[miko]

Federal makes some types of ammo for sale to LE agencies only and other to self-defence market. Probably other manufacturers do the same.

Are there any considerations to buying ammo marked "For sale to LE Agencies only" when it is available at gun shows, etc?

miko

[Heraclid]

Sorry that I can't speak to that directly, but I had a sort of similar concern over the gun I just bought...

Originally the Browning Pro-9 came with magazines marked "For Law Enforcement Use Only". My mind immediately conjured up a bad situation - like if I got stopped and for whatever reason had to declare my gun and then some cop thinks I got it off another cop or something. But all I think it really was is that the original magazines were 10 rounders and that the 16 rounders were originally meant to be reserved only for law enforcement over in Europe. Well now they all come with the 16-rd mags over here. I know the FNP-9 was partially redesigned and that they did away with those "LE Only" mags at that time, but as I understand it, the Pro-9 is be unchanged since inception. Nonetheless, when I bought it, it also came with the newer unmarked magazines.

[SaxonPig]

Over the years a few guns have ben LEO (Law Enforcement Only). I once had a Remington 870 with a folding stock that was so stamped. It's meaningless. It could be PR in case these guns get used by criminals (Hey, we intended for them to be used only by the police!).

On magazines, between 1994 and 2004 the federal assault weapon ban required mags over 10 rounds be sold only to cops and they had to be marked. When the law expired in 2004 the mag restriction became moot. I bought a few LEO mags just as keepsakes.

On ammo, it's liability coverage. When they load pistol ammo to its full potential they mark it LEO so when some dim wit blows up his Ortega pistol they can tell him it was meant for police only and what was he doing with it anyway?

Some companies have policies restricting their products to cop sales only even though the items are legal. Ruger comes to mind. Cops can get Ruger 30 round mags for their Mini 14s but the rest of us have been told by Bill Sr. to go to Hell and apparently that's still company policy.

[4719]

With regards to Law Enforcement Only Ammunition - This is only observed by the manufacture. For example, the Federal 9mm PBLE 115 grain +P+ JHP is listed as LEO. This is Federal's rule, which also goes for thier distributors. But if you find it at a gun show, you can purchase it and carry it without a problem. The only restrictions on ammunition that I am aware of is for AP.

[gezzer]

Also it is a tax issue. Police and military purchases do not pay the excise tax on ammo.

[Double Naught Spy]

No, it is not a tax issue. Whether or not the ammo box is stamped about LEO only is not a tax issue. They get ammo per law regardless of the lettering.

Most such labelling is meaningless in regard to true legal worries about possession. From what I have seen, I think some companies do it so as to sell some of their ammo at an inflated prices because their non-leo consumer base doesn't know squat about ammo or specs and thinks supposed "LEO Only" ammo is somehow better than regular non-leo ammo.

With that said, there is some ammo the military and police may possess, but not the rest of us without proper credentials, if at all. It may also be stamped LEO Only, but likely will have additional restriction information.

[Steve C]

"Police/LEO only" markings on ammo boxes is there for the company to identify their production destined for police dept's and not a legal or obligatory restriction on the ammo. Contract over runs and surplus ammo finds its way to distributors that then sell it to the public.

[Smurfslayer]

:scrutiny: ...scratches head... looks at search button... "nah...why bother"...

I seem to remember this coming up a few months back and we came to the scientifically proven internet conclusion that it was a vast left wing conspiracy of the ammunition manufacturers to aid "The MAN(tm)" in keeping us down. :uhoh:

I can think of at least 5 situations in which this "LEO only" marking could or would get you in trouble.

1: Washington, DC, 2: New Yawk" 3: New Joizey 4: Taxachussetts and 5 the Slippery Slope...

Not that this specific type of ammo is necessarily prohibited in these places, but we've all seen / heard the lawman/lawwoman who was less familiar with the law than we were. Let's face it, in Slippery Slope, USA it wouldn't take very much for the addition of a phrase "or any ammunition marked LEO Only" to the ubiquitous "cop killer bullet prohibition laws" for us to suddenly be outlaws.

It is for this very reason that we need to be considering __NOW__ how to get the ammo manufacturers away from this designation and to a more common and acceptable marking. Something like:

"Not for use in firearms NOT rated for +P ammunition"

[Zen21Tao]

It is my understanding that the LEO only ammo isn't a law but more of a manufactorer's policy. For example, Winchester (or its distributors) makes a local gunstore sign a form that says they will only sell to LEO only ammo to LEOs and if they are caught selling to non-LEOs Winchester yanks that ammo line from them and no longer allows them to carry it.

[Euclidean]

It's like this. One day at Hornady:

"Hmmmm how can we sell more of this particular product... hey let's try to give people the idea they can't have it, that way they will buy it up in spades..."

Or in Winchester's case:

"Okay let's change the colors, call it SXT for Same Xact Thing, and then brand it law enforcement only so that we can continue to sell the stuff without the reporters raking us across the coals again."

[Sunray]

Euclidean. Exactly. It's a marketing thing just like adding the word 'tactical' to anything. Nothing more.

[Bill T]

I agree, it's totally meaningless. Remember when the Ruger Mini 14 came out in the early 70's? It was, "For law enforcement sales only". When they didn't want anything to do with it, they then sold it to the masses. Bill T.