Legality of surplus AP 308 bullets/reloading the ammo?

Battler · September 12, 2000, 02:25 AM

There are sites online selling surplus 308 AP BULLETS.

Now, I heard that 308 is considered a pistol caliber (waiting for the concealed carry revolver, myself

) and making AP ammo for it is verboten.

However, are the BULLETS grandfathered? Is assembling them into ammo illegal?

I'm not up to anything nefarious. May want to experiment with them in a rifle in the far-off future - if I ever have somewhere to shoot at steel things, and ONLY acquiring the stuff if it's legal.

thanks,
Battler.

[This message has been edited by Battler (edited September 12, 2000).]

Maddock · September 12, 2000, 08:03 PM

I’ve seen the advertisements and wondered on the legality myself. One of the many pleasant shooting memories of my youth was making big rocks into small rocks with surplus ’06 AP and a 1917 Enfield. I hope someone here knows the answer.

SmallBore · September 12, 2000, 09:23 PM

To the best of my understanding a certain un-named congresswoman, slid a rider on a bill, last fall, that effectively prohibits the sale from demillers of AP, API, and APIT to the distributors/resellers. Our tax dollars "at work" will be used to totally destroy any "new" surplus AP, API, APIT, at a cost that defies logic. Anything that remains in the pipeline is all that is left. When the pipeline's empty it's all gone. Currently anything still available is grandfathered and okay to purchase by the public. Get 'em while you can. This info comes from TNW.

riverdog · September 12, 2000, 09:42 PM

.308 is usually a rifle caliber. The .308 bullets are from 30-06 cartidges but may be loaded in 30-06 or .308 or 300 Win Mag if you desire. As of now, if you can buy it its legal unless your state has a prohibition on AP. Be advised, the .30 cal 173 gr bullets pulled from 30-06 require a 1:10 twist due to their length. A slower twist won't stabilize them and probably won't be as accurate.

Battler · September 13, 2000, 01:01 AM

For the record, although everyone reading this forum knows full well that 308 is a rifle caliber. . . . .

the BATF lists it in with pistol calibers, along with the 7.62x39.

The interpretation of "primarily pistol caliber" becamse "used in even a single pistol".

Battler.

September 12, 2000, 02:25 AM	#1
Battler Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2000 Posts: 1,185	There are sites online selling surplus 308 AP BULLETS. Now, I heard that 308 is considered a pistol caliber (waiting for the concealed carry revolver, myself ) and making AP ammo for it is verboten. However, are the BULLETS grandfathered? Is assembling them into ammo illegal? I'm not up to anything nefarious. May want to experiment with them in a rifle in the far-off future - if I ever have somewhere to shoot at steel things, and ONLY acquiring the stuff if it's legal. thanks, Battler. [This message has been edited by Battler (edited September 12, 2000).]

September 12, 2000, 08:03 PM	#2
Maddock Senior Member Join Date: March 29, 2000 Location: Phoenix AZ Posts: 159	I’ve seen the advertisements and wondered on the legality myself. One of the many pleasant shooting memories of my youth was making big rocks into small rocks with surplus ’06 AP and a 1917 Enfield. I hope someone here knows the answer.

September 12, 2000, 09:23 PM	#3
SmallBore Member Join Date: April 2, 2000 Posts: 19	To the best of my understanding a certain un-named congresswoman, slid a rider on a bill, last fall, that effectively prohibits the sale from demillers of AP, API, and APIT to the distributors/resellers. Our tax dollars "at work" will be used to totally destroy any "new" surplus AP, API, APIT, at a cost that defies logic. Anything that remains in the pipeline is all that is left. When the pipeline's empty it's all gone. Currently anything still available is grandfathered and okay to purchase by the public. Get 'em while you can. This info comes from TNW.

September 12, 2000, 09:42 PM	#4
riverdog Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 2000 Posts: 824	.308 is usually a rifle caliber. The .308 bullets are from 30-06 cartidges but may be loaded in 30-06 or .308 or 300 Win Mag if you desire. As of now, if you can buy it its legal unless your state has a prohibition on AP. Be advised, the .30 cal 173 gr bullets pulled from 30-06 require a 1:10 twist due to their length. A slower twist won't stabilize them and probably won't be as accurate.

September 13, 2000, 01:01 AM	#5
Battler Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2000 Posts: 1,185	For the record, although everyone reading this forum knows full well that 308 is a rifle caliber. . . . . the BATF lists it in with pistol calibers, along with the 7.62x39. The interpretation of "primarily pistol caliber" becamse "used in even a single pistol". Battler.