Gun Control Bill Would Subject Firearms to Consumer Safety Screening

I put this information together about a year ago. Maybe someone will find it useful:

FIREARM SAFETY REGULATIONS
Information on: 1. CPSC, 2. BATF, 3. SAAMI/SLARAC & 4. ANSI

1. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is an independent federal regulatory agency that was created in 1972 by Congress in the Consumer Product Safety Act. In that law, Congress directed the Commission to "protect the public against unreasonable risks of injuries and deaths associated with consumer products." They have jurisdiction over about 15,000 types of consumer products, from automatic-drip coffee makers to toys to lawn mowers.

Some types of products, however, are covered by other federal agencies. For example, cars, trucks and motorcycles are covered by the Department of Transportation; foods, drugs and cosmetics are covered by the Food and Drug Administration; and alcohol, tobacco and firearms are within the jurisdiction of the Department of the Treasury.

Source: http://www.cpsc.gov/

2. U.S. Department of the Treasury
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) - The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is a law enforcement organization within the United States Department of Treasury with unique responsibilities dedicated to reducing violent crime, collecting revenue, and protecting the public. They regulate all firearms for safety and legal compliance and enforce the federal laws and regulations relating to alcohol, tobacco, firearms, explosives and arson by working directly and in cooperation with others. In the U.S. they are assisted by SAAMI in regards to the safety of guns and ammunition.

Sources:
http://www.atf.treas.gov/about/mission.htm
http://www.atf.treas.gov/about/history.htm
Firearms Regulations:
http://www.atf.treas.gov/regulations/index.htm
http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/rules/index.htm

3. Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI & SAAMI Logistics And Regulatory Affairs Committee (SLARAC) - The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute was founded in 1926 at the request of the federal government. SAAMI has been actively involved in the publication of industry standards, coordination of technical data, and the promotion of safe and responsible firearms use. It is an association of the nation's leading manufacturers of sporting firearms, ammunition, and components. SAAMI currently publishes more than 700 standards related to firearm and ammunition quality and safety. For a listing of SAAMI members, write to: SAAMI, 11 Mile Hill Road, Newtown, CT 06470 or see their website.

SAAMI Is An Accredited Standards Developer For The American National Standards Institute (ANSI): - As an accredited standards developer, SAAMI's standards for industry test methods, definitive proof loads, and ammunition performance specifications are subject to ANSI review and various ANSI criteria. According to the American National Standards Institute:

"Approval of an American National Standard requires verification by ANSI that the requirements for due process, consensus, and other criteria for approval have been met by the standards developer. Consensus is established when, in the judgment of the ANSI Board of Standards Review, substantial agreement has been reached by directly and materially affected interests. Substantial agreement means much more than a simple majority, but not necessarily unanimity. Consensus requires that all views and objections be considered, and that a concerted effort be made toward their resolution."

Standards are developed when the governing body, SAAMI, proposes a new standard and circulates the draft to canvasses. Canvasses for each standard include government agencies (such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Customs Service), non-SAAMI member companies, and interested parties (such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology). Once the draft standard has been reviewed and returned to SAAMI with comments or corrections, the canvass group votes on whether or not to accept the standard. If there is disagreement and a canvassee opposes the standard but the standard is accepted by the other members of the canvass group, there is an ANSI appeals process that decides the matter.

It is ANSI and SAAMI policy that every five years the standards be revised or reaffirmed. Even if the standards remain the same, they must go through the approval process outlined above. Simply stated, the standards accepted by ANSI and promulgated by SAAMI are reviewed and accepted by outside experts, and every five years the validity of the standards are re-affirmed. In 1996, SAAMI was audited by ANSI and received exemplary marks for technical expertise, professionalism, and competency. The audit concluded that, "SAAMI staff is competent and knowledgeable concerning the SAAMI standards process and ANSI requirements. The standards are processed in a professional manner."

Over the years, there have been attempts to put firearms and ammunition under the Consumer Safety Protection Act. Recognizing that firearms are not traditional "consumer products", Congress exempted the firearms and ammunition industries in 1972 saying, "The Consumer Product Safety Commission shall make no ruling or order that restricts the manufacture or sale of firearms, ammunition, including black powder or gun powder, for firearms." Congress was correct because numerous anti-gun advocates have since argued that the CSPA should be allowed to regulate firearms and ammunition in the name of safety. Numerous industries in addition to firearms and ammunition were exempted from the CSPA, including automobiles, boats, and aircraft. Congress has not wavered from its initial position.

Since 1926 SAAMI has been the principle organization in the United States actively engaged in the development and promulgation of product standards for firearms and ammunition. The U.S. military, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and many other state and local agencies frequently require that their suppliers manufacture to SAAMI specifications. SAAMI is the only trade association whose member companies manufacture and set standards for high-performance law enforcement ammunition.

SAAMI Sets Product Standards for Firearms and Ammunition - The primary work of SAAMI is done by its Technical Committee in the setting of industry standards. Product standards for firearms and ammunition are developed by two Product Standards Task Forces, one for ammunition and one for firearms. Recommendations of the task forces are submitted for review by the entire Technical Committee. Other key areas of technical expertise and standardization include pressure measurement, muzzle loading, and working toward universal, internationally recognized standards by working with the Commission Internationale Permanente (CIP).

In Europe, proof houses or testing facilities for firearms and ammunition, have set European standards since the 1800s. The CIP is an international association of proof houses. By working together, the CIP and SAAMI are working towards the development of international standards.

SAAMI Proposes and Reviews International and Domestic Shipping Regulations - The SAAMI Logistics & Regulatory Affairs Committee (SLARAC) performs some of the most important functions of SAAMI. SLARAC participates in reviewing and proposing both domestic and international regulations so that products offered by SAAMI members can be distributed economically and safely, without unreasonable restrictions, throughout the world.

Working with the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Treasury Department (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) on a domestic basis and internationally through the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transportation of Dangerous Goods, SAAMI is intimately involved in the development of domestic and global standards for the safe transportation and distribution of products manufactured by SAAMI-member companies.

The Logistics and Regulatory Affairs Committee (SLARAC) regularly offers its expertise to agencies on such important matters as the classification, labeling, placarding, and packaging of small arms ammunition. The Committee conducts tests in support of their views concerning the limited hazards associated with the storage and transportation of small arms ammunition and components. The harmonization of domestic and international regulations is a high priority and is an ongoing project.

One important product of the SLARAC Committee is a video, Sporting Ammunition and the Firefighter, which was produced by the Committee many years ago. The video analyzes the characteristics associated with the small arms ammunition when it is subjected to severe impact and fire. When a primer ignites, it causes the propellant to burn which creates gases which, when under pressure in a firearm, send the bullet down the barrel. Pressure created by the propellant being burned is what discharges a bullet.

As such, loose ammunition in a fire does not result in bullets being discharged because the propellant is not burning under pressure. The video, which has been widely circulated to fire departments, concludes that while ammunition produces a popping sound when it burns, there is no mass detonation of the ammunition, any projectiles are of low velocity, and there is no threat to firefighters in their standard turn-out gear.

The Environmental Committee examines environmental issues affecting the shooting sports by analyzing and collecting data and offering policy proposals to regulatory agencies and the shooting public. The Environmental Committee provides SAAMI members and the public with important information about the impact of shooting on the environment. Responding to concerns about lead and lead mobility at shooting ranges, SAAMI commissioned E.A. Engineering, Science and Technology, Inc. to prepare an exhaustive literature search on the issue. The committee has also helped develop range owners so the shooting sports can be enjoyed in harmony with the environment.

SAAMI Member Companies - a list of members can be found at http://www.saami.org/membership.html

More references to SAAMI can be found in the following BATF publications:
(1) ATF - Code of Federal Regulations - T.D. ATF-402; Ref: Notice No. 855 RIN 1512-AB68
http://www.atf.treas.gov/regulations/tdatf402.htm
and
(2) Quarterly Bulletin
http://www.atf.treas.gov/pub/qtrly_bulletins/qbv3.htm

Sources: http://www.saami.org, http://www.saami.org/member.html, http://www.saami.org/ansi.html, http://www.saami.org/ship.html, http://www.saami.org/environment.html

4. American National Standards Institute (ANSI) - ANSI is a private, non-profit organization (501(c)3) that administers and coordinates the U.S. voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. The Institute's mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. ANSI was founded on October 18, 1918.

Headquarters:
American National Standards Institute
1819 L Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Offices:
American National Standards Institute
25 West 43nd Street
New York, NY 10036
Website:
http://www.ansi.org

Source: http://www.ansi.org/public/about.html

The disconnect is a stupid person safety feature. Stupid people think that dropping the mag. empties the weapon. They can then point it at friends and drop the hammer on a loaded chamber. Smith and Wesson signed Andy Cuomo's HUD compact on gun saftey that included putting magazine disconnects on all autoloaders. The weapon won't fire with out a magazine.

The M9, when DoD was accepting bids, could not have a disconnect. It is one more mechanical thing that could fail and disable the weapon, the magazine could become damaged, or accidently dropped, and it renders the weapon useless while reloading. Some of us were trained never to let an automatic pistol go dry. You reload when there is still a round in the chamber. That way, you don't need to worry about the slide release or racking the slide to chamber a round. Also, if a threat appears in that half second before the new magazine is in you can engage with the one round still in the gun.

A pack of Wintergreen Lifesavers will load and chamber in a 12 guage pump.

why does it frightens me that you would know this?

I don't know what these idiots are talking about. My guns work just fine. They go bang when I pull the trigger and never until then.

What exactly is a magazine disconnect?

It's a device which disconnects the trigger from the sear when the magazine is removed from a semi-automatic pistol. Such a device is the only design defect in the othewise spectacular Browning "Hi-Power" pistol. I'm not aware of many other pistols with such a device. Fortunately, it is easily removed. Removal has the side benefit of improving the trigger-pull.

Thanks. I would never buy a gun that couldn't shoot at least one round if the magazine was damaged or missing.

"Owning a shotgun that explodes in your hand when you're using a weapon is a real issue of consumer safety,"

This is a problem?

"If you're going to have guns, at least make sure they're manufactured properly," Kennedy said. "Part of the legislation we're introducing ensures that we're able to track and thereby determine which guns have the greatest accident rate, just like you would with any other product."
Besides giving the Justice Department authority to collect data on gun-related deaths and injuries, the bill also would allow the government to issue product recalls and warnings and limit the sale of firearms when no other remedy was available.

Does anyone smell FEDERAL GUN REGISTRATION in this plan?

I thought Ruger had already done all this with the 2 chapters of warnings and text they print on their gun barrels ?

This line of thought by the socialist POS liars has all the makings of a future mandatory rule for chef knives to have a "dull" blade so one won't cut themselves.

Anyone know where I can get a real list of gun grabbing polidiots at the Federal level ? Aside from the DNC member ship lists I'd like to know specifically who in currently elected positions at the federal level is wasting time on gun control.

Stay Safe !

Twas in the heat of the hunt........

The funny thing is Corzine was a Marine. Semper Fi big guy. I bet guns were real difficult for you in basic.

Pardon my ignorance, but what's a magazine disconnect?

Not only do they not own guns themselves, but ten bucks says they have armed bodyguards at all times.

it's a mechanism which prevents the weapon from firing if the magazine is removed (whether or not there's a round in the chamber). In general, it's a very bad idea.

Thank you. I read some of the other posts AFTER I asked the question and I agree; dumb idea.

California has a law like this. It didn't accomplish what its supporters had hoped. Their intent was to drive the "Ring of Fire" gun makers in L.A. County out of business. Instead, these companies beat them to the punch and began producing compliant, and still inexpensive, firearms before the law went into effect. When there was a threat to outlaw small calibers, these companies began to develop 9mm and .45 ACP designs. In other words, the politicians and their posturing caused these companies to make guns with greater lethality and greater reliability!

$enator Corzine and the young Master Kennedy had better be careful what they wish for.

I keep saying that we need to use their own tactics on them. Try this. We need common sense abortion control. 72 hour cooling off time, parental consent for underage. Get rid of partial birth abortion,( some terorist may use it someday). Afterall, who could be against "common sense" abortion control. It si for the children!

Wouldn't common sense tell you that guns are inherently dangerous and not to monkey with them if you don't know what you are doing?

You forget that they are appealing to liberals, so commonsense is not an issue. I can think of one black, female baggage inspector that would object to Kennedy having a weapon that isn't completely childproof!! Add to that the fact that Patrick Kennedy is so stupid, he makes his moronic father look smart (relatively speaking of course!). He must be on the drugs again.

Wouldn't common sense tell you that guns are inherently dangerous and not to monkey with them if you don't know what you are doing?

Sure.

You know that.

I know that.

Anybody with three brain cells to rub together knows that.

The problem is the grabbers only use it as a semantic device divorced from its real meaning.

SOB's