Restricted ammo?? News

[WestKentucky]

This comes out of a local station where I grew up. The radio is actually the next county over but they do provide better news coverage for the area thanany of the other places, and with the newspaper changing hands and such this and one other radio station are about the only reasonably credible local news outfits in the area. Sad to say, they have plenty to report on the last few days. What I had trouble with was this...

“State Police report Hubbard was wearing a ballistic vest and was in possession of multiple firearms which Hopkinsville Police identified as a .40 caliber handgun, an AR-15 rifle, and restricted ammo.”

What could they mean by “restricted ammo”? I personally know a couple of the news writers and they are in no way anti-gun, nor are the station execs. They also simply and factually reported that an AR was used in this weeks police officer shooting, much like they did here. I’m not aware of any 223/5.56 ammo that would be considered contraband in any way. Fort Campbell is very handy and like all military bases stuff finds its way to the locals pretty loosely, but even military munitions I am aware of wouldn’t be restricted. I’m confused.

Edit: I’m relatively sure .40sw ammo isn’t restricted either.

 

[.455_Hunter]

5.56mm AP is restricted (M995).

They may also considered "normal" ammo pilfered from military sources (not surplus) as restricted, like M855 or M855A1.

 

[Deanimator]

They probably don't have a clue.

 

[silvermane_1]

They probably don't have a clue.

Probably that's the case right there.

 

[Deanimator]

Probably that's the case right there.

Years ago, a local TV station reported the arrest of a man and the confiscation of "unregistered" firearms.

I called the relevant police department and asked how one "registered" a firearm in that town, they had no answer and directed me to the TV station. Strangely, the "journalist" responsible for the piece was unavailable and never returned my call.

Incidentally, there is state preemption of gun laws in Ohio. There are NO gun laws below state level here and there is NO state registration. There's literally no way to register any firearm that fails outside of the NFA '34.

But I guess that if you try to learn Ohio gun laws by watching "Law and Order" you're bound to come out looking like an imbecile.

 

[Drail]

And yet that is exactly what most people in this country do. Television has become nothing but a propaganda device People use it to "learn" about the world around them. And it's all lies.

 

[FL-NC]

My guess would be AP ammunition if we are talking 223.

 

[GAF]

Reality is not what Hollywood / Television does for a living.

 

[Deanimator]

Reality is not what Hollywood / Television does for a living.

As I've said on more than one occasion, trying to learn about guns, gun laws and self-defense from TV cop shows is like trying to learn about rocketry, astronomy, and planetary science by watching "Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars".

All too often, it's like trying to learn about Judaism by reading "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion", "Mein Kampf" and Henry Ford's "The International Jew". More often than not, ignorance is overtaken by pure malice.

 

[Scooter22]

Yeah it's just like anything over 1 (one) firearm is AN ARSENAL!!! How many of us have arsenals. I think many life long collectors have what the media would think is enough to supply a 3rd world country. Another is THOUSANDS of rounds of AMMO!!! Wow, thats what me and my kids can go through in bulk packs of .22LR ammo on a range trip. The media is making the honest gun owner and shooter into public enemy #1. While the revolving door of justice allows criminals who have killed people back out multiple times but thats OK with them. They need a 2nd chance. Well that why we need to keep the 2A.

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

Maybe the box said “law enforcement only” or something.

 

[Alte Schule]

When I bought my FN 5.7 x 28 a few years ago I was told that sales of the FN SS198LF Green Tip ammunition was restricted to Law Enforcement and Military use only and that I would have to provide a copy of my LEO ID with any on line order. Although I found that while a few retailers required this many others did not. I haven't had to buy any 5.7 ammo in a couple of years as I have plenty but never understood if this was some type of marketing ploy or a real thing.

 

[CapnMac]

As a guess, the reporter was merely repeating what they were told, presumably by a person expected to know. Which gets complicated as the PIO typically only knows what they have been told. Or understood. Or thought they heard.

 

[reddog81]

Maybe the box said “law enforcement only” or something.

That was my first thought also.

Or maybe it was some green tip 5.56 ammo that someone thought was banned or had other bad information.

 

[GAF]

IMHO Hollywood/Television has an obligation to get some part of their show to line up with reality when they say "Ripped from the headlines". Maybe I am expecting to much?

 

[KansasSasquatch]

When I bought my FN 5.7 x 28 a few years ago I was told that sales of the FN SS198LF Green Tip ammunition was restricted to Law Enforcement and Military use only and that I would have to provide a copy of my LEO ID with any on line order. Although I found that while a few retailers required this many others did not. I haven't had to buy any 5.7 ammo in a couple of years as I have plenty but never understood if this was some type of marketing ploy or a real thing.

There's a federal law against civilians possessing armor piercing handgun ammo, so SS190 is illegal for civilian possession. What's wierd is the ATF didn't classify SS198LF as armor piercing but FN restricted it anyways. I think it's because it has an aluminum core bullet (the same as SS195LF, which FN didnt restrict) but fires it at a higher velocity than 195LF. If a retailer/wholesaler has it and is requesting credentials then they probably purchase it directly from FN and are trying not to go against FN's restrictions. The retailers that don't require credentials probably don't get it directly from FN.

 

[PapaG]

We get calls in the shop all the time from people wanting to know how to "register" their guns. Boss and I joke about a new revenue stream possible there. Just have them come in and pay us five bucks and we take a pic of it. Won't do that but it is fun to joke about. What is not fun is the coming bill in the gen assy to require "assault weapons" to be registered here in our good republik.

 

[TRX]

Maybe the box said “law enforcement only” or something.

That's the most likely scenario.

At the Federal level, there are some restrictions on after the "cop-killer bullets!" regulations went into effect in the 1980s. Those apply to various types of armor-piercing or "penetrator" bullets, incinidiaries, and, if I remember right, the old SW "Nyclad" ammunition.

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

That's the most likely scenario.

At the Federal level, there are some restrictions on after the "cop-killer bullets!" regulations went into effect in the 1980s. Those apply to various types of armor-piercing or "penetrator" bullets, incinidiaries, and, if I remember right, the old SW "Nyclad" ammunition.

.

You got it. OMG!!!! OMG!!!! Dems cop killer bullets!!!! More lethal than anything out there!!! They should be “restricted” to cops only!

Funny how that sort of thing influences perception.

 

[Jim Watson]

That's the most likely scenario.

At the Federal level, there are some restrictions on after the "cop-killer bullets!" regulations went into effect in the 1980s. Those apply to various types of armor-piercing or "penetrator" bullets, incinidiaries, and, if I remember right, the old SW "Nyclad" ammunition.

Handgun armor piercing ammunition* is effectively banned.
As I recall, "pistols" in 7.62x39 got the cheap mild steel core commie ammo banned from importation.
"Green tip" 5.56 M855 has a specific exemption for its steel nose core section.

I don't know the legal status of rifle AP, but I see ads for .50 API which would surely be affected by any ban.

The problem with Nyclad ammunition was that cops, politicians, and reporters could not (Did not want to?) distinguish a polymer coating over soft lead from the genuine Teflon coated KTW armor piercing. Nothing legal, just a misperception.

*Bullet or core made of one of seven specific metals:, iron, steel, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, tungsten, depleted uranium; or with a FMJ of more than 25% of bullet weight.

 

[scuba_ed1911]

In SC, it's teflon coated pellets, never mind they were designed to reduce barrel wear.

 

[mdThanatos]

Not sure what the state laws are in this situation but:

Alabama has restrictions on ammunition, teflon coated or like kind designed to penetrate bulletproof vests. They do allow for teflon coated bullets that are designed to expand on contact however.

There was an episode of LivePD that showed an encounter in Ohio where a subject had Black Talon rounds and the deputies were trying to determine the legality of them and until they were corrected believed them to be illegal.

 

[skeeterfogger]

And yet that is exactly what most people in this country do. Television has become nothing but a propaganda device People use it to "learn" about the world around them. And it's all lies.

Not about guns but to show you how ignorant tv is I was watching a show, I think it was the one where an autonomous aircraft went nuts. Anyway they panned accross the instrument panel and there was an MPH indicator.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

Covers handgun ammo only...but ATF has ruled that when someone makes a pistol commercially in what was formerly a rifle-only caliber ammo that would have met their definition due to its metal content it may be classified as armor piercing handgun ammo going forward. The 86 law basically said metal handgun ammo cores must be made from copper and lead with a jacket of any other metals being permitted if it contributed to <25 % of the total projectile weight. ATF has made, and re-made, many rulings on specific projectile types and so the road gets muddy regarding some items and you would need to research on the ATF site for up-to-date info. AFAIK, unless local or state laws prohibit them so-called AP pistol ammo made prior to the law is OK to own and use. Incenidiaries are pretty exotic and somewhat costly, but still legal under federal law and still manufactured by a few specialty outfits.

 

[WVGunman]

Not about guns but to show you how ignorant tv is I was watching a show, I think it was the one where an autonomous aircraft went nuts. Anyway they panned accross the instrument panel and there was an MPH indicator.

So ... the autonomous aircraft having a mph gauge was dumber than it having an instrument panel at all?!


Aside: I'm surprised how many people casually conflate TV news with Hollywood, as if they were the same thing or had any connection at all. Reporters are not actors, and movies/TV shows are not journalism.