VA-ALERT: BATFE looking to ban SS109 (M855) ammunition

[OakRidgeStars]

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If you have a rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm, then this might be of interest to you. The round the BATFE is trying to ban is the SS109 or M855, which usually has a green tip.

NRA is also confirming this.

http://controversialtimes.com/news/atf- ... r-15-ammo/

BREAKING: ATF Proposes Ban on AR-15 Ammo By Reagan Wilson on February 14, 2015

It looks like the current administration is back to its old tricks of seeking backdoor gun control that will only affect law abiding gun owners. The ATF is apparently in the process of attempting to ban a popular type of 5.56mm round that is popular with AR-15 owners.

Based on new proposed regulations, the ATF is essentially seeking a ban on the popular M855 round (aka “green tip”).

The NRA-ILA weighed in on the measure:

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 M855’s 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.

The ATF is accepting public comments on these proposed regulations through March 15th.

If you’re in the market for this type of ammo we recommend checking out Wiki Arms, which is a realtime ammo search engine.




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VA-ALERT is a project of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc.
(VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right.

VCDL web page: http://www.vcdl.org [http://www.vcdl.org/]