Details

• Sponsor - Corzine
• Proposed - July 27, 2005
• Congressional Record Link - SA1617
• Amends - S.397
• Amendments - None.
• Vote - Amendment did not reach Senate floor.
• Results - No change in law.

Synopsis

This bill has two main parts. The first is a ban on the FN Five-seveN. The second is similar to Kennedy's SA1615 armor piercing ammunition.

The FN Five-seveN and its ammunition would have been banned from importation, sale or purchase or possession to/by civilians.

The Attorney General would have been empowered to determine what was 'armor piercing ammunition'. Then it would have been a criminal offence to 'manufacture, import, market, sell, ship, deliver, possess, transfer or receive' any firearm that used the newly defined 'armor piercing ammunition'.

Analysis

Both parts of this bill are based upon creating confusion between 'body armor' and 'armor piercing ammunition'. Body armor is designed to be worn by individuals to prevent penetration by varying levels of bullet capability ( determined by velocity, weight, shape and internal construction ). Armor piercing ammunition is designed to penetrate armored vehicles by including a hard core insert, such as tungsten, that continues through armor plating as the lead surrounding it is stopped by the armor. Obviously anything capable of penetrating vehicle armor is capable of penetrating body armor.

So what could become illegal? All:

• .357 Magnums
• .44 Magnums
• 45 ACPs
• 357 Sigs
• .40 Calibers
• 10 MMs
• anything more powerful than the above.

The Thompson/Center line of handguns would further confuse the situation. These are handguns specifically designed to fire what are traditionally rifle rounds. Their existence could cause the .243, .270, 30.06 and others to be classified as armor piercing handgun rounds that would be criminal to own.

Obviously the Senate has already spent too much time and taxpayer money working on bills like this. Expect it to continue.

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