Banning imported ammo?

[Just One Shot]

Friday, February 13, 2009

State Department Floating Ammo Import Ban

It looks like those who said the Obama Administration would strike while the iron is hot may have been correct, and the Administration may be doing it in a way that does not require them to even get a vote in Congress. In this morning's edition of the Shooting Wire, Jim Shepherd writes that Canadian officials have it on "good authority" our State Department may be on the verge of cutting off all imports of certain calibers of ammunition.


Ammos listed for this rumored ban include the .50BMG, 7.62x39mm Soviet, 7.62x51mm NATO, .308 Winchester, 5.56 NATO and .223 Remington. Additionally, we're hearing that an expansion of this proposed ban might be broadened to include the 6.8mm SPC, 9mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP- among others.

In other words, State Department officials may be floating a trial balloon to see if there are howls of protest, or whimpers of compliance. Canadian elected officials who have directed this information to me say the move seems to be motivated by "emboldened" anti-gun officials who think they have a kindred spirit in President Obama.

Shepherd continues that there may also be a plan to ban exports on certain firearms to Canada from the US, resulting in the State Department hammering gun manufacturers, distributors and exporters in the United States while simultaneously making firearms -and ammunition - ownership and acquisition more difficult for Canadians.

Many in the pro-rights community have said since the election that Obama could circumvent Congress by using regulations in his various cabinet departments to attack gun owners. It appears that it may have already begun.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

So is there anything we can do about it, if this is real?

 

[WardenWolf]

Likely very little, given that a simple executive order issued to the ATF could do the job, as I understand it.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

I found the source of this:
http://www.shootingwire.com/

It seems little more than an unsubstantiated rumor at this point. I mean, unless the state department routinely bounces policy off unnamed Canadian officials who then contact The Shooting Wire to warn them.

 

[crushbup]

So is there anything we can do about it, if this is real?

Move to a better country OR wait 2 years and try and save Congress, another 2 and save the Presidency.

 

[Pilot]

Scream bloody murder to our elected officials, make ammo, vote in every election, raise awareness throuhg Op-Ed pieces, etc. Lots we can do.

 

[Thin Black Line]

I seem to recall bringing up this ammo scenario here a while back.

Everyone here has joined the NRA and is posting this information on every
other board they can think of. Right?

Get moving.

 

[22-rimfire]

Is this a surprise? Don't like it, but it does not surprise me a bit. Write your representatives and voice your concerns. Where exactly do you find the article at the link?

Where are all the folks that said Obama had more important things to do?

 

[nathan]

Ammo has skyrocketed beyond belief. This aint good for all shooters.

 

[1-cavediver]

This is what happens when we elected a socialist government like we did in 2008 with the likes of Nobama, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Dianne Feinstein, Barney Frank and the rest of the lot

Remember this in 2110 and 2012

 

[Eagles6]

Don't doubt for a minute that this will come to pass. That being said now would be a great time for an American manufacturer to gear up production of a cheaper steel case 7.62 x 39 and 5.56/.223.
Wonder if there is any reason that aluminum cases couldn't be used in rifle calibers, cheaper and lighter. Pressure issues perhaps?

 

[feedthehogs]

Bogey man aside, did anyone ever think rumors like this could be started by ammo makers, dists or dealers for the sole purpose of cashing in?

Lets not chase shadows.

 

[Justin]

At this point, we should be looking for official confirmation of this rumor. Check the State Dept. website, or give them a call to gently inquire about the rumor.

 

[Duke of Doubt]

A lot of under-employed commercial lobstermen down east are hoping and praying for an import ban. Some whose grandfathers ran alky for the Schultz and Capone boys.

 

[fatelk]

Apparantly this rumor has really been making the rounds. I was told at a gun show that I really should buy as much 7.62mm as I can at any price because of a ban on Russian ammo.

I suppose it could happen; they did it with the Chinese ammo, and we've known all along that this sort of thing is their goal. On the other hand, I'm just not going to panic and stock up "at any price". I'm not a high volume ammo user, anyway. At this point it is still just a nebulous rumor.

 

[DeathByCactus]

Couldn't this possibly create an opportunity for American manufacturers of ammunition to start building up cheaper ammo? I guess with the rising costs of raw materials that might be tough though right? If American companies can take over in that industry, wouldn't it not only boost American sales but also in the long term lead to cheaper ammunition (maybe not as cheap as the foreign stuff, but close enough) as well as keep money in our country?

If anyone can educate me on this I would be grateful.

 

[Thin Black Line]

At this point, we should be looking for official confirmation of this rumor.

TBL prediction: Official confirmation via Presidential Executive Order.

But yes, someone call State and post their reponse. I'd like to see someone
just make it through their phone tree at this point....

 

[Davionmaximus]

Yeah.. get ready for the black market to explode.. no pun intended..

 

[rogertc1]

Naw it is all just BS. Obama would never let us gun owners down!!!

 

[everallm]

So,

This is what has been said.

Someone heard from someone else, who heard from someone who may or may not be someone in the Canadian civil service about how they heard that there may be someone in the US Date Department who thinks there may be an attempt to cut off imported ammunition to Canada.

My God, it must be true.......:banghead:

 

[Old Fuff]

It seems little more than an unsubstantiated rumor at this point. I mean, unless the state department routinely bounces policy off unnamed Canadian officials who then contact The Shooting Wire to warn them.

I subscribe to The Shooting Wire (it's free) and have done so for some time. I have found it to be a reliable source of information, and the editor has deep and authorative contacts within the firearms industry. Jim is not a tinfoil hat kind of person, and I'm sure he thought about it before he posted what he did. In fact I postmarked the column, and considered posting it on The High Road myself.

The Obama Administration has stated many times, and in many ways, that it wants to ban, or at least discourage the continued sale of what they call Assault Weapons. An effective roadblock that wouldn't need any additional congressional action and would be almost protest proof would unquestionably be attractive to individuals within congress and the administration, if not the president himself.

Considering that this rumor came from The Shooting Wire, The Old Fuff would say that it was creditable. Others can form their own opinions.

 

[Thin Black Line]

Well said Olf Fuff.

IMHO the key point to this whole thing is this one liner:

In other words, State Department officials may be floating a trial balloon to see if there are howls of protest, or whimpers of compliance.

So what will be the response here? I could care less about the divide and
conquer poo-pooing that the usual people inside the gun community do.
These are the same people no where to be seen when I was going door to
door for pro-gun candidates; or grilling the politicians who weren't upholding
the Constitution.

What's going to be our response? If we give a cr@p we need to start telling
friends about this. Maybe someone is ringing State right now as I write this.

 

[SaMx]

the link to the story is here, and if you read the follow up here, you'll notice the idea was to ban American ammo from being imported into Canada.

Last Friday, we reported that Canadian authorities had sent word of a United States State Department proposal that would ban several ammo calibers sale by United States companies to Canada. It's safe to say that the story kicked off quite a storm on both sides of the border.

In Canada, calls to their Parliament protested the idea that whole classes of ammo could, effectively, be stopped at the border. Here in the US, it taught me to be a good bit more exact with the concepts of import and export. The intent of the story was simple - to let our readers know the United States Department of State was considering a ban on the export of US ammo in several calibers to Canada.

 

[marktx]

the link to the story is here, and if you read the follow up here, you'll notice the idea was to ban American ammo from being imported into Canada.

So how do we feel about those Canadians trying to get their hands on our ammo? I'm sure somebody up north has Yugoslavia or Bulgaria's number in the Rolodex. Let them order it up themselves!

 

[Old Fuff]

It would seem obvious that if the Canadian government wanted to prohibit the importation of certain kinds of guns, gun parts or ammunition; they themselves would pass laws or regulations to that effect, and thereafter ask the U.S, Government (through our State Department) to help them enforce they're intentions from our side of the border. As it was, or as it seems it was, all of this started from our side of the border, and it has all of the earmarks of a trial balloon. Nowhere is it written that Canada has to be the ultimate country where the proposed export/import regulations would be imposed. As it was, it is unlikely that any proposal would have been noticed, and if necessary the whole matter might be dropped without attracting much, if any attention.