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Pretty astonishing....
ATF is required to publish, and I believe annually update, a list of "published ordinances" relating to guns, for guidance of firearm dealers. In mid-February, ATF announced that it was seeking comments on its proposal to removed the "sporting purposes" exemption of M855 ammunition, meaning that (if ATF's interpretation of the ban on handgun "armor piercing" ammo is correct, which I've critiqued earlier) the M855 would be banned. Further, anyone having M855 projectiles would commit a felony by handloading them (the ban applies, not to "manufactures" which the gun statutes narrowly define; instead it makes it illegal for "any person to manufacture" such ammo).
Katie Pavich has made an astounding discovery: the 2015 book of published ordinances, released in January, deletes the exemption for M855 ammunition. The decision was made BEFORE the agency sought comment on it! Possibly long before, since releasing a book in January requires editing it well before then, and getting it to the Government Printing Office so they can run the presses.
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ATF now has a notice up on their web site claiming that it was all a simple clerical error, and that they'll have a corrected version up shortly. I guess that's the sort of thing one says when caught red handed.
The Republic is dead long live the Bureaucracy
That's pretty shady ... at least give this matter its day in court!
ATF said, "oops, just kidding!" https://www.firearmspolicy.org/news/fpc-news/breaking-atf-responds-to-reports-that-m855-ammo-was-already-banned/
ATF has once again shown its political pawnmanship. This reclassification has no merit and should be abandoned immediately.
When are we going to ban these fools and their illegitimate idiocy?
It is a serious proposition.
Who do these people think they are, gods or something?
Enough of this chickenshit rule by edict. All of it. We are forced at the point of a gun to pay for this crap, and then told se can't have guns or whatever stupidity they feel like proclaiming.
Its unacceptable. Just who are the criminals here?
"Publishing Error" my eye. I am one of those many who took time to draft a sincere and logical position and send to the ATF as part of the "public comments." To learn of such strong evidence suggesting that this public commenting was just for show is truly maddening. Just when you thought these folks had no integrity, transparency, or respect for rule of law, they go and remove all doubt.
At the least, I am glad that gun owners are now quite keen on these shenanigans, and are able to quickly mobilize effective opposition. I truly suspect that this M855 ban will quietly go away, because ATF and the administration behind it have got to know that the legislature will step in and turn these onerous regs back further than they are even now. Those hoping for "back door" gun control through these means must know that once the cat is out of the bag, there will be repercussions they do not like.
My hope is that we not only stop these attempts at control and regulation, but we need to turn existing regs back.
Meanwhile ... these attempts accomplish little other than mobilizing gun owners, and stimulating the sale of M855 cartridges and SS109 projectiles.
"Sporting Ammo"???? Really that is what the 2nd Amendment is about? Sporting?
Next the ATF goons will say the 2nd Amend is a "Typo".
Anyone wanting to go "sporting" in the next 10 years with any rifle would be wise to stockpile ammo.
The ATF would never ban those 308 deer rounds and those deer sniper rifles either! Nosiree, never, ever.....progreSSive putzes would never attack civilians or run guns to mexican drug cartels either!
Reminds me of this earlier goof:
http://www.theonion.com/video/diebold-accidentally-leaks-results-of-2008-electio,14214/
As of today 3/7, the 2014 BATF handbook online has been re-revised to include the M855 “exemption” again…
“Exemptions:
The following articles are exempted from the definition of armor piercing ammunition.
5.56 mm (.233) SS 109 and M855 Ammunition, identified by a green coating on the projectile tip.
U.S. .30-06 M2AP, identified by a black coating on the projectile tip.”
I'm a retired Fed (US Army CID), and while I have no love for the current ATF administration, I also respect the old adage: "Never attribute to guile and chicanery what can be adequately explained by sloth and stupidity."
I just really have trouble accepting that anyone in BATFE is clever enough to pre-stage a regulation before it is a regulation.
BULLSEYE.
I've been citing Miller for quite awhile, to refute bans on magazine-fed semi-autos.
The Miller criteria is "any part of the ordinary military equipment or could contribute to the common defense".
PROTECTED.
Precedent.
End of story.
Miller and M855
Why has there been no mention of Miller in crafting responses to the ATF's ban on M855/SS109 green-tip ammunition? Surely, if the Fed'gov can regulate short-barreled shotguns in 1934 - because they had "no militia purpose", then - by the same logic - regulating or prohibiting M855/SS109 green-tip by the Fed.gov is expressly prohibited - precisely because of its Militia and 2nd Amendment nexus; and this notwithstanding, and in addition to, its manifest sporting purpose, which is a separate, albeit regulatory and not constitutional, challenge to the ATF's unconstitutional and illegal action (with respect to the black letter of the law).