Here's the text of the law:
.223 and 30/06 etc steel core gets around it by being specifically exempted per the last paragraph there. Obviously evil communist ammo could never be for sporting purposes.
I don't agree with the mentality that Olyarms did nothing wrong. Yeah they made a product, a niche product that they absolutely knew making would have ramifications on the importation of a very popular type of ammo. Yeah, the law is stupid, but it's still the law and was pretty plain. OlyArms most certainly did screw us with that, however steel core 7.62x39's fate may have already been sealed with some other low production pistols, Oly sure didn't help though...
Coincidentally this very situation may be playing out again. There are rumors of alot of surplus steel core 5.45x39 ammo that is in the process of being imported or could be imported in the future (Bulgaria and similar ex-combloc countries are in the process of converting to 5.56 to coincide with NATO I believe, that's alot of 5.45 ready to flood the surplus market). However with the sunset of the AWB there is a lot of interest in 5.45 pistols here in the states. All it would take is a high profile maker to pop up offering a 5.45 pistol and that ammo is gone before it even gets here. Steel core 5.45 ammo is supposed to perform better than the lead core stuff we get, I'd at least like the option, heck we're very limited in 5.45 choices as of now. Plus there's some room for it to drive down the 5.45 ammo costs...
B) The term ''armor piercing ammunition'' means -
(i) a projectile or projectile core which may be used in a
handgun and which is constructed entirely (excluding the presence
of traces of other substances) from one or a combination of
tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or
depleted uranium; or
(ii) a full jacketed projectile larger than .22 caliber
designed and intended for use in a handgun and whose jacket has a
weight of more than 25 percent of the total weight of the
projectile.
(C) The term ''armor piercing ammunition'' does not include
shotgun shot required by Federal or State environmental or game
regulations for hunting purposes, a frangible projectile designed
for target shooting, a projectile which the Attorney General finds
is primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes, or any
other projectile or projectile core which the Attorney General
finds is intended to be used for industrial purposes, including a
charge used in an oil and gas well perforating device.
.223 and 30/06 etc steel core gets around it by being specifically exempted per the last paragraph there. Obviously evil communist ammo could never be for sporting purposes.
I don't agree with the mentality that Olyarms did nothing wrong. Yeah they made a product, a niche product that they absolutely knew making would have ramifications on the importation of a very popular type of ammo. Yeah, the law is stupid, but it's still the law and was pretty plain. OlyArms most certainly did screw us with that, however steel core 7.62x39's fate may have already been sealed with some other low production pistols, Oly sure didn't help though...
Coincidentally this very situation may be playing out again. There are rumors of alot of surplus steel core 5.45x39 ammo that is in the process of being imported or could be imported in the future (Bulgaria and similar ex-combloc countries are in the process of converting to 5.56 to coincide with NATO I believe, that's alot of 5.45 ready to flood the surplus market). However with the sunset of the AWB there is a lot of interest in 5.45 pistols here in the states. All it would take is a high profile maker to pop up offering a 5.45 pistol and that ammo is gone before it even gets here. Steel core 5.45 ammo is supposed to perform better than the lead core stuff we get, I'd at least like the option, heck we're very limited in 5.45 choices as of now. Plus there's some room for it to drive down the 5.45 ammo costs...