Ammunition

[Underground]

I still think that a move to eliminate or control ammunition may come before any outright gun control attempt. Ban foreign imports and tax or regulate domestic production to unreasonable levels.

So my question is: Is ammunition covered under the 2nd amendment?

Has this ever been tested in court? I say that conceptually it should be covered since a rifle is just an expensive pipe without ammunition.

[GraceOutcast]

When the Constitution was written the majority made their own bullets

I'm not surprised there isn't a $5-$10 tax per box of ammo. It could be easily done and keep rising just as cigarettes do. I'm content with my $0.10 TN tax per box and hope it stays that way...or goes away

[johnharris]

Its an interesting question and one not clearly resolved in my mind - yet.

Read some of the cases and you will see the connection of the right to the duty of the citizen as part of the common law militia. Keep in mind, its not about hunting, sporting purposes (as the fools at the ATF try to assert) or even self defense. The older cases and even Heller and McDonald to some extent talk about the meaning of the militia, the term "regulated", and the scope of arms. An argument could easily be made and extended that ammunition is within the scope.

Of course, in TN, we can address that legislatively - maybe in 2011 and then assert it as a fundamental right under the 10th Amendment. The question is what would this proposed provision say?

[1gewehr]

Logically, ammunition should be covered. Let's face it, the 2nd amendment protections are meaningless unless ammunition IS included in that umbrella.
The next question is what KINDS of ammunition are protected? If there are certain types of firearms not deserving of 2nd amendment protection, then it stands to reason that there would be certain types of ammunition as well. Right now, 'armor-piercing' ammunition is a restricted item in TN. This is absurd. If the purpose of the 2nd Amendment is to provide for a well-trained and equipped militia consisting of all able-bodied citizens, in addition to military-grade weapons, military-grade ammunition would be protected.
Of course, the courts have managed to twist and quibble the simple words and absolute prohibitions of the 2nd to try to conform with their desire for citizen disarmament.

[BulletBillSR]

Back in 1999, the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a democrat from New Yawk (where else) proposed raising the tax on handgun ammo by 50% and 10,000% on the 9 mm "Black Talon" ammunition, hearlded as "a cop killer bullet" and capable of penetrating bullet proof vests worn by cops. It never went anywhere but I'm surprised the anti gunners haven't pursed this. If ammo is too expensive, people can't afford to buy it. If it doesn't sell, the ammo companies will quit makng it--look at some of the obsolete catridges you can't get anymore for granddad's old rifle. If you don't have, and can't get ammo, the gun becomes a club. Moynihan was right that guns can last for hundreds of years but not the ammunition. The rise in prices for reloading components has already priced some out of getting into reloading--they just don't shoot much anymore. Premier hunting ammo can go for over $2 a round so hunters aren't going to be shooting much. It's a slippery slope we need to keep an eye on. The government can raise taxes to price ammo out of the range of most people but they have to go through congress to ban guns. Easier to tax the ammo until no one can afford it. Of course there is a lot of it out there, but few are going to share it if times get tough.

[TacticaLogic]

If it gets this bad, just remember: you don't have to have enough ammo to win the war. You just have to have enough ammo to create a "battlefield
pickup" situation, and use the enemy' ammo - he doesn't need it anymore...