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.
OMG,I’ve only got about 2,000 rds!
lies
Not to mention this article is almost one year old. Also SNOPES.COM shows this as being false that President Obama did not sign an executive order to do this. It was the B.T.A.F. !
The website should be LIESANDOLDNEWS.ORG. This is a February article from the highly respected (LOL) Washington Examiner. It was inaccurate at the time stating that this was happening by ‘executive order’ when in fact it was a proposed ATF policy change that would have seen a specific type of 5.56 ammo called M855 green tip reclassified from ‘sporting goods’ to ‘armor piercing’ (which is already banned). In March (8 months ago) ATF reversed their plans based on push back from citizens and industry. Armor piercing ammo is still illegal (sorry 2nd Amendment) but 5.56 M855 ammo is NOT currently classified as armor piercing so there is no change. Sorry but this is 8 months old, nothing happened and it basically had nothing to do with Obama.
He can sign whatever he wants. Resist.
This is a LIE. Propaganda
No difference AT ALL.
You are exactly correct. This is treason. So was his ordering the deaths of at least 2 American citizens overseas by drone strikes. Just because they were accused of being “enemy combatants” does not mean they have no constitutional rights. They should have been tried & found guilty first.
An executive order can be immediately countermanded by the new president next year. We need to watch & see if they reverse this. If not, demand impeachment.
BO wouldn’t know what any amendments are, or what they are for. Trader and treason against the American people. This is the first step in banning on his agenda. How many police ( anyone) has been shot with this round, please anyone.