Colt LEO stamp

[68capturedAK47]

why did the LEO stamp come about? Why not just sell Law and Spec Ops a regular AR15 carbine? I was just wondering why the LEO was started?

By the way... I do have an unfired Colt LEO A2 Gov. carbine.

[jpglee1]

Might have to do with the 89/94 assault weapons bans?

J

[uzimon]

yea those guns were made during the ban, colt sold to dealers that promised to only sell to leos and govt. fortunately some didnt keep the promise. after the ban the guns that didnt sell could be sold to anybody.
i got mine!

[Flinter]

Those weapons were made during the ban and had to be marked to prevent them from being sold civilians. After the ban they were distributed to the various wholesalers and sold.

[uzimon]

didnt prevent them from being sold here DURING THE BAN

[Flinter]

didnt prevent them from being sold here DURING THE BAN
If that's the case, then your FFL broke Federal law.

[shamayim]

If that's the case, then your FFL broke Federal law.

Actually, no. The LEO bushwa was Colt's idea. Note that the marking was LEO, Law enforcement OFFICER. Not Law Enforcement AGENCY.

Hot flash. Law Enforcement OFFICERS are subject to the same firearms laws as the rest of us. When they are on duty, and using an agency weapon that would fall under federal law, lika a select fire piece; it's not their personal weapon. It's the agency's piece.

This was a purely Colt idea, and didn't have a damn thing to do with Federal law. Some of the other mfrs had the same idea, Bushmaster for one, and they too were equally full of (whatever).

[Flinter]

Actually, no. The LEO bushwa was Colt's idea. Note that the marking was LEO, Law enforcement OFFICER. Not Law Enforcement AGENCY.

Hot flash. Law Enforcement OFFICERS are subject to the same firearms laws as the rest of us. When they are on duty, and using an agency weapon that would fall under federal law, lika a select fire piece; it's not their personal weapon. It's the agency's piece.

This was a purely Colt idea, and didn't have a damn thing to do with Federal law. Some of the other mfrs had the same idea, Bushmaster for one, and they too were equally full of (whatever).
I never saw an AR without the flashider/bayo lug marked "LEO". I also never saw one marked that way before 1994......and they were demanding a premium for them after the ban expired. Now, between '94 and 04 it was illegal for manufacturers to make new AR's with these features and sell them to the public. They could still be sold to law enforcement agencies.

Given the above, your post just doesn't ring true.

Whether it was Colt's idea or not, the stamp was there because it was illegal for an FFL to sell a private citizen that weapon during the 10 years of the assault weapon ban because it was manufactured DURING that time and had the "evil" features. Once the ban expired they could sell them to anyone they wanted to.

[MakWay4TheAK]

Actually Shamayim you are incorrect. The LEO markings on AR15 produced by Colt and others came about as a result of the Brady bill gun ban. During those years law enforcement officers were still able to purchase AR15 rifles in a "preban" configuration. To do so they had to provide their FFL dealer with a request written on departmental letterhead stating that the rifle to be purchased was for official use only in the law enforcement officer's duties and not for resale or personal use. This letterhead had to be signed by the LEO's supervisor acknowledging that the firearm to be purchased was suitable for and intended to be used in the LEO official capacity. During those dark years of the Clinton gun ban LEO's could also obtain high cap magazines for pistols or rifles using this same letterhead so long as these mags being obtained were to be used in the LEO's official capacity and not to be resold. Because of this firearm and magazine manufacturers marked their mags and guns produced for sale to LEOs and their agencies as "For use LEO law enforcement / Government Use Only". This was to distinguish these from other rifles and high cap mags which had been produced prior to the gun ban. Once the Clinton gun ban was allowed to sunset by Congress, it was deemed by ATF / Justice that those (semi-auto) firearms and high cap magazines marked "LEO / Government use only" would be legal for civilians to own as well.

Also once the ban expired some manufacturers such as Colt decided to leave the stamp on some of their current line of long guns being manufactured as they thought it would drive up sales.