A Game-Changing Bill to Revise the Gun Control Act of 1968

2nd Amendment – R2KBA Authors Current Events S.H. Blannelberry This Week

The following is a press release from the National Shooting Sports Foundation:

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry, applauds the introduction yesterday of H.R. 2710, the Lawful Purpose and Self Defense Act of 2015, by Congressman Rob Bishop (R-UT), chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources.

The bill would revise the Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended, to replace the “sporting purposes” and “sporting use” sections with modernizing language used to better define whether firearms and ammunition can be lawfully imported, possessed and transferred. NSSF considers the “sporting purpose” and “sporting use” provisions to be outdated and a hindrance to bringing lawful products to market. The 2008 Supreme Court’s decision in District of Columbia v. Heller noted that the core purpose of the Second Amendment is self-defense, and the language of H.R. 2710 will more accurately reflect this core meaning of the right to bear arms.

H.R. 2710 would prevent narrow interpretations of federal law, such as reclassifying certain rifle ammunition as “armor piercing.” Lack of a clear definition of what “sporting purposes” and “sporting use” mean has allowed, for example, the Obama Administration to try to circumvent Congress and attempt to ban a popular type of ammunition for modern sporting rifles.

For nearly four years, NSSF and its member companies have been awaiting action by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on more than 30 petitions for rifle hunting ammunition seeking a “sporting use” exemption because the ammunition is made with non-lead alternative materials like brass. In California, which has banned the use of traditional ammunition containing lead for hunting, manufacturers are prevented from bringing new, alternative brass ammunition to market, raising the concern that hunters will face limited availability of ammunition approved for use in the state.

"Green Tip" ammo, a recent target of the ATF.

“Green Tip” ammo, a recent target of the ATF.

H.R. 2710 also would remove the “sporting purposes” requirement for imports of certain firearms—some of which are popular for use in 3-gun competition and have been arbitrarily and unfairly classified as not meeting the “sporting purpose” test because ATF does not consider 3-gun shooting a sport. Nevertheless, 3-gun is among the most popular new target shooting competitions nationally.

The legislation would reform federal laws in the following essential areas:

Eliminate ATF’s authority to reclassify popular rifle ammunition as “armor piercing ammunition.” Federal law regulating armor-piercing ammunition was intended by Congress to regulate handgun projectiles, but recently the law was used to attempt to ban popular rifle ammunition, notably M855/SS109 5.56×45 ammunition.

Eliminate restrictions on importation of non-National Firearms Act firearm or ammunition that may otherwise be lawfully possessed and sold within the United States. Based on the “sporting purposes” test, firearms that would be legal to manufacture, sell and possess in the United States have been banned from importation.

Protect shotguns, shotgun shells, and large-caliber rifles from arbitrary classification as “destructive devices.” When classified as a “destructive device,” a firearm falls under the National Firearms Act and is subjected to registration and taxes, and, in some states, cannot be possessed.

Broaden the temporary interstate transfer provision to allow temporary transfers for all lawful purposes rather than just for “sporting purposes.”

“This is one of the most important pieces of reform legislation that the firearms and ammunition industry has seen come before Congress in recent years,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “We applaud Rep. Bishop for his support of this legislation and of the Second Amendment, and we urge other members of Congress to co-sponsor this bill.”

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  • Mahatma Muhjesbude August 31, 2015, 2:20 pm

    I don’t no anymore. I’ve been trying to get it through people’s heads but it must the neurotoxins being sprayed in the chem trails.

    You will NEVER stop them by simply trying to ‘get around’ their nascent prohibitions instead of striking at the substantive core legality issues. This is actually what they want you to do. that want you to look for bypassing ‘compromising alternatives’ instead of completely eliminating and defeating to death ALL
    illegal anti-Constitutional Gun Control laws

    Because after all is said and nothing is done the billionaire Marxist despots will spend those billions buying newer ‘modified’ laws to bypass your stupiod bypasses. and they will eventually win as they still are no matter how many non effective lawsuits you initiate. A recent Pew poll after the tragic shooting of the two journalist reporters found that an overwhelming majority of democrats AND republicans support total universal gun registration in the form of all encompassing back ground checks for all purchases including private ones AND prohibition of ownership of all people with potential mental health problem indicators? Think hard on what that means people. adjudicated mentally ill already are prohibited by administrative ATF fiat on the form 4473s. Then they weaseled in ptsd Vets who have somebody else handling their financial affairs, then it will be more and more and more ways to finally get all of the 70 percent percent of the adult population who have some sort of substance dependency, emotional content disorder, or etc. But they can still drive and work as long as they can behave relatively normal and don’t get violent. But they won’t be able to have a gun, like they can have a gas bomb, chain saw, machete, etc. etc.

    Has anyone yet had the goddamn spiritual epiphany of why, exactly, that is? If you quit thinkink bullshit like the 2n/A is about self defense instead of what it was really about, and finally comprehend the true meaning of ‘Shall Not Be Infringed’, In other words NO gun control of any kind, perhaps these group lawyers and money can be better spent on efforts to forward a bill to all out REPEAL the 68 GCA and all other gun control acts, period!

    Then there’s no way they can make laws or administrative mandates to prohibit and ultimately confiscate our guns! I know this sounds counter-intuitive to the conventional status quo brainwashing of public safety concepts but if criminal acts–once paid for with the offenders now integrated back into society once again as law abiding citizens are not prohibited from their Constitutional rights foreever anymore, \Then They’ll never be able to Control our guns ever again and make laws to turn all of us into criminals for prohibition and eventual mass confiscations, Period!

    And until any leftist do-gooder can prove without qualification that formally banning gun ownership by ex-criminals and mentally ill and domestic violence cases, and alcoholics, and War stressed Vets, and etc. etc. Will stop people from committing crimes with weapons this remains an insulting aburdity trying to justfify their tyrannical acts of gun confiscation.

    And if we continue to equivocate and compromise, they they are winning! And we will still remain igno-imbecilic recipients that we are and enjoy one of the greatest totalitarian Hoaxes ever perpetrated on Free Americans. Gun Control! Any kind of it and any form of it!

  • Mahatma Muhjesbude August 17, 2015, 6:04 pm

    A total waste of time. All gun control acts/laws should be repealed, as they are completely anti-Constitutional in violation of the 2nd/A. Period. No useless modifications or changes that never really change anything. As longs as an ex felon is forever prohibited from having a firearm regardless of the fact that he is now once again a ‘law abiding citizen’, none of these bill modifications mean jack shit.

    Because Their goal, which is steadily becoming a reality, is to make ALL gun owners felons, one way or another. And there you have it!

  • Gary June 17, 2015, 9:17 am

    I think having suppressor’s listed a Class 3 item is nothing short of rediculous

  • commonwealth109 June 16, 2015, 8:11 am

    Perhaps the assasinations of RFK & MLK, Jr. could have been a factor in 1968, but JFK was assassinated in 1963.

  • Doc Loch June 15, 2015, 7:03 pm

    While it’s “nice” to do a few handy revisions for the firearms industry (which may have a small secondary impact on us lowly citizens). I will only begin to have confidence (read beginning of restored trust) were they to REPEAL this unconstitutional act!

  • Mark June 15, 2015, 5:18 pm

    Why can’t they place a repeal of the 1986 Hughes amendment so we can having sporting machine guns agian. It’s an easy amendment to this bill just repeal the section in 922o

  • Three Percent June 15, 2015, 2:02 pm

    The 1968 GCA was a law pushed through after the Kennedy assassinations. They used the public panic to quickly ram it through. I never read the term “sporting use” or “hunting only” in the Constitution. They need to repeal the 68 GCA as well as the Volmer-McClure 1986 ban on manufacture of new NFA weapons. Both are ridiculous and do “infringe” on our rights. Keep the NICS and NFA background checks, they work, it seems. Using these laws to restrict guns imported is infringement, plus stupid.

  • hippybiker June 15, 2015, 11:07 am

    The Gun Control Act of 1968= Word for Word, the NAZI Weapons Control Act of 1938. Thanks to a filthy traitor named Senator Thomas Dodd (D) Conn and a compromising NRA. Lat that sink in, kiddies!! Source…Jews For The Preservation of Firearms Ownership. Milwaukee, WI

  • D Hicks June 15, 2015, 9:40 am

    That sounds good ! Next thing to work on is the 1986 gun law .

  • Thunder June 15, 2015, 9:38 am

    Just wanted to say GOOD BYE to All of the Sportsmen and Public Service Officers and Good Ole Boys as soon WE will all be FELONS for writing and commenting and even talking in public on such ANTI SOCIAL and EVIL topics like FIRE ARMS …….. I will be able to tell my grand children that Once upon a time …… Long Long Ago ,,,before it was a Federal Crime , we actually spoke openly about Sporting and Hunting ! Yep,,,, just like my Grand Daddy used to tell me how he walked to school 10 miles in snow up to his knees …………. you get the idea !

  • L Cavendish June 15, 2015, 9:09 am

    I am worried about Hillary if she gets in…so far not a peep about guns or gun control…
    I am trying to get all the guns and ammo I can before the race even starts.

    • Joe June 16, 2015, 9:32 am

      We didn’t hear a peep about it from OhBlaba til he got elected to his second term either.
      Hillary will be following the lead of her hubby “I did not have sexual relations with that woman” Bill.

  • George Bush Sr June 15, 2015, 8:32 am

    Don’t forget that I used ‘sporting purposes’ to issue an executive order banning the importation of all sorts of evil rifles. My son Dubya ‘I’ll sign the assault weapon ban’ Bush didn’t do enough to continue my legacy, but I have high hopes that you idio … good people will put Jeb in there to finish the job.

  • Jerry June 15, 2015, 8:07 am

    Was the ban on transfer of handguns between individuals from state to state lifted or not? I thought I saw an article recently that stated it was ruled invalid because it interfered with one’s ability to sell products between individuals. For example, I could trade pistols with someone in an adjoining state face to face??….or was I just being hopeful??

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