PA Dems Propose Ammo Tax and ID Scheme

[PPS1980]

Pennsylvania Democrats to Propose Bullet Tax and Encoded Rounds to Track Ammo Owners

A 5 cent per bullet tax will be proposed in Pennsylvania as a component of legislation to be brought forth by two state House Democrats, Rep. Manny Guzman and Rep. Stephen “Kinsey.” The tax would fund a state police database of ammunition sold in “Pennsylvania.”

The orchestrated legislation would require ammunition manufacturers to encode ammunition provided for retail sale in “Pennsylvania,” and to provide ammunition serial numbers to the Pennsylvania State Police for the ammunition database. The plan was revealed in a joint memo to the state legislature by Guzman and “Kinsey.”..........

 

[stansdds]

The part about ammo manufacturers encoding a serial number into the ammo may present a problem. This has been proposed, I think in California, before and it was deemed unworkable, sort of like the idea of chemical markers in smokeless powder, which was proposed in the 1990's.

 

[Jon651]

I've mentioned this before: To be successful in "gun control", they need to first concentrate their regulatory efforts on ammunition. "Guns" need never be mentioned.

The next step is to bring in the private insurance industry and start requiring liability insurance. They will model the next generation of gun control legislation in the image of automobile ownership. Jack up the side-loaded costs high enough (between ammunition taxes, gun insurance, etc.) and you will price the majority out of the market. At that point they can magnanimously allow folks to own any type of firearm they like - but the vast majority of honest folks won't be able to afford even one. In their eyes, gun control accomplished - without ever controlling a single gun...

 

[GaryS]

Just because something is "unworkable" doesn't mean that politicians won't try to impose it. In fact, they probably consider that a feature, not a bug.

The part about ammo manufacturers encoding a serial number into the ammo may present a problem. This has been proposed, I think in California, before and it was deemed unworkable, sort of like the idea of chemical markers in smokeless powder, which was proposed in the 1990's.

 

[waffles]

Just because something is "unworkable" doesn't mean that politicians won't try to impose it. In fact, they probably consider that a feature, not a bug.

Bingo. This is another law that's not meant to have a real effect on gun crime, its a way to make things more of a hassle. If manufacturers stop selling to PA, they win. If ammo gets too expensive and you stop shooting, they win. See also training, permitting, and safe storage requirements. They make a lot more sense when you see it as an inconvenience that discourages non-hobbyists from getting into shooting.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Shall not be infringed.

 

[robertrwalsh]

Didn't Oregon do that recently? The tax is supposed to compensate people harmed by "gun violence."

 

[reddog81]

"By making the bullet a more useable piece of evidence, independent from the associated firearm, we can give our law enforcement officers the implements that they require to solve more of these heinous malefactions."

How exactly are they going to put a serial number on a bullet? Stamped on the nose, the side or the base? What could possibly deform a serial number on a soft lead bullet???

 

[RCL-09]

Last iteration of this stupidity that I read not only required a serial number on the bullet, but made it a felony to deface/destroy the serial number...

So target shooting could become a felony per shot.

.22 LR cartridges are commonly packaged in boxes of 50 or 100 rounds, and are often sold by the 'brick', a carton containing either 10 boxes of 50 rounds or loose cartridges totaling 500 rounds, or the 'case' containing 10 bricks totaling 5,000 rounds. Annual production is estimated by some at 2–2.5 billion rounds

I want to get the first year .22lr bullet serial number 2,500,000,000 just for collecting purposes.

 

[AlHunt]

Last iteration of this stupidity that I read not only required a serial number on the bullet, but made it a felony to deface/destroy the serial number...

So target shooting could become a felony per shot.



I want to get the first year .22lr bullet serial number 2,500,000,000 just for collecting purposes.

They're going to need bigger bullets to fit all those numbers on.

 

[teletech]

I mentioned this legislation to a friend from PA and she just laughed and said it was strictly meant to whip up the base(s) and the people or politicians of PA would NEVER actually pass such a thing and the less said about it, the sooner it would die.

 

[stansdds]

"By making the bullet a more useable piece of evidence, independent from the associated firearm, we can give our law enforcement officers the implements that they require to solve more of these heinous malefactions."

How exactly are they going to put a serial number on a bullet? Stamped on the nose, the side or the base? What could possibly deform a serial number on a soft lead bullet???

This scheme, along with firing pin ID, fired cartridge case ID, and propellant taggants have, at some point, been proposed. The fired case scheme was actually enacted by several states, but it seems that no crimes were solved, so I think most of those states have dropped that scheme. None of these things are actually workable ideas.

 

[Johnnu2]

Let me know if they find any ammo to 'imprint' or otherwise identify; I'd like to buy some )))

J.

 

[max503]

Stuff like this motivates me to send money to the NRA and other like causes.

 

[gerhard1]

Typical liberal politicians. Let's not address why gang bangers are killing each other. Let's blame the guns and ammo they use.

If guns and ammo were ever banned, they'd be killing each other with clubs, knifes, and chainsaws.

They'd kill each other with guns too.

 

[K Frame Keith]

I write my legislators every time these clowns writes a bill. They’ve reassured me that this is apparently their hobby. Writing bills that won’t see the light of day. But stay vigilant!

 

[bushmaster1313]

I feel safer k owing that legislation like this has been proposed

 

[BC38]

Didn't Oregon do that recently? The tax is supposed to compensate people harmed by "gun violence."

Dunno about Oregon, but Seattle tried the per cartridge tax a few years ago. Last I heard the were whining about how it didn't raise the anticipated funds for "violence prevention" - because people just started buying all their ammo outside the city limits (DUH!) so they even lost the regular tax revenue on the sales! I know they were at least talking about repealing it since it was such a dismal failure.

Seattle’s Gun Tax Pulls in Pennies, Predicted Fail • NSSF

Wouldn't surprise me to see some Oregon cities try it too, though. The folks in charge their obviously aren't all that smart. I doubt that the whole state has or would try something so dumb though.

 

[germansheperd]

Shall not be infringed.

They are not ‘infringing’ on firearms. Constitution says nothing about ammo. That’s how they ‘back door’ these things.

 

[stansdds]

They are not ‘infringing’ on firearms. Constitution says nothing about ammo. That’s how they ‘back door’ these things.

Sad, but very true.