Commerce Dept. BIS Export Rule Targets Hunters and Competitive Marksmen Going Abroad Story based on NSSF Report By Mark Oliva
Hunters and competitive marksmen thinking about traveling overseas for their next adventure should keep in mind that the Biden administration’s new rule targeting firearm exports also puts their personally-owned firearms in the crosshairs.
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published an Interim Final Rule that makes permanent a freeze on firearm and ammunition exports. Hidden in some of the fine print… are new restrictions for hunters traveling overseas. That lifetime dream of hunting in the African plains, Scottish Highlands or New Zealand mountains is going to come with more challenges than just arranging travel, passports, guides and getting on the animals. Now, there’s a new maze of legal paperwork too.
Personal Export License Will Be Required to Take Rifles to Dozens of Countries
Hunters planning destinations which are in Country Group D:5 will require an export license to travel with personal firearms. Those D:5 countries are Afghanistan, Belarus, Burma, Cambodia, Central African Republic, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Lebanon, Libya, Nicaragua, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe (but Zimbabwe is excluded from this export license requirement under the Interim Final Rile). Likewise, Caribbean countries will also require an export license for personal firearms.
That rule will change the license policy for a group of 36 countries considered to be “high risk” and BIS will revoke any current licenses held by exporters. There are a bevy of new restrictions, including a requirement that licenses that were once valid for four years are now only good for one year.
CLICK HERE for full NSSF Report with more information about specific foreign destinations.
Today’s Saturday showcase features a variety of notable products. We start with the excellent new-generation Micron seating dies. These precision dies deliver very low run-out and very consistent base-to-ogive numbers. Next we highlight the superb Bix’n Andy triggers, both single-stage and 2-stage models. Then Ultimate Reloader reviews the Longshot Hawk Spotting scope camera. This is followed by a detailed video on the state-of-the-art, computer-controlled AMP Mark II DB annealer, an amazing product that can enhance accuracy while dramatically extending useful brass life. For ELR shooters and 50 BMG fans, we include a review of Forster’s Co-Ax XL press. And finally you’ll find a video showing Caldwell’s handy and affordable “Flash Bang” hit detector.
New Micron Seating Dies from Bullet Central
This F-Class John video covers the impressive Micron Precision Series eating dies, both the threaded version and the Arbor Press model. These are beautifully made with very precise seating depth adjustments. John starts by showing the full operation of the Micron Arbor Press Die. Then, at the 12:05 time-mark, John shows the Micron threaded die used in the impressive new Short Action Customs Nexus Press. John explains how to back off the dies to work towards your desired seating depth in stages. Use code MICRON15 at Bullet Central to save 15% on your Micron purchase.
Bix’n Andy Triggers — Single-Stage and 2-Stage
Bix’N Andy triggers are now widely used by top long-range, F-Class, and Palma competitors. These triggers are precise, easy to adjust and available for a wide range of actions. The availability of Bix’N Andy triggers is more important than ever before because Jewell triggers has halted production and it is now difficult to get spare parts for Jewell triggers. In this video, F-Class John shows the features of both single-stage Comp and 2-stage Comp triggers, with different trigger blades. At the 16-minute mark, John shows the triggers in use at the range on both benchrest and NRL22-style rimfire rifles. NOTE: For a limited time save $30 off order of $300 or more at BulletCentral.com with code FCJ30.
Longshot Hawk Spotting Scope Camera
The LongShot Hawk Spotting Scope Camera is a great accessory. Attached to the eyepiece of your spotting scope, it will send the “view” to a tablet or smartphone placed next to your rifle. With this system you can see the shot impact in normal firing position your cheek resting against the rifle. That is impractical with the cheaper phonescope systems attached to a spotting scopes. NOTE: Any device that you’ll use to connect to the HAWK (phone or tablet) will need to be Wi-Fi capable. The HAWK has built-in Wi-Fi and broadcasts an SSID to connect with your phone/tablet. It doesn’t need an internet connection to work — but it uses the wireless connection for streaming the video signal.
Annealing Made Perfect AMP Mark II DB
This detailed 9.7 minute review outlines the features of the latest AMP electronic annealing machine, the AMP Mark II DB. This uses a computer control to deliver precise annealing times and temperatures with a profile for your specific lot and brand of brass. One user praised this new AMP machine: “The touch screen is much more intuitive than the old one.” Another stated: “If you want to anneal the best way possible this is it. Does a torch work? Sure it does. The AMP does it far better and far more consistently.” A buyer confirmed this sophisticated new AMP is fast and efficient: “Just got one, a few days ago and it’s so easy to use. Without even trying, I easily anneal eight rounds per minute”.
Forster Co-Ax XL Press — Great Option for Very Large Cartridges
If you load very long cartridges, such as the .375 CheyTac, .416 Barrett, or 50 BMG, you will need a specialized press with more space inside the frame and enhanced vertical die travel. The relatively new Forster Co-Ax XL press, introduced at the 2023 SHOT Show, fills the bill. In this Ultimate Reloader video, Gavin Gear shows how to set up the XL press. Then he shows how to adapt the press to different die sizes. He finishes by sizing a 50 BMG case. Gavin notes that this press has beefy construction and ball bearings in the linkage plates. Like what you see? You can purchase this press direct from Forster for $1295.00.
Caldwell Flash Bang Device Shows Hits
If you are shooting steel or reactive targets at long range, sometimes it is difficult to see the hit, particularly if you are shooting lighter-weight bullets or if the target hasn’t recently been painted. Caldwell has a solution — the battery-powered Flash-Bang. A bright-green strip light flashes on impact. The Flash-Bang unit attaches with adhesive to the rear of the target, extending to the left or right side. CLICK HERE for another Caldwell Flash Bang field test from the HarleyWood YouTube Channel.
Monday, May 27, 2024 is Memorial Day. Many leading shooting sports/outdoor vendors are now running Memorial Day Sales over the next few days. You’ll find savings on guns, ammo, reloading supplies, brass, optics, hunting gear and more.
Brownells Memorial Day Sale — Save 15% with Code MDAY15
Brownells has kicked off a major Memorial Day Sale. Use Code MDAY15 to save 15% sitewide on a vast range of products. You’ll find great deals on Howa products, optics, AR components and more.
Creedmoor Sports — Free Shipping and Peterson Brass Sale
Now through Tuesday, 5/28/24 at noon CST, Creedmoor Sports is offering FREE Shipping on orders over $149.00. In addition, there is a big sale on quality, USA-made Peterson brass. You can save $32 per 100 or more. A very large variety of Peterson brass is in stock now. (Note: Some of the brass sale prices have not been updated yet.)
Palmetto State Armory Memorial Day Sale
Palmetto State Armory has a major Memorial Day Weekend Sale underway now. Save on ammo, optics, tools, triggers, and more. A wide variety of AR-platform parts are discounted and there are some great deals on handguns. For example, the Taurus G2C 9mm pistol is now just $229.99, a $120.00 savings.
Popular retailer KYGUNCO is offering significant savings on Beretta, Glock, Springfield Armory, and Taurus handguns as part of its Memorial Day Sale. For example you can get the Beretta APX-A1 9mm carry pistol for just $199.99 after Beretta $50 factory Rebate. With Rebate that’s $109 off the typical $309.00 price.
If you are planning to shoot a PRS match with factory ammo or use factory ammo when hunting, you should definitely check the ammo velocity in YOUR rifle. Otherwise your ballistics come-up tables could be all wrong. It’s not uncommon to find that the actual velocity in YOUR gun is NOT the same as the listed velocity on the ammunition package. We explain why in today’s article…
Why You CANNOT Rely on the MV Printed on the Ammo Box!
When figuring out your come-ups with a ballistics solver or drop chart it’s “mission critical” to have an accurate muzzle velocity (MV). When shooting factory ammo, it’s tempting to use the manufacturer-provided MV which may be printed on the package. That’s not such a great idea says Bryan Litz of Applied Ballistics. Don’t rely on the MV on the box, Bryan advises — you should take out your chrono and run your own velocity tests. There are a number of reasons why the MV values on ammo packaging may be inaccurate. Below is a discussion of factory ammo MV from the Applied Ballistics Facebook Page.
Five Reasons You Cannot Trust the Velocity on a Box of Ammo:
1. You have no idea about the rifle used for the MV test.
2. You have no idea what atmospheric conditions were during testing, and yes it matters a lot.
3. You have no idea of the SD for the factory ammo, and how the manufacturer derived the MV from that SD. (Marketing plays a role here).
4. You have no idea of the precision and quality of chronograph(s) used for velocity testing.
5. You have no idea if the manufacturer used the raw velocity, or back-calculated the MV. The BC used to back track that data is also unknown.
1. The factory test rifle and your rifle are not the same. Aside from having a different chamber, and possibly barrel length some other things are important too like the barrel twist rate, and how much wear was in the barrel. Was it just recently cleaned, has it ever been cleaned? You simply don’t know anything about the rifle used in testing.
2. Temperature and Humidity conditions may be quite different (than during testing). Temperature has a physical effect on powder, which changes how it burns. Couple this with the fact that different powders can vary in temp-stability quite a bit. You just don’t know what the conditions at the time of testing were. Also a lot of factory ammunition is loaded with powder that is meter friendly. Meter friendly can often times be ball powder, which is less temperature stable than stick powder often times.
3. The ammo’s Standard Deviation (SD) is unknown. You will often notice that while MV is often listed on ammo packages, Standard Deviation (normally) is not. It is not uncommon for factory ammunition to have an SD of 18 or higher. Sometimes as high as 40+. As such is the nature of metering powder. With marketing in mind, did they pick the high, low, or average end of the SD? We really don’t know. You won’t either until you test it for yourself. For hand-loaded ammo, to be considered around 10 fps or less. Having a high SD is often the nature of metered powder and factory loads. The image below is from Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting: Volume II.
4. You don’t know how MV was measured. What chronograph system did the manufacturer use, and how did they back track to a muzzle velocity? A chronograph does not measure true velocity at the muzzle; it simply measures velocity at the location it is sitting. So you need to back-calculate the distance from the chrono to the end of the barrel. This calculation requires a semi-accurate BC. So whose BC was used to back track to the muzzle or did the manufacturer even do that? Did they simply print the numbers displayed by the chronograph? What kind of chronograph setup did they use? We know from our Lab Testing that not all chronographs are created equal. Without knowing what chronograph was used, you have no idea the quality of the measurement.
5. The MV data may not be current. Does the manufacturer update that data for every lot? Or is it the same data from years ago? Some manufacturers rarely if ever re-test and update information. Some update it every lot (ABM Ammo is actually tested every single lot for 1% consistency). Without knowing this information, you could be using data for years ago.
CONCLUSION: Never use the printed MV off a box of ammo as anything more than a starting point, there are too many factors to account for. You must always either test for the MV with a chronograph, or use carefully obtained, live fire data. When you are using a Ballistic Solver such as the AB Apps or Devices integrated with AB, you need to know the MV to an accuracy down to 5 fps. The more reliable the MV number, the better your ballistics solutions.
Registration is open for the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) 2024 National Smallbore and Air Gun events. These will be part of the 2024 National Matches held at the Camp Perry National Guard Training Base in Clinton, Ohio. Review the 2024 National Matches schedule and event info on the CMP website.
Smallbore (Rimfire) Events at Petrarca Range
The National Smallbore lineup includes iron sights and any sights prone events as well as 3×20 (three-position) individual and team matches. Smallbore events are fired on the covered outdoor electronic target line of Camp Perry’s Petrarca Range.
This video covers the Smallbore competition at the 2021 CMP National Matches at Camp Perry.
National Air Gun Matches at Gary Anderson Competition Center
Air rifle and/or air pistol competitors can participate in the National Air Gun Matches, held on the electronic target range at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center. The air rifle and air pistol programs feature training, followed by two days of 60-shot competitions.
Schedule Allows Competitors to Shoot Both Smallbore AND Air Rifle Events
The National Smallbore and National Air Gun phases have been arranged in tandem to allow athletes the option of competing in both disciplines, with an aggregate event included for those firing in air rifle and three-position smallbore competitions. Challenging elimination team matches will also be part of the Air Gun and Smallbore schedules.
About the National Matches:
The National Matches event is comprised of the CMP National Trophy Pistol and Rifle Matches, National Games Matches, National Smallbore Matches, National Air Gun Championships, and the National Mid-Range and Long Range Matches. The month-long series also includes a variety of educational clinics for all experience levels. All events are open to the public, with spectators welcome.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), has announced its support for the Congressional Review Act (CRA) Resolution of Disapproval of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) “Engaged in the Business” Final Rule. The CRA Disapproval Resolution was introduced and led by U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and was co-sponsored by 43 other senators.
Senators Seek to Block ATF Rule Requiring FFL License for Private Sales
The CRA Resolution would block the Biden administration from enforcing the Final Rule that forces private firearm sellers to obtain a Federal Firearms License (FFL), conduct FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check Systems (NICS) verifications and maintain records in perpetuity, the same as a bonafide licensed firearm retailer. The Final Rule was forced through to institute near-universal background checks, legislation that Congress has expressly rejected because it would require a national firearm registry to work.
“President Biden is using rulemaking by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to impose so-called ‘Universal Background Checks’ rejected by Congress. The rule is unconstitutional because it violates the Separation of Powers by usurping the role of Congress to say what the law is,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF’s Senior VP & General Counsel.
Keane adds: “The rule ignores Congress’ requirements left unchanged by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) that a dealer is one who devotes time, attention and labor to dealing in firearms as a regular course of trade or business through the repetitive purchase and resale of firearms. The Biden administration has repeatedly shown its willingness to run roughshod over the Constitution to attack the fundamental rights of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms.” SEE ATF Final Rule Text.
In this Armed Attorneys Video, Emily Taylor and Richard Hayes discuss the effect of the new ATF Final Rule.
Biden Admin Action Could Affect over 300,000 Private Gun Owners
The massive expansion of persons considered to be “engaged in the business” could have a massive reach. The new policy could require registration (and monitoring) of up to 328,000 Americans it now deems to be “firearm dealers” even though they only make occasional firearm sales, sell part of a personal firearm collection, or make purchases/exchanges for a personal collection or hobby.
Here Attorney and Washington Gun Law President William Kirk analyzes the ATF’s new Final Rule and explains how it will affect private transactions.
Shooting USA TV will broadcast a great show tomorrow, 5/22/24. Shooting USA’s Wednesday Night episode features the NRA World Shooting Championship held last month at Camp Atterbury. This unique competition features multiple disciplines shot with firearms supplied by sponsors. All of the guns are provided and once the match is over the stage firearms become prizes. There are also cash prize awards for the top Pro Class competitors. SEE NRA World Championship Program.
Shooting USA SHOW TIMES: This Shooting USA Episode airs Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 PM Central. If you miss the regular broadcast, you can stream the show online at any time on Vimeo for $0.99 per episode.
The NRA World Shooting Championship was held April 3-6, 2024 at Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. Presented by Walther, this challenging event involved rifle, pistol, and shotgun shooting with a dozen disciplines — from short-range action pistol to long-range rifle. Topping the field among lady shooters was the talented Lanny Barnes, a 3-Time Olympic biathlete and professional 3-Gun competitor. We congratulate Lanny for her great 2024 performance at the NRA Championship, which earned Lanny the title of NRA World Shooting Lady Champion!
The NRA World Shooting Championship
This championship is designed to test individuals through multiple different disciplines over a period of three days of shooting. Competitors compete in Professional and Amateur categories for cash and prizes of over $250,000. Walther and other sponsors supplied ALL firearms equipment and ammunition required for the 12 stages of competition.
To do well, competitors must be highly proficient in all shooting skills — rifle, pistol, shotgun, both rapid fire and precision. The stages were: Sporting Clays, Precision Standing Air Gun, NRA Americas Rifle Challenge, NRA Precision Pistol, FITASC, 3-Gun, Mid-Range AR-Tactical, Biathlon, SASS (Cowboy Action), PRS, Scholastic Action Shooting, and USPSA.
On May 20, 2024, the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association (NRA) elected Doug Hamlin as NRA Executive Vice President and CEO and also elected former U.S. Congressman Bob Barr as President of the NRA. The recent meeting of the Board of Directors followed the 153rd NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits held in Dallas, Texas.
“I thank my colleagues for their support of my election as NRA President,” said Bob Barr. “I have been a fighter my whole life and I commit to boldly fight for our Second Amendment rights on behalf of the millions of NRA members. We need to grow our ranks, especially in this election year, and I pledge to focus my attention on doing just that.”
New NRA VP and CEO Hamlin is Marine Veteran Who Directed NRA Publications
New NRA Executive Vice President & CEO Doug Hamlin recently served as Executive Director of NRA Publications. Prior to joining NRA in 2014, Mr. Hamlin had a long career in the publishing industry with Petersen Publishing. He also was vice president and group publisher of Motor Trend magazine and served as the publisher of Guns & Ammo magazine. Mr. Hamlin served six years on active duty as a regular Marine Officer, including serving overseas with the Third Marine Division. He also has been active in Veteran charitable causes.
“I am truly humbled to be elected by the NRA Board of Directors as the next Executive Vice President & CEO of the NRA,” said Doug Hamlin. “Our Association is at a decisive moment in our history, and the future of America and constitutional freedoms depends on the success of the NRA.”
Following the election of Mr. Hamlin as NRA Executive Vice President, he re-appointed Randy Kozuch as the Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) and appointed Joseph P. De Bergalis, Jr., as the Executive Director of NRA General Operations.
The NRA Board of Directors also elected William A. Bachenberg as NRA First Vice President and Mark E. Vaughan, President of the Oklahoma Rifle Association, as NRA Second Vice President. The Board of Directors also re-elected Sonya B. Rowling as NRA Treasurer and John C. Frazer as NRA Secretary. This year, the NRA membership voted overwhelmingly to create the position of NRA Chief Compliance Officer. Robert Mensinger was elected by the Board to serve in that position.
BONUS: Full Donald Trump Address to NRA-ILA on 5/19/2024
On Saturday, former President Donald Trump delivered the keynote address at the NRA Leadership Forum. At the event he accepted the official endorsement from the NRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) for his re-election as President of the United States of America.
The Biden administration, through its Commerce Department Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), will impose new gun export restrictions starting May 30, 2024. These restrictions will affect a wide range of gun exports to 36 countries world-wide. These new restrictions follow gun export “pauses” mandated last October. Fox News explains:
“The Biden administration plans to impose new restrictions on firearms exports and increase scrutiny on transactions … a Commerce Department official said late on Thursday. The department on Oct. 27 issued a pause on most firearm exports to assess the ‘risk of firearms being diverted to entities or activities that promote regional instability, violate human rights, or fuel criminal activities.’
The Department plans to announce on Friday it will lift the pause from May 30 when the new restrictions take effect. The Commerce Department expects the restrictions to result in about a 7% reduction, or $40 million, out of the $600 million in average annual U.S. firearm exports, the official said.”
Additionally, the Commerce Department will revoke some export licenses and will cut some licenses from four years to one-year. SEE Legal Analysis.
Biden Administration Restriction of Firearms Exports By Larry Keane, NSSF Senior V.P. and General Counsel
“President Joe Biden’s relentless rebukes of the firearm industry and law-abiding gun owners isn’t just an infringement on our Second Amendment rights – it’s a calculated and well-financed attack on the fabric of American liberty. President Biden calls the firearm industry ‘the enemy’ and his administration is systematically attempting to dismantle the industry and pander to the whims of radical gun control lobbyists. The evidence is clear, and the statistics damning.
The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) recently finalized a rule that made a 90-day firearm export ‘pause’ permanent policy and created burdensome regulatory requirements. Sold under the guise of national security, this policy will hamstring the U.S. firearm industry’s competitiveness and cost thousands of good-paying jobs by impeding a critical revenue source. The economic impact is staggering, with estimates far exceeding $250 million – a devastating blow to an industry already reeling from government overreach.” READ Full Story on NSSF.org.
This new Department of Commerce Rule goes into effect on May 30, 2024. The new firearms export policies are explained in the Federal Register:
“In this interim final rule (IFR), the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to enhance the control structure for firearms and related items[.] This rule identifies semi-automatic firearms under new Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs); adds additional license requirements for Crime Control and Detection (CC) items, thereby resulting in additional restrictions on the availability of license exceptions for most destinations; amends license review policies so that they are more explicit as to the nature of review that will accompany different types of transactions and license exception availability (including adding a new list of high-risk destinations); updates and expands requirements for support documentation submitted with license applications; and better accounts for the import documentation requirements of other countries (such as an import certificate or other permit prior to importation) when firearms and related items are authorized under a BIS license exception. … This rule is effective May 30, 2024.”
One of the most important short-range benchrest matches on the planet kicks off tomorrow. The Super Shoot, official Super Shoot 50 this year, will draw top group-shooting benchrest aces from around the world to the USA this week. The match will be held at the excellent Benchrest Rifle Club in Missouri. The match officially starts on May 20th, but the BRC was open for practice this weekend (see schedule below).
This event has been called the “premier benchrest match of the year”. The course of fire has Light Varmint and Heavy varmint group size competition at 100 yards and 200 yards. Most of the rifles will be chambered for the 6mm PPC cartridge shooting bullets under 70 grains. Every year the Super Shoot attracts top benchrest competitors from many countries around the world. Along the firing line you’ll find Hall-of-Famers and past National Champions.
This year marks a milestone for the Super Shoot — as Super Shoot 50 will be held May 20-23, 2024. Historically, the Super Shoot has been the most prestigious benchrest match in the world. This year the Super Shoot will be held at one of the premier facilities in the United States, the Benchrest Rifle Club in St Louis, Missouri. Sponsors this year include: Bartlein Barrels, BAT Machine, Bruno Shooters Supply, Krieger Barrels, MidwayUSA, MTM, PMA Tool, Redding, and Shilen Rifles.
Biden Administration Restriction of Firearms Exports
