President Barack Obama announced an executive order today, that was specifically targeted to undermine the Collectible Firearms Protection Act proposed by Representative Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming).

Lummis’ bill, HR 2247, was proposed in June to override a State Department decision to block the re-importation of collectible M1 Garands and M1 carbines:

The bill reverses a State Department decision to block the importation of historic M1 Garand rifles and M1 carbines from South Korea.  Originally furnished by the United States to South Korea for military purposes over 50 years ago, the rifles are widely sought collectors’ items and among the most popular rifles in marksmanship competitions.  The rifles are perfectly legal to manufacture and sell in the United States and like all firearm imports would be subject to the federal rules and regulations governing retail firearm sales.  A similar sale from South Korea was approved during the Reagan Administration.  The current State Department’s interference with the sale runs counter to the intent of Congress, which on two prior occasions amended the law to allow for this kind of transaction.

Once re-imported, these rifles would have entered the Civilian Marksmanship Program, where they would be inspected, graded, and sold to marksmen and collectors involved in CMP-affiliated clubs.

Obama’s executive order dismisses the historical importance of the M1 Carbine and M1 Garand with what can only be regarded as spite:

Keeping Surplus Military Weapons Off Our Streets

When the United States provides military firearms to its allies, either as direct commercial sales or through the foreign military sales or military assistance programs, those firearms may not be imported back into the United States without U.S. government approval.  Since 2005, the U.S. Government has authorized requests to reimport more than 250,000 of these firearms.

Today, the Administration is announcing a new policy of denying requests to bring military-grade firearms back into the United States to private entities, with only a few exceptions such as for museums.  This new policy will help keep military-grade firearms off our streets.

To the best Bearing Arms can determine, violent crimes committed with M1 Garands are nonexistent. The 10-pound, 43.6″ long M1 Garand features a fixed magazine, charged from an 8-round en-bloc clip… hardly the sort of lightweight and concealable firearm preferred by criminals.

Likewise, the M1 carbine, the 5.2-pound, 35.6″ long carbine shown above, is of little interest to criminals.  It is highly sought after by collectors for it’s historical importance, but is very rarely, if ever, used in crime.