just verbally harassing your family. Most men would want to defend their loved one’s honor by immediately telling the harasser to shut the hell up. In the world of PSD, they handle those types of situations much more discreetly. Depending on the situation, a team of agents will escort the harasser out of the area. As the AIC of your family, you likely won’t have that option. So you do what professional PSDs would do if they can’t move a harasser: move the principal, i.e., your family.
“You’ve got to check your pride before putting your family at risk,” says Greyfox. “Yeah, you could get aggressive and have a yelling contest with an asshole, but is that going to be best for your family? Probably not. It will freak your kids out and could needlessly escalate the situation.”
So instead of escalating things, calmly and confidently remove your family from a situation in which they’re being harassed. If the harasser pursues you and gets physical, then you’re within your right to use a similar amount of physical violence to end the threat. So if he’s shoving your wife, you can punch the guy, but not shank him with your knife or shoot him with your gun.
But again, your job as AIC for your family is to make sure that things never get that far. Just get them out of there.

Would-be attackers like to use the cover of darkness to surprise their victims. So when you’re out with your family at night, keep your tactical flashlight at the ready. “You don’t need to take your flashlight out and shine it around like an idiot while you’re walking in a dark parking lot,” Greyfox says. Again, discretion is key. Just keep your hand in your pocket and around your flashlight so you can deploy it quickly should you notice a potential threat.
When you’re getting into a vehicle, you’re pretty open to attack because you’re so focused on getting children or stuff loaded into the car. When you’re out with your family and they’re getting into the car, remember to assume the position of AIC — stay behind your principal. “Stand at the back of the car while your family gets in. You don’t need to act like you’re posted up protecting your family from would-be assassins, but keep an eye on your family and glance around for possible threats,” Greyfox suggests. If you’re in the car before your family gets in and an attack does happen, you’re at a tactical disadvantage. Threats don’t even have to be attackers. It could be little old ladies who are backing up their boat of a Cadillac and can’t see that they’re about to hit your kid.

The driver is an important part of the PSD team. These guys are trained in tactical driving and know how to get the principal to safety as quickly as possible. While you’ll likely never have to utilize a Rockford J-Turn to escape from bad guys, one simple tip you can take from PSD drivers is to make sure you can see the tires of the cars in front of you whenever you’re stopped at an intersection. “This allows you enough room to steer and drive away if you need to,” Greyfox explains. Beyond threats, it allows ease of movement if an emergency vehicle needs to get its way through traffic; if everyone is bumper to bumper, nobody can move to the side.
The members of your family are your VIPs in life. Give them the same protection that corporate or political VIPs get when you’re out and about together. You don’t have to go full-on, tacti-cool bonkers with it. Like real-world PSD, be discreet. Use common sense, maintain situational awareness, and have a plan for what you’ll do to protect your family from harm.