DOT Plans New Ammo Shipping Regulations
Story by Larry Keane, NSSF
Since the early 1970s, ammunition being shipped in the United States has been classified under “Other Regulated Materials” — class D (ORM-D) regulations. This precludes the need for hazardous material (HazMat) shipping charges and other expensive handling requirements. The savings to the industry has been estimated at more than $300 million per year.
The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI) recognized a potential risk of losing ORM-D status due to the emerging “global harmonization” of shipping regulations. Simply put, the U.S. was likely to adopt United Nations (UN) regulations in an attempt to help ease the global shipping process by adhering to one uniform policy. The problem with shifting to UN regulations is that there is no “ORM-D” status, so if/when this happened, ammunition would have to be shipped under the UN 1.4s category — a category that includes HazMat fees.
SAAMI petitioned the world body to change its shipping regulations to allow for a Limited Quantity (LQ) exemption for class 1.4s products that meet certain testing criteria. Then, SAAMI proved that ammunition meets these criteria. The LQ exemption for loaded ammunition would allow countries to adopt regulations very similar to the current U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) ORM-D classification, yet still be in alignment with global shipping regulations.
‘LQ’ Ammo Shipping Class Will Replace ‘ORM-D’
The UN has adopted SAAMI’s petition and the new international regulation have become final. In the meantime, the U.S. Dept. of Transportation (DOT) has announced sweeping changes to U.S. regulations that will harmonize them with the international regulations. Included in these upcoming changes are the elimination of ORM-D status and the addition of the LQ exemption for ammunition . The net result is that while the regulations will change, shipment of ammunition in the U.S will continue without additional fees and handling requirements. So you will still be able to ship loaded ammo with NO Haz-Mat Fees, but in the future, the ORM-D status will change to LQ exempt status.
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Tags: ammo, Ammunition, NSSF, ORM-D, SAAMI, Shipping, United Nations
I don’t believe anybody should take comfort from this development. the UN is openly hostile to private ownership of firearms and this is another example of our government concedeing authority to an organization that is not answerable to the citizens of the United States through election or recall. If the UN later decideds to change the rules our freedom under the Second Amendment of OUR Constitution is jepordized. Write your Senators and Congressman about this.
Tom Alves
Can you just imagine what kind of black market would emerge if every 70 lbs of ammo had an additional Hazmat fee applied to it? You’d be able to drive state to state with ammo in you trunk, which is not illegal to own, not illegal to possess, not illegal to transport, and not illegal to sell, and sell it at a profit, all while saving the buyer considerable expense. All you’d have to do is say that you aren’t “shipping” it, you own it, which is true.
This is the next step toward one world government,they can’t take away the guns but just make the amo,go away then your guns will not be there problem any more! the UN must remove the guns before the can move there troops into the US like they do in the rest of the world. So get a gun press an learn how to make your owen amo!
Author Please:
Could it be that fedex will make us be certified in their seminar before they will accept our shipment? Already they are setting them up all over the country. It’s $1000 at an airport hotel.