BATFE To Ban Common AR-15 Ammo (M855/SS109)

[benEzra]

42. Murder, by State and Type of Weapon, 2013 (FBI)

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2013/crime-in-the-u.s.-2013/tables/table-20/table_20_murder_by_state_types_of_weapons_2013.xls

[font face="courier new"]Total murders...................... 12,253
Handguns............................ 5,782 (47.2%)
Firearms (type unknown)............. 2,079 (17.0%)
Clubs, rope, fire, etc.............. 1,622 (13.2%)
Knives and other cutting weapons.... 1,490 (12.2%)
Hands, fists, feet.................... 687 (5.6%)
Shotguns.............................. 308 (2.5%)
[font color="red"]Rifles................................ 285 (2.3%)[/font][/font]

Of that, only a tiny percentage (if any!) involve M855. And of course rifle homicides have fallen precipitously since 2005. From FBI Uniform Crime Reports 2005-2013, Tables 20:

2005: 442
2006: 436
2007: 450
2008: 375
2009: 348
2010: 358
2011: 323
2012: 302
2013: 285

This proposal seeks to outlaw inexpensive surplus target ammo used heavily by competitive shooters and almost never by criminals. It is less lethal than any civilian .223 load you can buy at Walmart, even the cheapest $5/box FMJ.

Anyone fighting to outlaw practice ammo for the most popular target rifles in America (not just AR's, but all .223's) doesn't give a crap about "saving lives", because you are going directly after lawful target shooting with this.

Edited to add: The "saving cops' lives" angle is also BS. NIJ Level IIIA body armor will not stop rifle calibers, period. NIJ Level III body armor, if up to spec, should stop any ball ammo up to .308/7.62x51mm, including .223 M855 which is non-AP ball (.223 AP is M995 and is already restricted). NIJ Level IV body armor will stop all AP rifle rounds up to .30-06 M2 tungsten core (7.62x63mm). So this isn't about saving anyone's life; it's about sticking it to people whose life choices you disagree with.