The Opening Round • 21 accomplished craftsman, th weapon Is nonetheless very illegal. The stock and barrel have been altered, producing a very fancy pistol from what was originally a fine rifle. (Courtesy of BATE) 1990. Each was owned by a street-gang punk. Neither weapon would operate reliably. As in Japan and the United States, in many firearmsunfriendly countries, citizens are turning to their own ingenuity when restriction requires it. Does this truth then raise the Second Amendment factor in the United States, at least as this book is written? In a constitutional sense, is it legal for you to make a new firearm or to modify an existing one to a new mode of operation or appearance in the United States? The answer depends upon which lawyer you talk to and/or which legal journal you study. The lack of clear