ATF Shotgun Import Ban Blasted by Carter Amendment

The proposed ATF ban on shotgun imports with any tactical features would be blocked under an amendment by Congressman John Carter (R-TX) which passed the House Appropriations Committee today by a 28-19 margin.

"People in Texas are perfectly capable of deciding what features they like on their shotguns without interference from Washington," said Carter. "Every firearm made can have multiple purposes, and for ATF to unilaterally decide that a shotgun with a folding stock has a bad purpose while one with a straight stock does not is unacceptable to the spirit of the Second Amendment."

According to the ATF website, the import ban would prohibit the import of any shotgun with folding, telescoping, or collapsible stocks; magazines over 5 rounds; integrated rail systems; light enhancing devices; weight greater than 10 pounds; bulk greater than 3 inch width or 4 inch depth; forward pistol grips or any other parts that can be grasped with the shooter's extended hand; along with any other features which the ATF determined would not be consistent with a "sporting purpose":

The Carter amendment passed as part of the ongoing full committee markup of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 2012. The measure would effectively block the ban by prohibiting the use of any funds to implement or enforce the ATF import scheme. The Act must be passed by the full House and Senate and signed by the President to become law.

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