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Unbelievable
Apr. 24th, 2009 11:19 pmAs part of the effort to reduce crime in Mexico, the Obama administration is working on an international treaty to deal with US weapons and ammunition being taken illegally to Mexico. Now, think about that; it's already illegal to do this. This treaty will make it *extra* illegal.
I could live with the redundancy, since that part of the treaty puts no additional burden on law-abiding citizens in the US. However, the way this treaty is currently worded, it also makes illegal a long-time hobby of mine which actually saves me money.
The brass case is the most expensive part of a cartridge. It is also, fortunately, reusable. Just run a fired case through a resizing die to squeeze it back into shape and pop out the old primer, press in a new primer, add powder and seat a bullet and you're ready to go. Depending on how you value your time, it can cost less than half the price of a new cartridge. It is a safe process, no more technically demanding than minor home car maintenance.
If this treaty is passed, doing this would be "illicit manufacturing" unless the individual is licensed by "a competent governmental authority of the State Party." In other words, I'd have to be licensed for ammunition manufacturing by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. By an authority which at this time does not exist.
Doesn't matter that this is all for my own, private use. There's no exemptions for that reason, or for small amounts. It's a blanket prohibition.
The text of the treaty can be found at:
http://www.oas.org/juridico/English/treaties/a-63.html
I could live with the redundancy, since that part of the treaty puts no additional burden on law-abiding citizens in the US. However, the way this treaty is currently worded, it also makes illegal a long-time hobby of mine which actually saves me money.
The brass case is the most expensive part of a cartridge. It is also, fortunately, reusable. Just run a fired case through a resizing die to squeeze it back into shape and pop out the old primer, press in a new primer, add powder and seat a bullet and you're ready to go. Depending on how you value your time, it can cost less than half the price of a new cartridge. It is a safe process, no more technically demanding than minor home car maintenance.
If this treaty is passed, doing this would be "illicit manufacturing" unless the individual is licensed by "a competent governmental authority of the State Party." In other words, I'd have to be licensed for ammunition manufacturing by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. By an authority which at this time does not exist.
Doesn't matter that this is all for my own, private use. There's no exemptions for that reason, or for small amounts. It's a blanket prohibition.
The text of the treaty can be found at:
http://www.oas.org/juridico/English/treaties/a-63.html
