AP rifle rounds illegal?

[cannon]

Did a law change without me knowing it and AP rifle rounds become illegal?

I mentioned to a friend I was planning on getting some AP to see what they would do and my friend said they were now illegal.

[G-forceJunkie]

Your friend is wrong. AP pistol calibers are illegal.

[JoshuaS]

Your friend is wrong. AP pistol calibers are illegal.

Under both CA and Federal law too.


The original federal bill aimed at all calibers, but was incredibly stupid and would have ended up outlawing most centerfire rifle ammo. The NRA actually crafted the AP handgun ammo ban into the current form.

[robcoe]

For most practical purposes, pretty much any rifle round in a power catagory at or over the 5.56 is an AP round.

hell, I have seen soft point 7.62x54r punch through steel plate.

so banning "armor piercing" rifle rounds would either ban them all(to blatent, for the moment) or have no effect at all.

To answer the actual question, no, they are not banned, just bought a bunch of steel core .30-06 and 7.62x54r this week.

Pistol ammo is another matter, that is banned

[joelogic]

Steel core is not AP. AP has a tungsten or similar core.

Steel Core


AP

[mif_slim]

AP ammo is illegal! Every time a round is fired that is AP, a kitten dies.

[zuchaka]

Anybody think that our illustrious government is gonna go after reloaders under the guise that they can make armor piercing rounds etc. ?

Reason i think this is because if they are gonna limit ammo sales and go after JHP as 'assualt bullets' just seems like the next step for a irrational gun grabber.

[GeeDog]

I see AP rifle rounds at most every CA gun show I attend. Called such right on the factory box. LEO's right there. It's the handgun ammo that's illegal, as already stated.

[timmyb21]

I was going to ask a question but realized it might be answered and read by the vultures reading this forum. Instead, I will say that I like turtles.

[retiredAFcop]

Many ranges do not allow steel core/AP ammo to be used, due to the fear of sparks creating a fire.

This is not the same as being "illegal".

[RezHead]

I had an interesting tow-truck ride in Flagstaff, AZ. The driver started talking guns and proceeded to tell me that all AP ammo is extremely illegal, and that if you're caught with any, you get 20 years PER ROUND in prison. Was really really hard not to laugh at the guy.

[Creeping Incrementalism]

Speer from 1990 to the early 2000s (I think) sold tungsten core bullets specifically for African big game hunting, in .375, .416, and .458. They called it the "African Grand Slam Tungsten Solid". It was designed to get sufficient penetration on the big-boned African beasts including elephant and buffalo. It seemed to me like a good idea, but I guess they didn't sell, and looked recently and didn't see any other component or cartridge manufacturers selling tungsten core bullets. Does anyone know of any?

[Chameleon Loco]

I think Tungsten core is Armor Piercing. While steel core shows a little more penetration that fmj or hp Tungsten is really Armor Piercing

[Sailormilan2]

Unless I am mistaken, the Feds consider 7.62NATO AP to be illegal, since it can be used in handguns.
30-06 AP is not illegal.
I do not know the status of 5.56NATO AP.

[ke6guj]

Unless I am mistaken, the Feds consider 7.62NATO AP to be illegal, since it can be used in handguns.
30-06 AP is not illegal.
I do not know the status of 5.56NATO AP.

correct, 7.62x51 AP is considered handgun AP ammo, and is restricted. 5.56NATO AP is considered handgun AP ammo as well. M855 62gr green tip is not considered handgun AP ammo.