The ATF's Ammo Ban Is Back…in the Form of a New Bill From Democrats

Four House Democrats have taken the Obama administration’s idea of a regulation to ban a widely used kind of ammunition — one it had to pull back because it was so unpopular — and turned it into legislation.

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) introduced the Armor Piercing Bullets Act, which he said would ban the sale of “.223-dervied, 5.56x45mm NATO ‘green tip’ rounds” that are commonly used on the AR-15 rifle. That’s the same ban that the ATF proposed in February, through the adoption of a “framework” that would justify a ban on all bullets that can pierce police body armor.

The ATF’s failed attempt to ban ‘green tip’ ammo for the AR-15 rifle is being followed up by a Democratic attempt to legislate the ban.

The ATF’s framework prompted the submission of almost 90,000 comments, most of which opposed the plan as one that would ban a popular round used in a popular rifle. For years, these green tip rounds have enjoyed an exception from a ban on armor-piercing bullets, because they are generally used for sporting purposes.

But even when announcing that this framework would be indefinitely delayed, the ATF indicated it would continue to work on the issue and see if there’s a way to implement its framework. At a hearing last week, ATF Director B. Todd Jones said his agency was “figuring out how we do this rationally.”

Engel was more direct, and said the ATF had it right, and that it’s framework should now be implemented via legislation.

“As the ATF rightly pointed out, these rounds can easily be loaded into concealed pistols and other short guns, making them particularly dangerous to police officers,” Engel noted. “The well-being of the men and women who protect us should not, and need not, be a partisan issue. I encourage all of my colleagues in Congress to support this obvious measure that will, if enacted, save lives.”

Engel blamed the gun industry for promoting the use of armor-piercing bullets.

“There is absolutely no compelling argument to be made for anyone else to have access to them,” he said. “But the out of touch gun industry lobby is fighting tooth and nail to keep cop-killing ammunition on the streets.”

Republican senators opposed to the ATF’s proposal said last week that the real issue is how banning a popular cartridge makes it harder for people to exercise their Second Amendment rights.

“If law-abiding gun owners cannot obtain rifle ammunition, or face substantial difficulty in finding ammunition available and at reasonable prices because government entities are banning such ammunition, then the Second Amendment is at risk,” dozens of senators wrote in a letter to the ATF.

Other Democrats supporting Engel’s bill are Reps. Yvette Clarke (N.Y.), Carolyn Maloney (N.Y.), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (N.J.).

The ATF"s Ammo Ban Is Back…in the Form of a New Bill From Democrats

ATF Claims AR-15 Ammo 'Ban' Was Just A Typo

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has apparently stepped back from what appeared to be a new regulatory policy to ban popular AR-15 ammunition – blaming the backlash on a simple “publishing mistake.” Last month ATF issued a new “framework”which would be used for deciding what types of ammo are intended “primarily for sporting purposes.” While AR-15 ammo is used for gun sports, it is also used for self-defense purposes as well.

The ATF ammo guide did not reportedly include a current listing of ammunition exceptions, such has the M855 cartridge commonly used in AR-15 semi-automatic rifles. The lack of inclusion of the M855 ammo on the ATF list led to immediate angst by gun owners and Second Amendment activists around the country. ATF officials are now claiming the the M855 cartridge was left off the list in error.

A release from the ATF regarding the AR-15 ammunition reads:

“Media reports have noted that the 2014 ATF regulation guide published online does not contain a listing of the exemptions for armor piercing ammunition, and conclude that the absence of this listing indicates these exemptions have been rescinded. This is not the case. Please be advised that ATF has not rescinded any armor piercing ammunition exemption, and the fact that they are not listed in the 2014 online edition of the regulations was an error which has no legal impact on the validity of the exemptions. The existing exemptions for armor piercing ammunition, which apply to 5.56 mm SS 109 and M855 projectiles and the U.S..30-06 M2AP projectile remain in effect.”

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Republican Representative Bob Goodlatte, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to the ATF demanding to know the AR-15 ammo ban. The National Rifle Association (NRA) is working in conjunction with Representative Goodlatte, 30 fellow House members, and gun rights advocates to stop the AR-15 ammo ban. The ATF remained silent on the issue and a multitude of complaints, until tweeting the explanatory statements on Friday.

While the ATF said the error will be corrected soon an apologized, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest appeared to assume the ammo list was correct as published and seemed to defend the AR-15 ammo ban.

“It would be fair to say, as we are looking at additional ways to protect our brave men and women in law enforcement, and believe that this process is valuable for that reason alone. This seems to be an area where everyone should agree that if there are armor-piercing bullets that fit into easily concealed weapons, that puts our law enforcement at considerably more risk.”

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ATF Claims AR-15 Ammo "Ban" Was Just A Typo

Local gun stores see run on ammo that ATF proposes to ban

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March 6th, 2015 7:47 am by Nick Shepherd

KINGSPORT — Local gun store employees do not believe a proposed ban on certain ammunition will be passed and say even talking about a ban has caused the ammunition to sell out in their stores.

It was announced on Tuesday that the Obama administration is considering banning some types of 5.56 mm rounds — or .223 caliber — which the administration says can pierce protective vests worn by law enforcement officers.

Last month, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms released a 17-page proposal to ban the ammo, which has been under consideration since 2011. The rule change would only affect M855 green tip or SS109 rounds with certain metal cores, including steel and iron. The ammo is primarily used for AR-15-style rifles, but can also be used in some new types of handguns.

Gregg Smith, a salesman at Gun Rack in Kingsport, says the government has tried this before.

“They’ve been trying to do it for a long time,” he said. “But it kind of opens a big can of worms because that’s not the only thing you can shoot in a handgun that is technically armor piercing.” 

Smith said the government is picking on the M855 green tip ammunition because it is used in AR-15s. He said mostly what the bullets are used for is target practice and hunting.

Mike Shaffer, manager at Freedom Firearms on Stone Drive, said he does not know why the government would propose a ban. But he said the only thing talk of a ban is doing is selling more bullets.

“It’s already started pandemonium,” he said. “People have already started buying them up. We bought several thousand dollars worth just so our customers could have it.” 

He said the reason they bought so much is because the distributors Freedom Firearms uses are already sold out of the .223 ammunition. Smith said it is a similar story for Gun Rack. When word of the ban first started, the store quickly sold all the stock they had.

Both believe the only real effect this ban will have is increasing their sales of .223 ammo, even .223 ammunition that is not being considered for a ban.

Shaffer said a box of .223 goes for between $8 and $10 and bulk ammo can go between $30 to $50.

An ATF spokeswoman, Ginger Colbrun, told the Associated Press Monday the agency is considering eliminating the exemption because of AR pistols that can fire the .223 ammo.

In 1986, armor-piercing handgun ammunition was banned to protect police officers as part of the federal Law Enforcement Officers Protection Act. Rifle ammo was previously exempt from this law because it was used mainly for sporting purposes. But because the new AR pistols can fire these bullets, the ATF is proposing the ban.

“They always talk about them being cop-killer bullets,” Smith said. “But nobody’s ever come out and said, ‘Last year this many cops were killed (by these bullets),’ because they weren’t. There weren’t any cops killed by these armor-piercing bullets, but it sounds good.” 

The ATF will be accepting public comment about the proposed change until March 16 at the email address APAComments@atf.gov, by fax or mail.

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Local gun stores see run on ammo that ATF proposes to ban

US looks to ban type of popular armor-piercing rifle ammo that can also be used in handguns

US considers banning type of popular rifle ammunition

By ALICIA A. CALDWELL | Associated Press | 2 hours, 13 minutes ago in Politics, Money

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is considering banning a type of ammunition used in one of the most popular types of rifles because it says the bullets can pierce a police officer’s protective vest when fired from a handgun.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is proposing the ban of some types of 5.56 mm rounds — or .223-caliber — used in widely available and popular AR-15-style rifles because the bullets can also be used in some new types of handguns. Other types of 5.56 mm rounds would still be legal to buy, own and fire from guns.

The rule change would affect only “M855 green tip” or “SS109″ rounds with certain types of metal cores. People who already own the ammunition would be allowed to continue to legally own it, but manufacturers would not be allowed to produce, sell, import or distribute it.

In a letter to ATF Director B. Todd Jones last month, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., objected to the rule change, saying it would “interfere with Second Amendment rights by disrupting the market for ammunition that law-abiding Americans use for sporting and other legitimate purposes.”

Armor-piercing handgun ammunition has been banned since 1986 as a way to protect police officers under the federal Law Enforcement Officers Protection Act. The rifle bullets now facing a ban were long considered exempt because they were used for sporting purposes, such as target shooting.

An ATF spokeswoman, Ginger Colbrun, said Monday the agency is considering eliminating the exemption now because of the production of so-called AR pistols that can fire the same cartridge. The agency is accepting public comment about the proposed change until March 16 at the email address APAComments@atf.gov, by fax or postal mail. Colbrun said a final decision will be made later this year.

At issue is the material in the core of the bullets. As long as the bullet’s core does not contain particular types of metal, including steel, iron or brass, the bullet would still be legally available.

Colbrun said 32 manufacturers make roughly 168 types of ammunition that can be used in the rifles and would remain legal.

The semi-automatic AR-15 rifle, a commercially available gun that resembles the military’s M-16 rifle, has become wildly popular among gun enthusiasts in recent years. It’s also been the target of Democratic lawmakers who sought to ban the weapons after the 2012 shooting deaths of a dozen people at a movie theater in Colorado and 20 children and six adults at a school in Connecticut. Those efforts failed, but gun rights advocates, including the National Rifle Association, warned that the administration would continue a push to ban the popular guns.

In a statement last month about the proposed rule change, the NRA told supporters it was a “move clearly intended by the Obama administration to suppress the acquisition, ownership and use of AR-15s” and other rifles. The group urged its members to write to both the agency and members of Congress to object to the rule change.

ATF’s proposed ammunition ban has been under consideration since 2011.

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Online:

ATF’s proposal: http://www.atf.gov/sites/default/files/assets/Library/Notices/atf_framework_for_determining_whether_certain_projectiles_are_primarily_intended_for_sporting_purposes.pdf

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US looks to ban type of popular armor-piercing rifle ammo that can also be used in handguns