Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

BATFE Taking Comments on "Sporting Purposes" Exemption to "Armor Piercing Ammunition" Law Until
nraila.org ^ | 6 December, 2012 | NRA-ILA6

Posted on 12/08/2012 7:23:14 AM PST by marktwain

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is taking public comments on its website until December 31, with regard to how it should determine what types of projectiles meet the "sporting purposes" exception to the federal "armor piercing ammunition" law. At this time, the question centers primarily around rifle-caliber projectiles made of metals harder than lead, such as the Barnes Bullets solid brass hunting bullets.

Under the law, adopted in 1986, "armor piercing ammunition" is defined as "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." A second definition, added in the 1990s, includes "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."

Because handguns have been made in certain rifle calibers, many bullets that were designed originally for rifles also "may be used in a handgun." If such projectiles are made of the metals listed in the law, they are restricted as "armor piercing ammunition" unless they meet one of the law's exemptions. Being considered at this time is the exemption for "a projectile which the Attorney General finds is primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes."

Last week, BATFE met separately with gun control activist groups, firearm industry groups, and groups representing hunters and other gun owners. The latter meeting included the NRA; Safari Club International; representatives of state wildlife agencies; and firearm and ammunition importers.

BATFE has expressed two opinions about the law and exemption that warrant particular scrutiny.

First, BATFE suggested that it believes that the "armor piercing ammunition" law was intended to affect all ammunition capable of penetrating soft body armor worn by law enforcement officers. NRA reminded BATFE that the law was intended to protect law enforcement officers against the potential threat posed a very narrowly-defined category of projectiles: those, such as KTW and Arcane, which by virtue of their hard metal construction were designed and intended to be used by law enforcement officers to shoot through hard objects, such as automobile glass and doors, when fired at the velocities typical of handgun-caliber ammunition fired from handguns. Neither before nor since the law's enactment, has an officer been killed due to such a bullet penetrating soft body armor.

NRA further pointed out that the legislative history of the law clearly shows that members of Congress, including the sponsor of the law in the House, Rep. Mario Biaggi (D-N.Y.), a decorated former NYPD police officer, expressly did not want the law to restrict rifle-caliber bullets that happen to also be useable in handguns chambered to use rifle cartridges.

Second, BATFE says it considers projectiles to not be exempt under the "sporting purposes" test if they "pose a threat to public safety and law enforcement." BATFE also expressed concern that since the law was adopted, various new rifle-caliber handguns have been invented. On that point, NRA made clear that the sporting purposes exemption is straightforward: it applies to all projectiles that are "primarily intended for sporting purposes"--nothing more, and nothing less. Under the law, a projectile would be exempt if it is primarily intended for sporting purposes, even if it is secondarily intended for self-defense or some other legitimate purpose. Furthermore, the law does not condition its restrictive language or its "sporting purposes" exemption on the design of a particular handgun; the law is concerned only with specific projectiles that can be used in handguns. NRA cautioned the BATFE against interpreting the law in a manner more restrictive than Congress intended.

For more information on ATF's position and information on how to submit comments by the Dec. 31 deadline, go to www.atf.gov/firearms/industry/.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2012; ammo; ban; banglist; batf; guncontrol
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-66 next last
To: KoRn

As this becomes known among the folks who have or inend to have guns imagine the salse of ammo will increase sharply. Essentially the government is going to try to get around the Court’s 2AMD rulings by banning ammo.


21 posted on 12/08/2012 8:28:30 AM PST by arthurus (Read Hazlitt's Economics In One Lesson ONLINE www.fee.org/library/books/economics-in-one-lesson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: KoRn

As this becomes known among the folks who have or intend to have guns imagine the salse of ammo will increase sharply. Essentially the government is going to try to get around the Court’s 2AMD rulings by banning ammo.


22 posted on 12/08/2012 8:28:52 AM PST by arthurus (Read Hazlitt's Economics In One Lesson ONLINE www.fee.org/library/books/economics-in-one-lesson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: SWAMPSNIPER

You’re talking about “soft armor” of course.....I’m talking about those bucks that are lugging around those carriers with hard plates in them!.....haha


23 posted on 12/08/2012 8:31:02 AM PST by Gaffer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Flintlock

Eventually, it will affect availability I guess. Remington already makes is brass plated Green Friendly ammo (Golden?)which works pretty BTW....

I took a shot through 2 inches of pine board and lodged one of them 1/2” deep into a freshly green treaded 2X4...it surprised me how far it penetrated.


24 posted on 12/08/2012 8:34:28 AM PST by Gaffer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: The Working Man

I suspect we are working up to a gun grab and the feds are not sure whether the population will passively give up their weaponry to the government or whether some of them will fight. They are trying to skew the odds against those who would fight.


25 posted on 12/08/2012 8:36:52 AM PST by arthurus (Read Hazlitt's Economics In One Lesson ONLINE www.fee.org/library/books/economics-in-one-lesson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: SWAMPSNIPER

***An arrow from a hunting bow or crossbow will slice through both sides of a Kevlar vest with ease, BTW. ****

Years ago, a policeman or salesman demonstrating armor was killed while wearing a bulletproof vest. He had someone in his audience attack him with a knife. It went through the bullet proof armor with no problem.

I believe that happened in Oklahoma City.


26 posted on 12/08/2012 8:49:55 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar (The parasites now outnumber the producers.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Dead Corpse

thanks for info


27 posted on 12/08/2012 8:50:28 AM PST by mouser (Run the rats out its the only chance we have)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Gaffer

“Eventually, it will affect availability I guess. Remington already makes is brass plated Green Friendly ammo (Golden?)which works pretty BTW....

I took a shot through 2 inches of pine board and lodged one of them 1/2” deep into a freshly green treaded 2X4...it surprised me how far it penetrated.”

A hard cast, heat-treated lead bullet will amaze you as far as penetration.


28 posted on 12/08/2012 8:54:32 AM PST by headstamp 2 (What would Scooby do?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: KeyLargo; All

WSJ: The Fallicy of “Low” or “Declining” Homicide Numbers

“No studies have quantified the relationship between emergency medicine and the recent decline in homicides. But many on the front lines of crime fighting believe they are linked.”

Sounds like more anti-gun propaganda to me. No real numbers, just speculation that there is a lot of “gun violence” in spite of the falling homicide numbers. I do not know why I should believe doctors from big cities on this issue when those who are the self proclaimed voice of the medical profession have lied to advance “gun control” so much in the past.


29 posted on 12/08/2012 8:57:43 AM PST by marktwain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Gaffer; All

They already banned 7.62 X 39 steel core ammo because someone made a legal pistol for sale in AK type configuration. That happened during the Clinton regime.

Nearly all rifle calibers have had pistols made that chamber them. Check out the Contender series for example.

These people are going after what they can grab, IMHO. Logic and reason have nothing to do with it.


30 posted on 12/08/2012 9:04:55 AM PST by marktwain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

These are mostly stockless, short barreled, pistol gripped versions of the rifles. Not something I’d call a real ‘pistol’. Try shooting a 45LC Ranch Hand actually using the sights..... I’m talking about real rifles and pistols using the same ammunition.


31 posted on 12/08/2012 9:15:50 AM PST by Gaffer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

BTW, I’m still waiting for the weirdo who’s gonna come up the the Garand Pistol...short barrel, cut-off stock and pistol grip added, short op-rod, retimed gas cylinder and action.....[actually, I’d really like to have one of them to go with the other real 4 that I’ve built up]


32 posted on 12/08/2012 9:21:02 AM PST by Gaffer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

This would be our Dear Leader “working under the radar”.


33 posted on 12/08/2012 9:25:13 AM PST by SIDENET ("If that's your best, your best won't do." -Dee Snider)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gaffer

Incorrect. The ammo used by the ft hood shooter was standard ammo and in no way armor piercing. A common misconception about the 5.7 is that all ammo it shoots is armor piercing. In reality, there is one round that is actually capable of penetrating armor and it is and always has been restricted from civilian purchase.

It is possible to buy commercial rounds that are lead free but they are not capable of penetrating armor UNLESS you pull the bullets and reload them much hotter than factory.


34 posted on 12/08/2012 9:36:34 AM PST by 1malumprohibitum
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Gaffer

Judging from your comments you are confused.

Its not about a specific gun or type of ammo and it has nothing to do with Ft Hood.

Its part of an agenda to ban firearms and ammunition. They can’t gain ground with an outright ban so they seek to do it one piece at a time.

By agreeing and ‘compromising’ with them you help them in their efforts to eliminate private ownership of firearms.


35 posted on 12/08/2012 9:49:09 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Gaffer
You may not realize that what you see as humor is exactly the same as the crappy comments the anti 2nd amendment crowd likes to throw around.

I don't believe you will find many Freepers who think of RKBA as a joking matter.

36 posted on 12/08/2012 9:59:14 AM PST by SWAMPSNIPER (The Second Amendment,a Matter of Fact,Not a Matter of Opinion)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Gaffer; All
These are mostly stockless, short barreled, pistol gripped versions of the rifles. Not something I’d call a real ‘pistol’.

You should be making policy at the BATFE! Then we could reimport some of that cheap (but excellent) Chinese ammo!/S

37 posted on 12/08/2012 10:08:41 AM PST by marktwain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: Dead Corpse

I see Barnes Bullets’s decision of withdrawing the Banded Solids ammo from the market was a defensive move while letting BATF to comply with pending “exemption request.”

I wonder if Barnes has the gumption to sue the government for arbitrary judgment or for over stepping their regulatory bounds if they refuse “to grant” the exemption?


38 posted on 12/08/2012 10:22:26 AM PST by Red Steel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: SWAMPSNIPER

You need to lighten up


39 posted on 12/08/2012 10:25:33 AM PST by Gaffer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: Georgia Girl 2
More unsettling is that they are looking for an excuse to classify AR’s and AK’s as Class three’s so you have to pay the extra $200 and register the weapon.

Their Fast & Furious scandal puts a big damper on their plans here.

40 posted on 12/08/2012 10:25:49 AM PST by Red Steel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-66 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson