Ammunition Laws

[jasos]

I was wondering about ammunition laws. I have heard people talking about AP or incindiary rounds being legal/illegal. Though I have looked through all the laws for my state (CO), I haven't found any pertaining to ammo. Even the big book sent to me by the ATF says nothing. Does anyone know where to find something like that. Even my neighborhood cop doesn't know for sure. As you all now it is legal to sell.Not that I have all that much....... :devil:

[John Kennedy]

http://www.nraila.org/GunLaws/FederalGunLaws.aspx?ID=60

hers a good place to start

[jasos]

Thanks John. I have seen that, I just asssumed there were more laws pertaining to ammo. Maybe not. Let's hope it stays that way.

[Poodleshooter]

Federal armor piercing ammo laws pertain generally to "handgun rounds". The trick is that ATF considers pretty much every military round under .50 BMG to be a handgun round since most were chambered in some single shot handgun at one point.
Thus the rules are basically as follows on the federal level:
30/06 blacktip A/P, and M855 5.56mm greentip are not considered to be armor piercing and can be freely sold, made,possessed,etc. That's actually spelled out by ATF. Pretty much any other bullet with an all steel, tungsten or DU penetrator core is verboten for manufacture or sale, though not for possession. This doesn't apply to most partially steel cored surplus ammunition,as the core is homogenous, not a hardened penetrator.
Incendiary ammo is generally no longer available even in component form for .30 (and was never available in .223). It's still easily available for .50's, but is not regulated at federal level.
Tracers are available for all calibers,and are legal to sell, make and possess. Individual states may regulate the use of incendiary or tracer ammo, but it's not regulated at the federal level.
For fed law information, go to www.atf.gov

[Krupski]

Pretty much any other bullet with an all steel, tungsten or DU penetrator core is verboten for manufacture or sale, though not for possession.

Sale of penetrator core ammo by an FFL is not allowed, but a private seller can sell ANY caliber of ANY kind of armor piercing ammo.

I buy a few bags of tungsten core 7.62x39 ammo at every gunshow I go to.

And, yes it is tungsten core. I pulled the bullet from one and melted out the lead part. There was a black pointed cylinder inside the bullet shell, and it's tungsten (or else it's some other metal that can be heated white hot with an oxy-acetylene torch and not melt).

All you need to do is know what to look for on the headstamp.

Roger

[jasos]

Thanks everyone. Good info.

[Poodleshooter]

Roger is correct on his FFL vs. private seller clarification of my info.
One thing to be wary of is state law.
Florida for sure has additional restrictions on "armor piercing" ammunition. I'd recommend searching your state's laws on it.