The Obama administration is considering a ban on bullets that the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms said can put police officers in danger.
The proposal is looking to ban bullets known as green tip bullets which can now be used in pistols.
The concern is that these bullets can pierce armor, including bulletproof vests.
These bullets had not been part of a previous ban on armor piercing bullets because they were largely used for target practice in rifles but can now be used in handguns, too.
“For the most part they’re the most economical to shoot with,” Green Acres Sports Goods manager Philip Gazalah said.
Gazalah said the store has seen a roughly 25 percent increase in ammo sales since the announcement of the proposed ban.
“They’re trying to get them while they’re still affordable,” Gazalah said.
Gazalah said the green tip bullets are typically made of tungsten while most handgun bullets are made of lead.
Michael Knox works on crime scene reconstruction for shootings and told Action News as a former law enforcement officer, he does not believe green tip bullets are a common threat for police.
“The green tip is a very popular among sportsmen and people who target practice,” Knox said. “It isn’t one that poses a significant danger that law enforcement encounters on a regular basis. That’s where the justification seems to not really balance against what you’re taking away from legitimate gun owners. I spent 15 years as a law enforcement officer. I wasn’t in fear that somebody was going to pull out an AR-15 handgun and use a green tip.”
One gun owner said he has no problem with the proposal because he believes armor piercing bullets aren’t needed for the general public aside from the military and law enforcement.
“It just makes no sense,” gun owner Marcus Blount said. “I believe in gun ownership. I believe in the right to bear arms but I have no use for that.”
WJAX
