Legality of 5.7 x 28 ammo in California?

[highintel]

I picked up a bunch of spent brass before leaving the range a couple weeks ago and a couple 5.7 x 28 casings slipped in. Looking more into the round, the cartridge is for a P90 or Five Seven pistol only? These are considered armor piercing in CA?

Just wondering how these ended up at the range. I remember about 3 months back I heard automatic fire from a distance away near my house. I tuned into the police scanner and heard officers reporting finding a bag of armor piercing ammo near a truck for a P90 submachine gun.

[Junkie]

There's a non-AP version of the ammo that's available to civilians.

[HappyCamper781]

The non military only ammo is legal to possess and use.

[Ninety]

Armor piercing ammo is illegal in cA?

[highintel]

Is the non military round a varmint load?

[Baboosh]

AP rifle ammo = LEGAL
AP pistol ammo = ILLEGAL

Key phrase in the law is the wording "designed primarily to penetrate metal or armor"

[RickD427]

AP rifle ammo = YES
AP pistol ammo = NO

Baboosh,

It is illegal to possess AP handgun ammunition. Please refer to Penal Code section 30315. Here is the text:

"Any person, firm, or corporation who, within this state knowingly possesses any handgun ammunition designed primarily to penetrate metal or armor is guilty of a public offense and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or in the county jail for a term not to exceed one year, or by a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment."

A lot of folks seem to overlook the word "handgun" in the law and mistakenly think that it also prohibits AP rifle ammunition.

[Baboosh]

Baboosh,

It is illegal to possess AP handgun ammunition. Please refer to Penal Code section 30315. Here is the text:

"Any person, firm, or corporation who, within this state knowingly possesses any handgun ammunition designed primarily to penetrate metal or armor is guilty of a public offense and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or in the county jail for a term not to exceed one year, or by a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment."

A lot of folks seem to overlook the word "handgun" in the law and mistakenly think that it also prohibits AP rifle ammunition.

Reread my post, I clarified. I originally meant YES as OK and NO as illegal..

IMO 5.7 ammo is on the line and if I owned a PS90 and a 5.7 pistol I wouldn't have AP rounds.

[Junkie]

Baboosh,

It is illegal to possess AP handgun ammunition. Please refer to Penal Code section 30315. Here is the text:

"Any person, firm, or corporation who, within this state knowingly possesses any handgun ammunition designed primarily to penetrate metal or armor is guilty of a public offense and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or in the county jail for a term not to exceed one year, or by a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment."

A lot of folks seem to overlook the word "handgun" in the law and mistakenly think that it also prohibits AP rifle ammunition.

However, aren't there lots of rifle rounds that have been declared to be pistol rounds due to AR/AK pistols, Thompson Contender, etc?

[Foresight88]

What is armor in the eyes of the law? Level II, Level IIA, Level IIIA, Level III, Level IV? Isn't a plastic motorcycle chest protector also a type of armor?

I've seen +p all copper 9mm punch through old Level II vests.

[DDRH]

What is armor in the eyes of the law? Level II, Level IIA, Level IIIA, Level III, Level IV? Isn't a plastic motorcycle chest protector also a type of armor?

I've seen +p all copper 9mm punch through old Level II vests.

AP to the eye of the law is if the ammo is marketed as "Armor Piercing"

Steel penetrator should be ok

but don't take my word for it, i'm speculating...and i think i read it somewhere

[Marquand]

The current loads from FN (FNH SS197) and Federal (AE5728A) are quite legal and available for sale here in CA. I shoot both regularly in my FiveSeven pistol at indoor and outdoor ranges without incident.

[Jonnymertz]

The current loads from FN (FNH SS197) and Federal (AE5728A) are quite legal and available for sale here in CA. I shoot both regularly in my FiveSeven pistol at indoor and outdoor ranges without incident.

thanks for the info!

[jchen76@gmail.com]

SS198LF is also good to go, although the box says 'Law Enforcement or Military Only". Just higher velocity than SS197 or AE5738A.

Elite Ammunition http://www.eliteammunition.net/home.html has some custom 5.7 x28 offerings but couple years back, ATF confiscated a batch of ammo that uses some brass in the bullet. ATF considered that to be AP.

http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/08/robert-farago/atf-raid-elite-ammunition-confiscate-armor-piercing-brass-bullets/

[JDay]

FN doesn't sell the armor piercing 5.7 on the civilian market. If they did the ATF would have a field day since armor piercing handgun ammunition is banned federally.