GUNS DON'T KILL PEOPLE, OR DO THEY?

[F.U.]

the Boston Globe just said that the ban on these weapons expired in 2004 and Congress had done nothing to reactivate this law...did I misunderstand this?

This is correct bbh. The Clinton ban expired and was not renewed because it did nothing to help the issue.
Cosmetics such as folding stocks, pistol grips, bayonet mounts, attachable grenade launchers, flash suppressors, threaded barrels designed to accommodate a flash suppressor, silencer & barrel shrouds, were all part of the ban and did not make the firearm any more or less deadly. They just looked scary was all.
They also banned magazines that held over 10 rounds of ammo and while that sounds like a good idea it made no difference. because a magazine can be changed in under 1 second, so 3 10 round or 1 30 round really effected little.
I remember the ban well and the biggest effect it had on firearms, from my recollection, was it pushed a lot of aftermarket add ons and hi cap mags, underground and people were making a killing off selling them. A 30 round magazine for a ar-15 that once cost $7 cost us $50 during the ban.