Ammo Restrictions for persons under 21

Status
Not open for further replies.
K

kurtmax

Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2007
Messages
457
This isn't really a political thing, so I thought this was the best place to ask.

I know federal law prohibits pistol ammo to be sold to people under 21. How is pistol ammo defined?

I cannot get a straight answer on this. Some stores won't even sell me .22 Long Rifle because they consider it 'pistol ammo'. At the same time, people tell me that I can be sold 9mm if I have a carbine chambered in it. This all sounds a little fishy to me, I mean, what if I have a pistol chambered in a rifle cartridge. Is the rifle cartridge considered pistol ammo now?

So what's the deal... how is something considered pistol ammo? Or is this just one of those things left undefined so the BATFE can hold it over dealers?
 
My understanding is that it depends on what you represent it as being for. If you're at the store with your 9mm carbine, then it would indeed be intended for use in a rifle, and thus legal. On the other hand, if you've got a Bushmaster .223 pistol with you, and try to buy some 5.56x45mm, a seller might legitimately refuse the sale on the grounds that, while traditionally a rifle cartridge, the firearm is still legally a pistol and thus the ammo can't be sold.

ATF says "Yes, provided...the dealer is satisfied that it is for use in a rifle."
http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#f6
 
So... should I bring my 9mm carbine into wal-mart and ask for ammo. (Which would be legal, but probably not in good taste :p) Or would a picture of me holding a rifle suffice? I'll probably talk to the manager the next time they refuse to sell me .22 and see what he says.

I should probably just order stuff online, as wal-mart is the only place with cheap ammo around here...
 
One day I pointed out to someone who refused to sell me a box of .22 because "it could fit in a pistol" that the 200 rounds of 7.62x39 I was also buying were much more powerful and that I had the .22 rifle in my car and that it was fine to sell it to me for rifle use. I also offered my range membership permit, hunter safety card, and license to prove that I was going to the range to shoot a .22 rifle. I hope they are making a ton of money because I no longer shop there and neither do any of my friends.
 
I bought a box of 9mm at Wal-Mart (Winc. white box). I am very obviously NOT young. The clerk ran up the price (she was nice) smiled, took my money, and asked - "Is this for a handgun?". I replied yes, she noted something, I left. I am still not sure what it was all about!
 
I've tried to get some .357/.38spl/9mm for my carbines/lever actions. But Academy and Walmart wont sell to me. They can't ring it up as rifle ammo apparently. Maybe a gun store or mom and pop shop would understand.
 
if they ask or say its illegal. tell them its for a carbine if they get snippy just smile, say, fine you dont want my money on a completely legal purchase due to ignorance. have a good day
 
Correct

.22 LR can be used in either a revolver or self-loader, so it definitely falls
under "pistol ammo" regulations.

Pistol ammo defined: any metallic cartridge capable of being fired from a
hand held weapon without a stock. I consider such weapons as the TC
Contender/G2, Mossberg 12 gague Persuader, and the Kel-Tec PLR-16
to fall into the category of "hand held weapons"; even though that old
Mossberg fires shotshells and/or slugs. :scrutiny:;)
 
Hokkmike said:
I bought a box of 9mm at Wal-Mart (Winc. white box). I am very obviously NOT young. The clerk ran up the price (she was nice) smiled, took my money, and asked - "Is this for a handgun?". I replied yes, she noted something, I left. I am still not sure what it was all about!
Click to expand...

FreeLanceTaxCollector said:
Noted something?
Click to expand...
Yep. Happens to me all the time, and I'm officially a senior citizen. Wal-Mart's computers are set up to ask the age of the buyer and if the ammo is for a rifle or a handgun. Once or twice I have actually had a clerk ask me if the ammo was for a handgun, and then ask if I was over 21. I just told her I hadn't been carded in more than 40 years and thanked her for the compliment.

More recently, in any of the three or four Wal-Marts where I might happen to buy ammo they don't even ask. There's a slight pause when the register gets to those questions, but since they can figure out I'm over 21 and it doesn't matter they just punch in whatever the default "OK" response is and we move on from there.
 
It seems that the mom and pop store that knows me has no problem selling me rifle ammo that fits in a pistol. I also have had no issue at Walmart when I pay at the hunting counter and say "I would like to buy some ammo for my .22 RIFLE, what do you have."
 
Pistol ammo defined: any metallic cartridge capable of being fired from a
hand held weapon without a stock.
Click to expand...

Actually, as BATFE sees it, "ammunition intended for or suitable only for use in a handgun".

Rounds like .25 ACP, .32 ACP, .380 ACP, etc. fall into the category of "suitable for use only in a handgun" almost without exception. But as far as cartridges like 9x19, .40, .45, .357-with those it is more or less at the discretion of the seller. There is no way for someone under 21 to absolutely prove that the ammunition will be used in a carbine, so some larger companies err on the side of caution. That said, I used to buy .22 LR and.45 ACP from Wally world all the time when I was under 21. They just always asked "for handgun?" and I replied "no". I did in fact have multiple .22 rifles and a Marlin camp .45.
 
an old guy at bass pro shops that i go in to talk to just to shoot the sh*t with said that bass pro will probably sell you the ammo without id ing you and if they do id you then they will be understanding if you tell them what you need it for. if there are none by you then i dont know what to tell you
 
.22 LR can be used in either a revolver or self-loader, so it definitely falls
under "pistol ammo" regulations.
Click to expand...
http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#f7
(F7) May a licensee sell interchangeable ammunition such as .22 cal. rimfire to a person less than 21 years old? [Back]

Yes, provided the buyer is 18 years of age or older, and the dealer is satisfied that it is for use in a rifle. If the ammunition is intended for use in a handgun, the 21-year-old minimum age requirement is applicable.

[18 U.S.C. 922(b)(1), 27 CFR 478.99(b)]
 
ive never had problems buying .22LR before i was 21, they just checked to see if i was 18 or not. but i did when i went in for 9mm so i just told them it was for my carbine, they looked it up every time but still sold it to me, thats why i bought my 9mm pistol after then rather thent he .45acp.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top