2 replies to this topic

[Zorro]

Maybe they will clamp down on all those shotgun shells, too, Doc. Anything over .410 will need a license unless we carve out an exemption in the as of yet non-existent definition.

Mr. Melson, I advise keeping this one tightly under your thumb. Based on the rumor mill, congress may get involved and the brain trust behind this will call in sick when you get put in the hot seat next year for the reform hearings (after they deny having anything to do with it). You did a good thing by stopping this for a breather, but the train won't stop. If you take your eye off the ball for a second, it will be gone and no one will know what happened.

There are people in the agency who know firearms, the industry, history, and the hobby.... criminals from recreational shooters based on real life experience; not book theory from behind a desk in DC but their voices are stifled every time. You will have to leave the building without the usual sound filtering entourage to get the truth.

These are the same rocket scientists that declared bluing a gun was building a gun much to the chagrin of the peasant class in the agency and industry with ZERO public safety benefit. Always making a mess for someone else to clean up. Learn from history. Beware the phrase "ATF has consistently held...". It is the equivalent of an air raid siren and you are the target.

[Doc Holiday]

Nope Zorro, think you got this one right. Word is that the leadership of industry operations wasn't consulted and weren't even aware that with the stroke of a pen, we were all going to be running around chasing the dreaded .50 caliber ammunition. One of the attendees at the meeting confirmed Ficaretta was less than forth coming with the truth about the Bureaus intentions. Why is EPS making regulatory decisions? Ficarettas agenda? Cudos to Mr. Melson for slamming on the breaks on yet another bad policy decision being ramrodded past him. Meeting with the industry in advance, probably prevented yet another M-1 and airsoft debacle. Good Job Mr. M.

[Zorro]

www.nfatca.org

Recently, the NFATCA took the lead on an issue that could have far-reaching consequences in the NFA and Sporting communities. It was learned that ATF was seeking to create a definition of small arms ammunition under the aegis of the Safe Explosives Act. The definition was being created as an opinion letter and had no input from the firearms community. More importantly, it could have arrived as a declaration that all ammunition above .50 caliber would now be classified as an explosive. New licensing, regulation, administration and the prospect of re-classifying all weapons that used these new explosives were a very real possibility. The fact that this was "flying under the radar" of traditional firearms advocacy groups was troubling, to say the least.

John Brown, NFATCA's President, arranged for a meeting with Acting Director Melson and his senior staff on November 19, 2010. Invitees to the meeting included senior officials from the NRA, SAAMI, Safari Club International and the NSSF.The prospects for calamity were reviewed and Mr. Melson agreed to assemble a working group, led by NFATCA, to make certain that "we get this right". Check back for regular updates.


Let me get this straight, EPS - you want IOIs inspecting and Agents chasing down small arms ammo? How many IOIs will be taken off trafficking assignments to work the potentially thousands of SEAs that will be generated from this retroactive classification? Why is it that since "small arms ammunition" is not defined in the SEA, no NPRM is required to add the defintition where none exists? Did anyone ask Field Ops where the personnel will be drawn from to implement this adventure or is Harry McCabe getting an extra special Christmas present that he doesn't know about?

If your agenda driven minds think by requiring all those shooters (who harm no one) to apply for a license, you will end their participation in the sport/hobby of shooting "evil" rifles, think again. There will likely be more licenses issued than ever before and now instead of just shooting steel plates or bowling pins, they will be blowing them up with det cord, dynamite, and anything else they can lay hands on LEGALLY. Think of the explosion in the display fireworks market (pun intended). Fewer IOIs and agents for trafficking/prohibited persons/straw men and more injuries to people not trained to use their new found toys. Excellent anti-crime strategy. Maybe we can then use that as an excuse to borrow more money from China to finance another agency expansion? Sorry folks, as Thatcher warned "Eventually you run out of other people's money". The well is dry.

Good move, Mr. Melson for putting the brakes on this. You likely spared yourself yet another embarrassment.

P.S. If you have been or are being told by anyone at 99 NY that this is a non-existent issue, you are being lied to.

P.P.S. Industry: If anyone from 99 NY is telling you this is a non-existent issue, you are being lied to.

P.P.P.S. Collectors/hobbyists/industry members: If you are being told that the industry groups in the above announcement are the "bad guys" in this, you are being lied to.

I am hoping for some feedback from real-life Agents and IOIs as to whether I am out in left field on this. Violent crime prevented by storing .50 cal ammo in a steel box? Anyone? If I am going wrong or missing something, I will ask for this post to get yanked ASAP.