Democrats Still After Ammo for AR-15s

We have to give the Democrats credit for persistence – they don’t give up when it comes to going after the Second Amendment. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. In mid-March, only a few days after the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) indefinitely postponed its plan to ban common, green-tipped M855 ball ammo as “armor piercing,” Democrats in Congress decided to try it legislatively.

A few months ago, the ATF said it was considering removing a sporting exemption on the popular round. In late February and early March, word reached the media and the general public about the proposal and tens of thousands of angry gun owners flooded the ATF with emails, faxes and letters. Days before the comment period was over, the ATF announced it was indefinitely postponing the process though it said it would like to revisit the idea at an unspecified date. From there Democrats in Congress took up the torch.

U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel, a Democrat from New York, introduced his “Armor Piercing Bullets Act” to the House, appropriately enough in keeping with the insanity of the bill, on Friday, March 13. Engel’s bill goes much further than the ATF’s proposal would have gone as he would attempt to ban any ammunition that would go through the soft body armor worn by police.

That would effectively ban any Centerfire Rifle ammunition, as the bullet from any deer rifle will easily go through a bulletproof vest. Of course such a widespread ban would warm the heart of any gun banning liberal.

The ATF’s original rule change would have prevented the sale to civilians of one particular type of ball ammunition because these rounds can be used in “pistols” that shoot the 5.56/.223 round. These novelty weapons are essentially cut down AR-15s—they have AR-15 receivers and use the same magazines. These firearms are expensive, bulky, and not easily concealable, despite what Engels and his allies say.

There were repercussions for the administration from the ATF’s proposed rule change. The same day Engel propose his bill, ATF Director B. Todd Jones announced his resignation. Deputy Director Thomas E. Brandon will serve as acting director until a replacement is nominated. While he had already been planning to resign, it happened much sooner than expected.

It is hard to believe that Engels’ bill, and similar proposals by Senate Democrats, are serious efforts and not simply pre-election year efforts to fire up their base. 240 members of Congress, including five Senate Democrats, signed a letter objecting to the ban, so they must know the bill has little chance of passage, even if it has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

The response of congressional Republicans has been encouraging. Standing up for the Second Amendment is one of the few instances where they generally are reliably conservative, if only to keep their constituents quiet, if not happy. Rep. Tom Rooney of Florida introduced a bill to prohibit the ATF from creating any new restrictions on the manufacture, importation or sale of ammunition. If the numbers of Congressmen opposed to the ATF’s restriction is any indication, it should receive widespread support.

Congress is not the only place where there has been a pushback against the federal government’s efforts. The attorneys general of 23 states sent a letter to the ATF urging the agency not to attempt to ban the ammunition in the future.

This effort by the ATF and the Obama administration was beat back by a vigilant and engaged public, the formula that will be necessary to combat any future gun control legislation. (See, “Democrats Still After Ammo for AR-15s” originally posted HERE)

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