ATF Shelves Plan to Ban M855 Ammo — For Now at Least

Photo courtesy NSSF.

Count this as a small victory for gun owners — the ATF’s proposed ban on “Green Tip” M855 ammo has been taken off the table — for now at least. The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives (ATF) announced that it will rethink its proposed ban on commonplace 5.56x45mm M855 “green tip” ammunition. ATF has shelved the M855 ban for the time being while it reviews the 80,000+ comments it has received on the issue. The Shooting Wire noted that: “In addition to those 80,000 comments from average citizens, letters from both houses of Congress warned the ATF [that its] proposal was…a violation of law as Congress had exempted M855 from armor piercing classification because of its widespread use for recreational and competition shooting.” Though the matter is “off the table” for now, ATF will continue to accept comments through March 16, 2015.

ATF Statement Regard Proposed M855 Ban

“Thank you for your interest in ATF’s proposed framework for determining whether certain projectiles are ‘primarily intended for sporting purposes’ within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(17)(C). The informal comment period will close on Monday, March 16, 2015. ATF has already received more than 80,000 comments, which will be made publicly available as soon as practicable. Although ATF endeavored to create a proposal that reflected a good faith interpretation of the law and balanced the interests of law enforcement, industry, and sportsmen, the vast majority of the comments received to date are critical of the framework, and include issues that deserve further study. Accordingly, ATF will not at this time seek to issue a final framework. After the close of the comment period, ATF will process the comments received, further evaluate the issues raised therein, and provide additional open and transparent process (for example, through additional proposals and opportunities for comment) before proceeding with any framework.”