Hacker News Reader

Comment by yellowapple | Hacker News Reader

A bummer that the Navajo Nation didn't buy 'em.

That would have been interesting for many, many reasons, the poetry of which being the least interesting. They're a sovereign nation so what happens when you manufacture guns in Indian country? How beholden are you to the BATF's regs, assuming you build with the intention of the firearm never leaving the res?

That is an interesting question... Not sure what the answer would be. But I'm pretty sure they are still under federal law, just not individual states. So probably personal manufacturing fine, for sale (even on the res) would require an FFL.

Work to get every of-age tribe member a class 2 SOT. They're their own local law enforcement. Done.

Works for me. Full-auto for the whole tribe!

Seems the BATF thinks tribes are under their thumb, but then, that’s no different than how they regard everyone. These aren’t exactly applicable but seem to demonstrate that BATF has no problem enforcing its regs and the federal laws in Indian Country.

“tribal police departments generally do not qualify for the exemption from payment of the transfer tax for NFA firearms, are not eligible to receive firearms interstate, and can not possess a ‘post-1986’ machinegun.”[0]

“federal authorities alleged Ho-Chunk Inc. and its subsidiaries had violated federal tobacco laws by shipping and selling “untaxed, unstamped cigarettes to businesses in Nebraska other states.”[1]

[0] https://www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/nfa-transfers-trib...

[1] https://www.indianz.com/News/2019/02/04/winnebago-tribe-stil...

Reply on news.ycombinator.com