Legal Info for Reloaders - New from NFA

The kicker is from the US side of things.
http://www.atf.gov/pub/fire-explo_pub/p5300_18.pdf
Purchasing ammunition from a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) or a nonlicensee to possess in the United States
  • A nonimmigrant alien generally MAY NOT purchase ammunition from an FFL or a nonlicensee to possess in the United States. If you violate this
    prohibition, you could receive a maximum of 10 years of imprisonment.
THIS PROHIBITION APPLIES UNLESS YOU ESTABLISH THAT YOU:
  • Are an official representative of a foreign Government who is accredited to the United States Government or your Government’s mission to an international organization having its headquarters in the United States and will possess the ammunition in your official capacity; OR
  • Are an official of a foreign Government or a distinguished foreign visitor who has been so designated by the Department of State and will possess the ammunition in your official capacity (if you have an official capacity); OR
  • Are a foreign law enforcement officer of a friendly foreign Government entering the United States on official law enforcement business; OR
  • Were admitted to the United States for lawful hunting or sporting purposes or are in possession of a valid hunting license or permit lawfully issued in the United States.

If you meet these criteria, you are eligible to purchase ammunition to possess in the United States. However, you MAY NOT take the ammunition with you when you leave the United States unless:
  1. For ammunition for sporting shotguns, you have an FFL export the ammunition. The FFL must obtain an export license from the Department of Commerce prior to exportation.
  2. For ammunition for firearms other than sporting shotguns, you have an FFL registered with the Department of State, Office of Defense Trade Controls (ODTC), export the ammunition. The FFL must obtain an export license from the ODTC prior to exportation.
  • The State Department recommends that you provide the FFL with a letter from your embassy on embassy letterhead explaining why you want to export the ammunition. You also should provide an import authorization issued by the competent Government office in your country.
  • Unlike with the purchase of firearms, there is no residency requirement for purchasing ammunition.
Purchasing a firearm or ammunition from a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) for exportation
  • A nonimmigrant alien generally MAY purchase a firearm or ammunition from an FFL if the firearm/ammunition is directly exported by the FFL, so
    that the nonimmigrant alien DOES NOT take possession of the firearm/ammunition in the United States prior to exportation.
    1. To export a sporting shotgun or ammunition for a sporting shotgun, the FFL from whom you purchase the firearm/ammunition must obtain an export license from the Department of Commerce prior to exportation.
    2. To export firearms other than sporting shotguns or ammunition for firearms other than sporting shotguns, the FFL from whom you purchase the firearm/ammunition must be registered with the Department of State, Office
      of Defense Trade Controls (ODTC). The FFL must obtain an export license from the ODTC prior to exportation.
      ​

    [*] The State Department recommends that you provide the FFL with a letter from your embassy on embassy letterhead explaining why you want to export the firearm/ammunition. You also should provide an import authorization issued by the competent Government office in your country.
    ​
​

Abiding by State and local law
  • This brochure addresses the Federal firearms laws. There may be additional State or local laws that affect your purchase and/or possession of firearms or ammunition. It is your responsibility to be aware of any such laws.
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So according to the US laws, if you want to take buy ammunition you need to to have a valid purpose (aka hunting and/or competition). However, if you want to bring it back becomes the challenge with export requirements.
 
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jagnum said:
As a gas plant operator, i know that propane and butane are much more explosive than smokeless rifle powder. As stated before propane is much more dangerous, and most everyone has some at home. Heck, the stored energy in everyone's hot water tank in their basement has more stored energy than most everyones powder in the cans.

Smokeless powder doesn't explode, unless you put it in a container like they are asking you to put it in. When a fire does start burning in the house around a large super containerthat someone has it sealed off, YES it is the pressure created by the powder burning that would make it explosive. The law is totally backwards here as they are trying to make it safe and are actually making it more unsafe. I am not going to follow this law if it ever comes west.

Think about is as gasoline. If you dump gasoline on the floor and light it, yes it burns.
You take that gasoline, put it in say, a glass jar. Seal the lid, dump 1 liter of gas around and on top of the jar. What is going to happen, the gas will burn around the glass jar, and the stuff inside, youguessed it, will begin to "flash off" and the jar will pressure up and explode. I don't want to be near it when it does.

Stand up and fight, don't fall for this law they are trying to push as it is just stupid.
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Well said! There is no rationale for increased regualtions or inspections. In many jurisdictions smokeless propellant isn't even considered an explosive.
 
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From the Act Justice Department. (EDITED) Current as of 4 Feb 2009
EXPLOSIVES ACT

Class 1 — Gunpowder Class


8. (1) The gunpowder class includes


(a) the explosive ordinarily called gunpowder;



(b) preparations formed by the mechanical mixture of a nitrate with any form of carbon or with any carbonaceous substance not possessed of explosive properties, whether or not the preparation contains sulphur, and whether or not the preparation is mechanically mixed with any other non-explosive substance; and



(c) explosives containing a perchlorate that are not included in Classes 2, 3, 4 or 5.



(2) The explosive described in paragraph (1)(a) shall form a subclass of the gunpowder class to be known as Division 1 of that class and the explosives described in paragraphs (1)(b) and (c) shall form a subclass of the gunpowder class to be known as Division 2.

Class 6 — Ammunition Class


13. (1) “Ammunition” means an explosive of any class when enclosed in a case or contrivance or otherwise adapted or prepared so as to form a cartridge or charge for small arms, cannon, any other weapon, or for blasting, or so as to form any safety or other fuse for blasting or shells, or so as to form any tube for firing explosives, or so as to form a percussion cap, detonator, shell, torpedo, war rocket or other contrivance other than a firework.


(2) “Percussion cap” does not include a detonator.


(3) “Detonator” means a capsule or case that is of such strength and construction, and contains an explosive of the fulminate class in such quantity that the explosion of one capsule or case will communicate the explosion to other like capsules or cases.


(4) “Safety fuse” means a fuse for blasting that burns and does not explode, does not contain its own means of ignition, and is of such strength and construction and contains an explosive in such quantity that the burning of such fuse will not communicate laterally with other like fuses.


(5) The ammunition class has three divisions, namely, Division 1, Division 2 and Division 3.


(6) Division 1 comprises the following:


(a) safety cartridges;



(b) safety fuses; and



(c) percussion caps if the cap



(i) is a metal case or capsule,



(ii) has its composition protected by tin-foil or other suitable substance,



(iii) contains less than 40 milligrams of a composition of Division 1 of Class 5 (fulminate), of which not more than 25 per cent consists of fulminate of mercury or less than 35 milligrams of any other explosive of Division 1 of Class 5 (fulminate), and



(iv) is of such strength and construction that the ignition of one such cap will not ignite other like caps.



(7) Division 2 comprises any ammunition that does not contain its own means of ignition, and is not included in Division 1, such as cartridges and charges for cannon, shell, mines or other like purpose, electric fuses, electric primers, mining squibs, instantaneous fuse and shaped charges, but does not include detonators and electric detonators.


(8) Division 3 comprises any ammunition that contains its own means of ignition, and is not included in Division 1, such as detonators, percussion caps not included in Division 1, friction tubes, percussion primers, fuses for shell (such as time and percussion fuses) if such fuses do contain their own means of ignition.


(9) “Ammunition containing its own means of ignition” means ammunition that has an arrangement, whether attached to it or forming part of it, that is adapted to explode or fire the same by friction or percussion

34. A person may, for the purpose of laboratory chemical experiment and not for practical use or sale, make a small quantity of explosive in a place that is not a licensed factory if reasonable precautions are observed to prevent injury to persons or damage to property and if the provisions of the Act and these Regulations are observed as far as they are otherwise applicable.


35. Any person may, in respect of safety cartridges, load at a place other than a licensed factory if


(a) the loaded safety cartridges are not for sale or for any commercial, industrial or business use;



(b) the explosive used to load the cartridges is kept or stored in accordance with the provisions of Part XIII;



(c) not more than two kilograms of explosives, other than safety cartridges, are kept in the place;



(d) the artificial light, if any, used to illuminate the place is of such construction and character and located in such a manner as to not cause any danger of a fire or an explosion;



(e) no fire is kept in the place;



(f) no person smokes in any part of the place;



(g) no person has in his possession a match or other fire producing device in any part of the place; and



(h) no work or other activity, other than the loading of safety cartridges, is carried out in the place during the period such loading is being carried out

In this Part, “suitable receptacle” means a substantial box or substantial container,


(a) that may be placed inside a building that is not itself adapted for the keeping of explosives;



(b) the location of which is not changed from that prescribed by an inspector or under provincial or municipal law;



(c) that is kept away from goods of an inflammable nature; and



(d) that is of easy access for removal in case of fire.



137. In regard to any receptacle, the following provisions shall be observed:


(a) it shall be provided with a closely fitting lid secured by a lock, and hinges and fastenings, preferably of copper or brass, and otherwise closed and secured so as to prevent unauthorized persons having access thereto, and shall be kept locked except when required to be open for receipt or removal of explosives, or other necessary purpose;



(b) it shall be exclusively used for the keeping of explosives;



(c) it shall be made of wood, copper or other suitable material;



(d) the interior of the receptacle and all fittings therein shall be so constructed, covered or lined as to prevent the exposure of any iron or steel, or of any hard or gritty surface, or the entry, detaching, or accumulating of grit, iron, steel or similar substance;



(e) the interior of the receptacle shall be kept scrupulously clean; and



(f) the receptacle shall have the word “EXPLOSIVES” conspicuously displayed thereon on a contrasting background


SOR/90-571, s. 2.


141. When two or more explosives are kept on the same premises they shall each be kept in separate stores or receptacles, so separated from one another as to effectually prevent fire or explosion in one explosive from communicating with the other, except that


(a) the various explosives of Class 1 (gunpowder), Class 2 (nitrate mixture), Class 3 (nitro-compound), Class 4 (chlorate-mixture), safety fuse belonging to Division 1 of Class 6 (ammunition), and such of the various explosives of Division 2 of Class 6 (ammunition) as do not contain any exposed iron or steel, may be kept in the same store or receptacle with each other without any intervening partition or space;



(b) the various explosives of Division 1 of Class 6 (ammunition) may be kept in the same store or receptacle with each other without any intervening partition or space;



(c) such of the various explosives of Division 2 of Class 6 (ammunition) as contain exposed iron or steel may be kept in the same store or receptacle with each other without any intervening partition or space;



(d) the various explosives of Division 3 of Class 6 (ammunition) may be kept in the same store or receptacle with each other without any intervening partition or space; and



(e) the various explosives of Class 7 (fireworks) may be kept in the same store or receptacle with each other without any intervening partition or space.
 
I haven't built my box yet,,,my dad's actually gonna build it for me,,,I have just recently purchased my brass hinges,hasp and screws,,from lee valley tool's,,,,and my father already has the plywood,,and a nice woodworking shop to do it in,,MY QUESTION is ??????? the lock I need to lock the box,,where in the @##$,does one get a brass or copper lock ????/
 
To the best of my knowledge, there are no all-brass or all copper locks in existence. I found a small brass bodied lock, but the hasp is steel. That's the best I can manage. Oh well...
 
blacksmithden said:
So, what's the US government's official take on exporting empty brass, bullets (not cartridges), and reloading tools ???

I'd like an offical web site to go to on this.....not "Everybody's been saying that -x-y-z- is the law....on gunnutz"
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Check the Department of State website. There's no "who said this or that", it is clearly illegal to export reloading components from the States without a permit (which, by the way, is pretty easy to obtain).
 
Down east...Do they not record ID and report it monthly to the govt, whenever reloading supplies are purchased.

Sounds like they already know that you reload.
 
blacksmithden said:
So, what's the US government's official take on exporting empty brass, bullets (not cartridges), and reloading tools ???
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Reloading tools have only minimal restrictions, they cannot go to 'axis of evil' nations. Ammunition components like bullets and brass are treated the same as ammunition and cannot be exported at all without a permit.

I'd like an offical web site to go to on this.....not "Everybody's been saying that -x-y-z- is the law....on gunnutz"
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Here you go: ITAR
 
dozernomore said:
I haven't built my box yet,,,my dad's actually gonna build it for me,,,I have just recently purchased my brass hinges,hasp and screws,,from lee valley tool's,,,,and my father already has the plywood,,and a nice woodworking shop to do it in,,MY QUESTION is ??????? the lock I need to lock the box,,where in the @##$,does one get a brass or copper lock ????/
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As far as I can see the law says "PREFERABLY made of brass or copper". It does not say that it NEEDS to be, so your good to go with whatever lock you want to use. By the same token, it does not say the wood or copper is necessary for the box either. A plastic lockable container would work, has no metal parts whatsoever (although thats not a requirement), is portable, and will even melt to not allow dangerous pressure buildup in the case of a fire.
 
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137. In regard to any receptacle, the following provisions shall be observed:


(a) it shall be provided with a closely fitting lid secured by a lock, and hinges and fastenings, preferably of copper or brass, and otherwise closed and secured so as to prevent unauthorized persons having access thereto, and shall be kept locked except when required to be open for receipt or removal of explosives, or other necessary purpose;



(b) it shall be exclusively used for the keeping of explosives;



(c) it shall be made of wood, copper or other suitable material;
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It doesn't have to be copper or brass.
 
RacerSTA said:
As far as I can see the law says "PREFERABLY made of brass or copper". It does not say that it NEEDS to be, so your good to go with whatever lock you want to use. By the same token, it does not say the wood or copper is necessary for the box either. A plastic lockable container would work, has no metal parts whatsoever (although thats not a requirement), is portable, and will even melt to not allow dangerous pressure buildup in the case of a fire.
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OOP"s I missed that word preferably,,,I'll still get the box built,,,gives my dad something to do,,,and as far as the lock goes,,,,I have actually designated a room in my house the re-loading room,,,and is kept locked at all times,,except when I'm in there,,tinkering or re-loading,,,,sound's like that is locked, my powder is now currently stored in a plastic cooler,,visibly labeled EXPLOSIVE,in my locked re-loading room,,,sounds like that might be enough to be considered,,Compliance
 
The reason for wood is that it does not transfer heat well. Think of you BBQ on your deck. The railings might get warm but they don't conduct heat. Metal boxes conduct heat. No ferrous re sparking .
The idea is to buy time, to allow you to get it out of the house or where ever if there was a fire.
The English box for black powder is a beauty. Seperate compartments sealed all wood and brass.
Expensive though.
 
C Broad Arrow said:
And the point of imparting this "valuable" information is?
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Most likely for the same reason you've been posting the doom and gloom, "the sky is falling", financial articles. Some folks are comforted by a state of near panic, and enjoy spreading the joy.

Carry on, but be aware of the potential for a problem if you are fast and loose with things that can, on occation, go pear shaped.
 
And of course all these regs are to prevent the hundreds of reloading-related fires and accidents that have plagued Canadian society and led to so much loss of life and personal property.

Name me one.

Just more BS laws for the sake of laws, to separate shooting from the mainstream populace.
 
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