Posted on 02/14/2015 9:38:50 AM PST by Reverend Saltine
In a move clearly intended by the Obama Administration to suppress the acquisition, ownership and use of AR-15s and other .223 caliber general purpose rifles, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives unexpectedly announced today that it intends to ban commonplace M855 ball ammunition as armor piercing ammunition. The decision continues Obamas use of his executive authority to impose gun control restrictions and bypass Congress.
It isnt even the third week of February, and the BATFE has already taken three major executive actions on gun control. First, it was a major change to what activities constitute regulated manufacturing of firearms. Next, BATFE reversed a less than year old position on firing a shouldered pistol. Now, BATFE has released a Framework for Determining Whether Certain Projectiles are Primarily Intended for Sporting Purposes Within the Meaning of 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(17)(c), which would eliminate M855s exemption to the armor piercing ammunition prohibition and make future exemptions nearly impossible.
By way of background, federal law imposed in 1986 prohibits the manufacture, importation, and sale by licensed manufacturers or importers, but not possession, of a projectile or projectile core which may be used in a handgun and which is constructed entirely . . . from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium. Because there are handguns capable of firing M855, it may be used in a handgun. It does not, however, have a core made of the metals listed in the law; rather, it has a traditional lead core with a steel tip, and therefore should never have been considered armor piercing. Nonetheless, BATFE previously declared M855 to be armor piercing ammunition, but granted it an exemption as a projectile primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes.
Now, however, BATFE says that it will henceforth grant the sporting purposes exception to only two categories of projectiles:
Category I: .22 Caliber Projectiles
A .22 caliber projectile that otherwise would be classified as armor piercing ammunition under 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(17)(B) will be considered to be primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes under section 921(a)(17)(C) if the projectile weighs 40 grains or less AND is loaded into a rimfire cartridge.
Category II: All Other Caliber Projectiles
Except as provided in Category I (.22 caliber rimfire), projectiles that otherwise would be classified as armor piercing ammunition will be presumed to be primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes under section 921(a)(17)(C) if the projectile is loaded into a cartridge for which the only handgun that is readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade is a single shot handgun. ATF nevertheless retains the discretion to deny any application for a sporting purposes exemption if substantial evidence exists that the ammunition is not primarily intended for such purposes.
BATFE is accepting comments until March 16, 2015 on this indefensible attempt to disrupt ammunition for the most popular rifle in America. Check back early next week for a more in-depth analysis of this framework and details on how you can submit comments.
How to comment from the BATFE
ATF will carefully consider all comments, as appropriate, received on or before March 16, 2015, and will give comments received after that date the same consideration if it is practical to do so, but assurance of consideration cannot be given except as to comments received on or before March 16, 2015. ATF will not acknowledge receipt of comments. Submit comments in any of three ways (but do not submit the same comments multiple times or by more than one method):
ATF email: APAComments@atf.gov
Fax: (202) 648-9741.
Mail: Denise Brown, Mailstop 6N-602, Office of Regulatory Affairs, Enforcement Programs and Services, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, 99 New York Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20226: ATTN: AP Ammo Comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Denise Brown, Enforcement Programs and Services, Office of Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, U.S. Department of Justice, 99 New York Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20226; telephone: (202) 648-7070.
I notice all M855 is sold out on gunbot.
IMHO, Dear Leader doesn’t know his gluteous maximus from a cork pistol. He wouldn’t know .223 ammo from a nerf ball. These 2A curtailments are being fed to him by 2A haters around him, and he’s only too happy to rubber stamp them. In any event, the destruction of our Nation continues apace.
Certain types of ammo will soon be traded like money.
He’s got 23 months left. My God.....
WE have all the guns. The jack boots can go pound sand : )
I love it! I can't believe I didn't make it up... but at least I can tell everyone that I did. LOL
Great line!
...”the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed...” Note that every dictator or dictator-wanna-be tries to disarm the Sheeple. Get ready...
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson
“By way of background, federal law imposed in 1986 prohibits the manufacture, importation, and sale by licensed manufacturers or importers, but not possession, of a projectile or projectile core which may be used in a handgun and which is constructed entirely . . . from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium. “
IOW restrictions enacted/imposed during the Reagan administration.
(17)
(A) The term ammunition means ammunition or cartridge cases, primers, bullets, or propellent powder designed for use in any firearm.
(B) The term armor piercing ammunition means
(i) a projectile or projectile core which may be used in a handgun and which is constructed entirely (excluding the presence of traces of other substances) from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium; or
(ii) a full jacketed projectile larger than .22 caliber designed and intended for use in a handgun and whose jacket has a weight of more than 25 percent of the total weight of the projectile.
(C) The term armor piercing ammunition does not include shotgun shot required by Federal or State environmental or game regulations for hunting purposes, a frangible projectile designed for target shooting, a projectile which the Attorney General finds is primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes, or any other projectile or projectile core which the Attorney General finds is intended to be used for industrial purposes, including a charge used in an oil and gas well perforating device.
Is someone making a handgun that uses this ammunition?
Lots of people: .223 handgun
Good point, I REALLY want to dismantle “Obama’s America”, can we leave this horrid chapter behind with an actual Pro-Constitution, Pro-American President?
It would be interesting to know how many ATF agents have FFL’s. I’m guessing more than a few.
If Congress funds an agency that is allowed to trample
Constitutionally protected rights, they are an accessory
and the regulations issued emanate from Congress via that
financial support. Defund the agency.
If the BATF angers enough people, they may get a real slap-down. A lot of conservative congressmen and senators are already not happy with Fast and Furious.
It may have to wait for the next president, but it could still happen.
There are AR-15/AK-47 type handguns and single shots like the TC Contender can be chambered for almost any cartridge.
another plan by the Man
to keep the Brother down
And all the M855 ammo stock is now sold out. Gee, that was fast.
That’s just another law which will need to be repealed on the next inauguration day.
Day 1.
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