Through executive action, Obama has banned ammo for the top-selling AR-15 style semi-automatic, labeling them ‘cop killers’, and The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will put the ban of 5.56 mm ammo on a fast track, which already driving up price and demand.
Gun stores are now reporting an increase in price of 30% and an increase in demand of 1000%.
Wednesday night, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, the Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, stepped in with a critical letter to the bureau demanding it explain the surprise and abrupt bullet ban. The letter is shown below.
The National Rifle Association, which is working with Goodlatte to gather co-signers, told Secrets that30 House members have already co-signed the letter and Goodlatte and the NRA are hoping to get a total of 100 fast.
“The Obama administration was unable to ban America’s most popular sporting rifle through the legislative process, so now it’s trying to ban commonly owned and used ammunition through regulation,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director of the NRA-ILA, the group’s policy and lobby shop. “The NRA and our tens of millions of supporters across the country will fight to stop President Obama’s latest attack on our Second Amendment freedoms.”
At issue is so-called “armor-piercing” ammunition, an exemption for those bullets mostly used for sport by AR-15 owners, and the recent popularity of pistol-style ARs that use the ammo.
The inexpensive 5.56 M855 ammo, commonly called lightgreen tips, have been exempt for years, as have higher-caliber ammunition that also easily pierces the type of soft armor worn by police, because it’s mostly used by target shooters, not criminals. The agency proposes to reclassify it as armor-piercing and not exempt.
But now BATFE says that since the bullets can be used in semi-automatic handguns they pose a threat to police and must be banned from production, sale and use. But, as Goodlatte noted, the agency offered no proof. Federal agencies will still be allowed to buy the ammo.
“This round is amongst the most commonly used in the most popular rifle design in America, the AR-15. Millions upon millions of M855 rounds have been sold and used in the U.S., yet ATF has not even alleged — much less offered evidence — that even one such round has ever been fired from a handgun at a police officer,” said Goodlatte’s letter.
Even some police don’t buy the administration’s claim. “Criminals aren’t going to go out and buy a $1,000 AR pistol,” Brent Ball, owner of 417 Guns in Springfield, Mo., and a 17-year veteran police officer told the Springfield News-Leader. “As a police officer I’m not worried about AR pistols because you can see them. It’s the small gun in a guy’s hand you can’t see that kills you.”
Many see the bullet ban as an assault on the AR-15 and Obama’s back-door bid to end production and sale.
“We are concerned,” said Justin Anderson with Hyatt Gun Shop in Charlotte, N.C., one of the nation’s top sellers of AR-15 style rifles. “Frankly, we’re always concerned when the government uses back-door methods to impose quasi-gun control.”
Groups like the National Shooting Sports Foundation suggest that under BATFE’s new rule, other calibers like popular deer hunting .308 bullets could be banned because they also are used in AR platforms, some of which can be turned into pistol-style guns. “This will have a detrimental effect on hunting nationwide,” said the group.
no he didn’t. That was just an ATF “proposal” from last year. Did not come from the White House.
His days in office are numbered and everything he did will be reversed. Patience…
why in the world does any American NEED a pleasure boat? They don’t but its there right to buy one if they want one and the same goes for people that love firearms so pop that in your pipe and puff on it
this guys has to be stopped!
I’m confused, in the statement it said Obama sign an executive order banning the ammo but in the next line it says the AFT is on the fast track to banning the ammo and the video said sales are up. Is it banned or is he trying to ban it?
horse$#%&!@* obama you fuckin up!
Cory Marcott You hit the nail on the head there buddy
Robert Gaito Let me assure you that our troops would never participate in any sort of violation of the Constitution we are sworn to protect. Our oath states that we will defend the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic and that we’ll obey LAWFUL orders from our Commander in Chief. UN troops however have sworn no such oath, but bright blue makes for an easy target.
wow comparing guns to pleasure boats. you are a genius…………..not
Lisa Simmons Smith exactly whose side do you believe the military is on? Since I happen to be in the Army, I’ll go ahead an educate you. We are sworn to uphold the Constitution, not the Commander in Chief’s agenda. Our oath is to defend the Constitution from all enemies both foreign and domestic that would attempt to dismantle it. Out of the considerable number of service members that I know none of them would participate in any sort of disarmament for two major reasons. The first being that the vast majority of us are ourselves gun owners, the second being that they know that they would lose. The ENTIRE military is composed of approximately 1% of the US population. The percentage of “known” households that have guns is around 32% And in the event that any sort of cataclsym ever occured the government would be facing gun owners, Patriotic military members and the entirity of organized crime groups all united against a common enemy. It is literally the most foolish thing they could ever attempt and would not work out in their favor. So I would appreciate it if you’d no longer accuse us service men and women of being traitors to our own people and Constitution. Thanks.