ATF changes rules affecting commercial ammunition manufacturers

[straightshooterjake]

According to the article below, the ATF has reclassified wetted nitrocellulose as explosive materials under federal laws.

http://www.ammoland.com/2016/08/atf...se-as-explosive-materials-under-federal-laws/

I am not sure I fully understand this issue, but I think it is actual news.

If I understand correctly, this is an administrative action by the executive branch of the federal government that may significantly affect manufacture of ammunition and the transport of materials for manufacturing ammunition. I believe it is unknown at this time how much real effect this change will have.

It appears this change was implemented by the ATF announcing the change in a newsletter. I'm not sure, but I think a newsletter is somewhat like a FAQ. Apparently, the change was announced in June, but is just now getting attention.

I am looking forward to opinions from more knowledgeable NES members about whether this is really news and what this change actually means.

 

[jasons]

"ATF’s sudden and unexpected change in policy on wetted nitrocellulose will likely have a significant impact on industry’s ability to deliver products to the military and commercial markets. Industry members have relied on the exemption for wetted nitrocellulose for many years and are aware of no accidental detonations or diversion of this product into illicit channels. Consequently, it is unclear why ATF believed it necessary to change its policy and, more importantly, why ATF announced the change in a newsletter article with no advance notice to industry."

Gun control by surprise reinterpretation. This is the new normal, and it's going to get worse before it gets better.

 

[71montess]

This scares the industry it should scare us too !
ATF’s sudden and unexpected change in policy on wetted nitrocellulose will likely have a significant impact on industry’s ability to deliver products to the military and commercial markets. Industry members have relied on the exemption for wetted nitrocellulose for many years and are aware of no accidental detonations or diversion of this product into illicit channels. Consequently, it is unclear why ATF believed it necessary to change its policy and, more importantly, why ATF announced the change in a newsletter article with no advance notice to industry.
We are working with ATF to address the issues raised in this alert, including a possible agency announcement of delayed enforcement. We will notify our readers of any developments in the future.


Read more: http://www.ammoland.com/2016/08/atf...e-materials-under-federal-laws/#ixzz4Iqs5tPcl
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution
Follow us: @Ammoland on Twitter | Ammoland on Facebook

 

[the_shootist]

Looks like what Healey pulled. Perhaps she was the first salvo of a much further seeking Gun Control by Legislation plan nationwide

 

[Ron Swanson]

This combined with the election should make ammo very expensive and hard to find in coming years.

 

[Lucas McCain]

Maybe this is why all these government agencies have been stocking up on ammo.

 

[jasons]

http://www.alloutdoor.com/2016/08/30/breaking-latest-atf-surprise-drive-ammo-prices-roof/
"As with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s recent “clarification” (i.e. massive, unlegislated expansion) of that state’s assault weapons ban, what we’re seeing here is a wholesale trend at the local and state levels towards using executive fiat to restrict gun rights by reinterpreting existing laws."

Somebody gets it. Add ITAR to the list as well.

 

[In God We Trust]

They can't do anything about the demand so they are attacking the supply.

Smart move on their part. I can only speak for myself, but my stock answer is "F you, come and take it." Kind of hard to say that when you have nothing to take.

The manufacturers and dealers aren't going to die on that hill.

 

[Asaltweapon]

But they (.gov) screw themselves in the process. No?

Time for another ammo shipment.

 

[In God We Trust]

But they (.gov) screw themselves in the process. No?

Time for another ammo shipment.

All this will do is increase costs. Like the .gov cares about that

 

[Oldarmy]

The camels back continues to weaken.

 

[xtry51]

"ATF’s sudden and unexpected change in policy on wetted nitrocellulose will likely have a significant impact on industry’s ability to deliver products to the military and commercial markets. Industry members have relied on the exemption for wetted nitrocellulose for many years and are aware of no accidental detonations or diversion of this product into illicit channels. Consequently, it is unclear why ATF believed it necessary to change its policy and, more importantly, why ATF announced the change in a newsletter article with no advance notice to industry."

Gun control by surprise reinterpretation. This is the new normal, and it's going to get worse before it gets better.

This. When governments no longer have the support of the people to further restrain them through voting, they result to altering the meanings of existing law. This is not new in history.

- - - Updated - - -

But they (.gov) screw themselves in the process. No?

Time for another ammo shipment.

How is it screwing yourself when you literally can create money from thin air by making the federal reserve buy issued treasuries? This doesn't hurt the government on bit. they don't care how much they pay, because the money is just being created from nothing.

 

[Spanz]

Looks like what Healey pulled. Perhaps she was the first salvo of a much further seeking Gun Control by Legislation plan nationwide

time for the idiotic gun industry to take drastic legal and marketing action against those states, agencies, and departments that are trying to kill our gun rights with these death of a thousand cuts. Like the ATF, why not refuse to sell the ATF ammo and guns after this ruling????? it would require an industry wide effort.

 

[mac1911]

Ok so what is wetted nitrocelulose?
Is it the final product in gun powder?

 

[pastera]

Nitrocellulose moistened with alcohol - will burn but not go boom
https://cameochemicals.noaa.gov/chemical/12089

Sent from my C6530 using Tapatalk

 

[milktree]

Ok so what is wetted nitrocelulose?
Is it the final product in gun powder?

No, it's one of the raw materials. smokeless powder is fine, but if you can't store or transport the materials to make smokeless powder, you can't make it.

 

[Kevin_NH]

nitrocellulose wetted with water not less than 25 percent by mass

Ok so what is wetted nitrocelulose? Is it the final product in gun powder?

Per the article "nitrocellulose wetted with water not less than 25 percent by mass", which up until now made bulk NC shipment legal without jumping through the "explosive" transport hoops

The article explains the impact pretty well -- more licenses, more paperwork:

This means that smokeless powder and primers are exempt from record keeping and storage requirements. However, other explosive materials used to manufacture ammunition will not be exempt until incorporated into one of the components of ammunition listed in the regulation, including smokeless powder or a complete round of small arms ammunition. Thus, wetted nitrocellulose containing greater than 12.6 percent nitrogen may be lawfully shipped, transported, or received only by persons holding federal explosives licenses or permits. Nitrocellulose must be recorded in records of acquisition in accordance with 27 C.F.R. § 555.123(b). The wetted nitrocellulose must also be recorded in the daily summary of magazine transactions required by 27 C.F.R. 555.127 and stored in storage magazines meeting the construction, tables of distance, and other requirements of storage regulations in 27 C.F.R. Part 555. At the point the nitrocellulose is incorporated into smokeless powder or a complete round of ammunition, it is exempt from the requirements of the record keeping, storage, and other requirements of federal law and regulations.
. . .
Manufacturers and importers of smokeless propellant have relied on ATF private letter rulings issued prior to 2016 stating that nitrocellulose wetted with water not less than 25 percent by mass is not subject to regulation under the federal explosives laws. Accordingly, the manufacturers have set up their logistics, storage and operations consistent with nitrocellulose not being regulated as an explosive. Manufacturers and importers may not have adequate storage facilities or record keeping systems to comply with the law. Licensed manufacturers also rely on private, unlicensed vendors to store wetted nitrocellulose in facilities that do not comply with storage requirements

 

[Asaltweapon]

- - - Updated - - -



How is it screwing yourself when you literally can create money from thin air by making the federal reserve buy issued treasuries? This doesn't hurt the government on bit. they don't care how much they pay, because the money is just being created from nothing.

They might be creating it from thin air for now but some day it's going to need to be paid back. On a personal level I truly DGAF because we have no kids to pass this debt down to. I figure "we" is less than .5% of married couples w/o children. Can you say the same?

 

[Glockster30]

"ATF’s sudden and unexpected change in policy on wetted nitrocellulose will likely have a significant impact on industry’s ability to deliver products to the military and commercial markets. Industry members have relied on the exemption for wetted nitrocellulose for many years and are aware of no accidental detonations or diversion of this product into illicit channels. Consequently, it is unclear why ATF believed it necessary to change its policy and, more importantly, why ATF announced the change in a newsletter article with no advance notice to industry."

Gun control by surprise reinterpretation. This is the new normal, and it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Looks like what Healey pulled. Perhaps she was the first salvo of a much further seeking Gun Control by Legislation plan nationwide

There does appear to be a pattern on what is going on lately.

 

[Mass-diver]

Hopefully we'll see some pushback as this is obviously a national issue

 

[Pete85]

They might be creating it from thin air for now but some day it's going to need to be paid back. On a personal level I truly DGAF because we have no kids to pass this debt down to. I figure "we" is less than .5% of married couples w/o children. Can you say the same?

It's not just you and your wife. The U.S. birth rate has been declining for years.

ETA: It really shouldn't be that surprising though. It's not just birth rates that are dropping, the marriage rate has plummeted over the past few decades. In the 1960s, 65% of people between age 18 and 32 were married. Today only about 26% of people in that age range are married. People in their prime child bearing age aren't getting married, and as a result aren't having kids*. How's that going to work out in another 20 years or so?

* Obviously people can have kids out of wedlock, and while there has been an increase in that, it's not proportional to the decreased marriage rate.

 

[AF83]

Should I start panic buying now?

 

[firestorm]

But they (.gov) screw themselves in the process. No?

Time for another ammo shipment.

Do they have binding contracts for ammo shipments? Could force all production to them and leave none for anyone else.

 

[northny]

I think I feel I am turning into an Ammosexual. (Ammosexual isn't a TM is it? I'll have to see if
is Ammosexual.com is available).

 

[Mass-diver]

this will end up like another m855 issue, people will get scared, prices will go up, then everything back to normal in 2 weeks

Hopefully

 

[DW357]

Does this mean I need to stock up even more on powder!?....

I'd like to know how bad this is going to drive up prices on powder for us reloaders

 

[browncoat]

this will end up like another m855 issue, people will get scared, prices will go up, then everything back to normal in 2 weeks

I hope you are correct, but I think you are wrong. November, and even leading up to November I think we will see rapidly increasing prices - if Hillary gets elected I don't think that will be reversing either.

 

[enbloc]

Thus, wetted nitrocellulose containing greater than 12.6 percent nitrogen may be lawfully shipped, transported, or received

nitrocellulose wetted with water not less than 25 percent by mass is not subject to regulation under the federal explosives laws.

Sounds like simple math to me. Keep the nitrogen percentage at 12.5% max. and the H2o at 25% min. and you are within the EO.
Dry the nitrocellulose to correct level and add nitrogen to the correct level.

Not a scientist, but I'm sure the folks at IMR, Hodgdon, Accurate Arms, Winchester and others are...

 

[browncoat]

Sounds like simple math to me. Keep the nitrogen percentage at 12.5% max. and the H2o at 25% min. and you are within the EO.
Dry the nitrocellulose to correct level and add nitrogen to the correct level.

Not a scientist, but I'm sure the folks at IMR, Hodgdon, Accurate Arms, Winchester and others are...

My guess is that at 12.5% nitrogen, you are adding enough water that it will get more expensive to transport, store, and dry. I am a scientist, but I'm not a chemist so I could be wrong.

 

[JayMcB]

I think I feel I am turning into an Ammosexual. (Ammosexual isn't a TM is it? I'll have to see if
is Ammosexual.com is available).

It is not