A Commentary on the Common Use Doctrine, by Chip Welch

[David Albert]

Some of you may have known the late and great Phil Schreier, who was a friend of mine, and fellow member of the American Society of Arms Collectors. Several months before he passed at the end of 2025, Phil referred a young legal scholar and gun enthusiast named Chip Welch to me. Phil knew I had a lot of vintage reference material such as magazines, catalogs and old Shotgun News copies, and also a deep interest in NFA. He knew Chip was starting work on a legal paper involving the "common use" firearm standard, focusing particularly on AR-15's and high capacity magazines, and that Chip needed access to hard to find, vintage gun paper resources. So Chip and I began a conversation, and I started looking for particular things he sought for his paper. There were many. I spent quite a few hours helping him with his research, and it turned out to be a lot of fun, especially when he shared a draft of his work earlier this year, and I was amazed by what I read, and his detailed research. I also developed a new friendship out of it.

Now Chip's paper has been published by the University of Wyoming's College of Law Firearms Research Center. It is titled, "A Commentary on the Common Use Doctrine," by Charles Welch IV. I am truly awed by the result, and feel privileged to have contributed to it in a small way. This paper does so much to support the second amendment, and also explain the history of how firearm technology has affected ownership through the years. Some of the data will probably make you say "Wow!" I know everyone who reads it will learn something, and appreciate the work, and I want to share it with everyone who will take the time to read it. It takes 45 minutes to an hour to read, but is so very worth it. It has significant historical interest for M1 Carbine enthusiasts, as well as other firearm types. The number of citations in the paper are incredible. Chip did an insane amount of hard work to write this, and I know it will be referenced for many decades to come.

The paper can be accessed here:

https://firearmsresearchcenter.org/working_papers/a-commentary-on-the-common-use-doctrine/

You will need to download the pdf file from that link.

Please feel free to comment. I appreciate all who take the time to read it.

Thanks!

David Albert
dalbert@sturmgewehr.com

[Uncle Zeek]

Downloaded.  Will read over the weekend.

 

Thank you for posting this!