Denied the right to buy a block of .22 LRs today.

[Deer Hunter]

Today I was with my future bro-in-law in town and we decided to swing by Academy (mil-surp store was closed). While there, I decided to buy a block of Remington thunderbolt .22LRs, since I was out. I am 18 years old, so I figured I could buy them (been doing it since I was 14 back home). I walk to the counter, ask to buy the block (it was behind the counter) and he asks for my age. Granted, I could have lied and probably gotten away with it, but I decided to be truthful to see where this was going. I told him I was 18, and this is how it went.

"sorry, pistol ammo can only be bought if you are 21 or above."

"It's for a ruger 10/22 carbine."

*silence for three seconds* "You can only buy ammo for a pistol if you are over 21" (The tone of his voice made it seem like he didn't know what a 10/22 was.)

"I see. I hope you understand that I could easily purchase that box of .308 *points to shelf* and fire it out of my Encore pistol, right? You do understand that there are numerous pistols made for rifle-calibers, right?"

At this point, I know I can't buy them. I knew the law, but I figured I'd try my luck. Now I was simply angry at the ignorance of the guy at the counter (His firearm knowledge was nonexistant. His advice to people looking at pistols were laughable). So, his retort to this was the same.

"Um, you can't buy pistol ammo until you're 21..."

"Right. Stupid law, something about liability, right? Ok." I was very tempted to get my bro-in-law to buy it for me, just out of spite, but I decided to drop it.

Does this law really serve any purpose? It seems to me that rifles and shotguns out-range and out-damage pistols most of the time, plus they can be very compact in certain forms.

The gray area is clearly there with this restriction. .22 LR is shot out of numerous rifles and pistols, but so is .223, .357, .38, 9mm, .45 ACP, .45 colt, 7.62x25mm, .308, ,30-30, etc. As I've asked, what does this law really do other than lower the store's revenue?

 

[Euclidean]

It's not a law as far as I know in any state, someone correct me otherwise please. It's mostly a policy some retailers use.

It makes no sense. Of course it makes no sense it is based on ignorance and fear.

When you get a little older, you can do what I do and when they card you present your CHL permit for ID and listen to them inform you that's not sufficient ID.

 

[Gord]

Realistically, not much - gun control doesn't work, why would ammo control?

As you've said, Encore barrels can be had in pretty much any centerfire rifle caliber known to man, and a lot of traditionally handgun calibers are now seeing carbines chambered for them. Luckily, I'm still allowed to buy .22LR (for my two revolvers, oh no ).

If it were any kind of sensible, the law would be repealed. There's very few handgun calibers left that a long gun hasn't been chambered for.

 

[RioShooter]

At Wal-Mart they ask me if I'm going to use .22LR in a rifle or pistol, and I'm 56. If the employee could do anything other than scanning and bagging, they'd probably be doing it.

 

[Brian Williams]

Tis Federal Law, not State.
Also programed in to terminal cash register/Point of Sale machine for slow WallyWorld folks.

 

[karz10]

i have to show ID and sign something to buy cold medicine now (Damn tweakers)

pretty soon every product in America will be behind someone's counter at this rate

Karz

 

[B. Adams]

I always though .22 was exempt from the handgun ammo restriction. Either I'm mistaken or that clerk was. Was I wrong all these years?

 

[DMK]

Does this law really serve any purpose?

Do any of them?

 

[American_Pit_Bull]

You should have asked him why he thought it was called .22 "LONG RIFLE"... The answer would have been interesting

 

[Deer Hunter]

I guess not, DMK.

I should have asked him that, Trac, but I let it go. I figured this guy wasn't worth my time on this subject. I pick my fights, and this one was a lost cause from the beginning.

 

[DMK]

Come to think of it, last time I bought 22LR at Walmart, the guy asked me if it was for a handgun or a rifle. I said " doesn't matter, pick one".

Your guy probably just assumed the wrong one for you.

 

[1911JMB]

When they ask "long gun or handgun?" I like to simply say "machine gun". I now buy the ammo I don't reload at a class 3 dealer, so the cashier just grins and says okay. Granted I don't have and can't afford a full auto, but its still fun to say.

 

[razorburn]

If he acted like he didn't know what a 10/22 was, I would've further explained that it is rifle ammo and you're buyiing if for a rifle.

 

[Deer Hunter]

I figured that if this guy didn't know that the 10/22 was a rifle and I was buying .22 long RIFLE for a RIFLE, then it wouldn't help to explain it to him. He would probably still shake his head and not sell it to me.

 

[GRB]

Had you pointed out to him that .22LR stands for .22 Long RIFLE his jaw would have dropped, his brain stopped cranking, then it would likely have gone into overdrive, and he would have called a manager, because he did not know how to handle his brain trying to go that fast, and the manager probably would have sold them to you.

 

[Avenger29]

At a certain large retailer that shall remain unnamed, I was buying a box of .22LR. Showed ID to guy at counter- "You can't buy this until you are 18" was the reply. Of course, I am about to turn 19 in a month, and ID cleary said "Under 18 until March 29, 2006 in upper right hand corner, with the DOB in the main section. Of course, it being 2007 meant that I was well past that date. Sometimes, these people can't think for some reason.

 

[230RN]

"It's for my deer poaching rifle. Got any batteries for my jacklight? Oh, and I need a salt block. Izzat over in hardware?"

 

[ArcherandShooter]

"Machine Guns" LOL

It's like in restaurants... when they ask "Smoking preference?" I always want to say, "Maui Wowee", but Springmom just elbows me in the ribs, smiles to the girl and nicely says, "Non smoking, please".

Just ONCE I want to say something that strips the gears from their not-too-tough mental transmission.

 

[bogie]

All I want to know is why you are bitching about it here, when you obviously haven't called the drone's manager. If the drone's manager has _his_ head firmly embedded, then you can bitch. Your mommy isn't going to bother the fellow. Your teacher isn't going to bother the fellow. Some stranger isn't going to bother the fellow. That's YOUR job.

Sheesh - seems like people are happiest when they have something to piss and moan about. Don't piss and moan. DO SOMETHING about the problem.

 

[berettaman]

I always ask for smokeing section. Never any waiting for a table and best of all no SCREEMING kids!

 

[Walter]

GCA 1968 made it a Federal Offense to sell handgun ammunition to anyone
under the age of 21. Since .22 LR is used in many "handguns", it was
deemed by most dealers to be off-limits to anyone under 21.

I learned of this in 1969, home on leave from the Marine Corps,
after a tour of duty with a Marine rifle company in I Corps, RVN. When the store clerk refused to sell me .22 LR ammo, I blistered his ears with some Marine-type expletives, and not-so-politely informed him of where I had been and what I had been doing for the last year. Didn't phase him in the least. He flatly refused to sell me any .22 ammo. I cursed him and his mother, then left the store.

GCA '68 is still a thorn in the side of legal gun owners. :banghead:

Walter

 

[.cheese.]

I have to agree with Glenn Bartley here.

Had you told him the LR stands for "Long Rifle", his head would have exploded and then you'd have to clean it all up.

So, it's a tradeoff..... you could have walked out (which you did), or have gotten the ammo, but had to mop up the remains of his grey-matter on the ceiling, walls, and floor.

 

[Robo_Railer]

If it were any kind of sensible, the law would be repealed.

Har har. The "sensible" part, that is. Made me think of this: “If the law supposes that,” said Mr. Bumble, “the law is a ass—a idiot. If that’s the eye of the law, the law is a bachelor; and the worst I wish the law is that his eye may be opened by experience—by experience.” -- Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist

BTW, I went to look for the text of the law about .22 ammunition, and didn't get beyond the first page of Google results. There were links to NRA-ILA and other pages that turned out to not have what I was looking for. Then there were all the sites like Sen. Dianne Feinstein's ("Di-Fi") baloney about the AWB, and something from the "Violence Policy Center." They were whining about federal funds being used to "target" schools with gun manufacturer advertising. "At issue is not hunting, but whether any industry should, with federal funds, use our schools to increase the sale of its product and bolster its political base." Right; and anytime someone says "it's not the money, it's the principle," then it's about the money.

Apologies for the hijacking of the thread. "We now return you to the previous discussion."

 

[CleverNickname]

There's no exemption for .22LR ammo. Here's the applicable law, 18 USC 922(b):

(b) It shall be unlawful for any licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector to sell or deliver—
(1) any firearm or ammunition to any individual who the licensee knows or has reasonable cause to believe is less than eighteen years of age, and, if the firearm, or ammunition is other than a shotgun or rifle, or ammunition for a shotgun or rifle, to any individual who the licensee knows or has reasonable cause to believe is less than twenty-one years of age;

Note that the limitation is only on FFLs, not on the general public. The simple solution would be to find a >21 yo friend and have them go buy your ammo for you. There's no straw purchase law for ammo like for firearms.

 

[Waitone]

You were perfectly logical in your response.

Trouble is we're talkin' law, not logic. Don't think for a minute the two are related.