Interstate ivory ban

[mojave30cal]

I've been reading about an upcoming ban on shipping anything
made of ivory across state lines effective July 6, 2016. It's the
first I've heard that it's now law. I've seen some sellers on
Gun Broker pushing ivory grips for some of their SAA type of
revolvers. This can't be good for our hobby.

 

[rburg]

Its a time honored tradition to just ignore unjust or stupid "laws". No, its not a law, its the government overreaching again. Its kind of a regulation they've imposed on mere taxpayers to allow them to confiscate items they feel are evil. I've even heard that if they burn the grips, the elephant that died 75 years ago will spring back to life! And that some stupid jerk feels that if they make a dent in the raw materials, the demand will go down in the future. Its because no one with a Single Action will want his gun confiscated, so he'll take them off and just absorb the financial loss. Good luck with that. Or maybe we'll vote for the guy who might look out for us and fire all the current fish and wildlife jerks and just start over with regulations that make some sense. Oh, and send your grandmother Steinway Piano to the dump, its now contraband.

 

[rwsmith]

This seems to be true.....

All ivory sales banned, only items over 100 years old are legal.

I was hoping this was a rumor. It doesn't affect me, I don't have ivory anything except a piece or two of my wifes inherited jewelry, but I'm concerned that the ban goes back much farther than concerns about preserving elephants. There are some things in the article that seem to be inconsistent. Like 'piano key and items that contain only a small amount of ivory'. I've seen an old ivory keyed piano and each of 52 keys was a slab of yellowed ivory. 100 years goes back to 1916. There's been quite a lot of ivory items made since than that are apparently banned for sale. I don't know why they just don't ban NEW ivory sales after the date of enactment.

 

[Fishslayer]

Everyone on social media were all gaga about burning Lord knows how many tons of confiscated ivory tusks. Never occurred to them how much money could be made for elephant conservation by selling them instead. The elephants are already dead. Burning the tusks just makes certain people feel warm & fuzzy.

 

[LittleCooner]

Boy, I am glad our government is looking out for us. Keeps one from thinking about buying a set of nice looking grips for his favorite firearm. Thanks government, I am too stupid to think for myself and do not need to live a free life, please lead me.

 

[Watchdog]

Its a time honored tradition to just ignore unjust or stupid "laws". No, its not a law, its the government overreaching again. Its kind of a regulation they've imposed on mere taxpayers to allow them to confiscate items they feel are evil.

Time honored tradition. Yep, I guess. It's also a time honored tradition in this country to send people who get caught ignoring federal laws or regulations off to the slammer, where they'll have plenty of time to contemplate the error of their ways.

 

[rburg]

TIt's also a time honored tradition in this country to send people who get caught ignoring federal laws or regulations off to the slammer, where they'll have plenty of time to contemplate the error of their ways.

I'm guessing that since its just a regulation, there won't be jail time imposed. It was done to confiscate the items.

 

[jag312]

It is a misguided approach to stop ivory poaching and the sale of poached ivory to China, Japan, and Korea. This regulation ain't gonna do nothin' to stop poaching. Poaching is an economic crime. You stop poaching when you make the risk greater than the reward. Make poaching a very unhealthy occupation. One way to do this is to declare war on poachers. Find a poacher, shoot him on the spot, and hang his body from a tree as a warning.

 

[woodsltc]

It is a misguided approach to stop ivory poaching and the sale of poached ivory to China, Japan, and Korea. This regulation ain't gonna do nothin' to stop poaching. Poaching is an economic crime. You stop poaching when you make the risk greater than the reward. Make poaching a very unhealthy occupation.

I mostly agree with the above.....another example of the government kowtowing to the agenda of animal rights activists.

It won't stop poaching or the sale of ivory to countries that allow it. The ones hurt are the innocent people that own decades old "legal" ivory items.

Don

 

[STCM(SW)]

So the woolly mammoth carved Ivory earrings I got for my wife about 20 tears ago while I was in AK are OK?
Yea, but I can't prove the beast has been dead for 100,000 years....

 

[Watchdog]

So the woolly mammoth carved Ivory earrings I got for my wife about 20 tears ago while I was in AK are OK?

Yes, they are. So are gun grips made from mammoth ivory. They may also be sold on the international market.

Pre-ban (before 1972) walrus ivory is also still in use, but only when marketed in the U.S. for U. S. residents. It can't be sold on the internation market. Legally, that is.

Yea, but I can't prove the beast has been dead for 100,000 years....

You don't have to prove it, and I seriously doubt anyone will ask you to prove it.

 

[Old TexMex]

I'm not sure if my ivory stocks were made in 1915 or 1917.....
Suppose I should just go ahead and surrender them to fish and wildlife or who ever is empowered to save the elephants.
Such an important issue, I'm sure glad they're on it.

 

[Watchdog]

I'm guessing that since its just a regulation, there won't be jail time imposed.

I don't put much, if any, stock in guesses.

It was done to confiscate the items.

That is not the sole purpose of the new regulations, but I'm not going to get into any sort of drawn out debate or explanation about it. Any elephant ivory or ivory products coming into the country after July 6 will most likely be confiscated. But no one's gonna come around to your door and take your gun grips or grandma's piano or whatever. But if you're scared they will, then take the grips off the guns and hide 'em or something.

On the other hand, if you try to engage in interstate commerce of ivory products after July 6, pre-ban or not, you're probably gonna be in trouble if you're caught.

One very well known grip maker in Arizona has advised his customers that after July 6, he will only be able to sell his ivory grips to documented Arizona residents. That means you'll have to show proof of residency before he'll sell you a pair of his beautifully made ivory grips. He's also advised his customers that once his current stock of pre-ban ivory is gone, that's it, he won't be able to buy any more. The implication is that decorating guns with material from dead elephants isn't worth hefty fines or jail time or the possible loss of a thriving business. I don't blame him.

Like it or not, the days of using elephant ivory for gun grips, grip inlays, or rifle/shotgun stock inlays will be coming to an end in the future. Ditto for knife handles, gun tool handles, and other miscellaneous accessories.

I guess when that end will get here will depend on how long existing legal pre-ban supplies last.

 

[Xfuzz]

Seems I read a weight factor is involved.

 

[Old TexMex]

Time honored tradition. Yep, I guess. It's also a time honored tradition in this country to send people who get caught ignoring federal laws or regulations off to the slammer, where they'll have plenty of time to contemplate the error of their ways.

That's debatable, I seem to see a lot of people violating federal law, caught and released. The time honored tradition has been replaced with selective enforcement, and it saddens me.

 

[Smitty357]

Ah well just makes me wonder what all these custom Tascarella pool cues are going to be worth in years to come. Considering if u order one new now. You will be waiting 8+ years for delivery.

Man can never have too many custom pool cues or too many guns.

 

[Leonard]

It is a misguided approach to stop ivory poaching and the sale of poached ivory to China, Japan, and Korea. This regulation ain't gonna do nothin' to stop poaching. Poaching is an economic crime. You stop poaching when you make the risk greater than the reward. Make poaching a very unhealthy occupation. One way to do this is to declare war on poachers. Find a poacher, shoot him on the spot, and hang his body from a tree as a warning.

This approach was taken, my personal experience in the Zambezi Valley of Zimbabwe during the early 80's and most likely as it pertains to elephants to this day.

Anyone non-white, or not wearing a National Parks uniform was shot on sight this policy was brought about by the rhino poaching. I still have a letter from National Parks authoring and encouraging Pro hunters, as well as clients to shoot on sight. One year in the Chete concession 13 poachers were shot and killed, but despite this policy over a few years all of the rhino were poached. Rhino were a nuisance when hunting they were so numerous barely a day went by without being chased by one getting your scent, by the mid to late 80's they were totally decimated.

There was an endless supply of poor natives that were armed by merchants to poach they made very little, the merchant middleman safely living in a city made the real profits. Everyone involved agreed that the merchants should have been targeted that would have made a difference.