ATF to Industry Advisory – Black Powder, Black Powder Substitutes, & Smokeless Powder

Black Powder
Black Powder
ATF
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Washington, DC –-(Ammoland.com)- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are jointly conducting an industry awareness initiative for businesses that distribute and sell black powder, black powder substitutes, and smokeless powder.

The purpose is to increase industry awareness of potential criminal or terrorist activity indicators and provide guidance on how to report suspicious activity.

Black powder, black powder substitutes, and smokeless powder are common bomb – making materials that are readily available to a purchaser with criminal or terrorist intent.

The enclosed “ Industry Advisory ” poster has been developed to educate retail employees involved in the sale of powders that have the potential for being used in bomb making materials.

If you are a distributor of black powder, black powder substitutes, or smokeless powder to retail outlets, you are asked to consider including the Industry Advisory posters with your shipments for use by retail establishments.

If you are a retailer of these powders, you are encouraged to provide this information to your employees, especially those who regularly interact with customers, as they are best positioned to observe these potentially suspicious behaviors and activities. By learning what to look for and how to report suspicious behavior, you and your employees can be a critical resource to law enforcement officials in preventing attacks. We strongly encourage your business to establish relationships with your local law enforcement agencies and the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF).

Finally, please consider integrating awareness and reporting of suspicious behaviors into your formal employee training programs.

Your collective assistance in reporting the suspicious activities of those you believe have exhibited warning indicators will greatly enhance our ability to prevent criminal or terrorist activity. By working together we can make America safer. We appreciate your support of this critically important undertaking.

Industry Advisory – Black Powder, Black Powder Substitutes, & Smokeless Powder

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Charlie

The use of powder and reloading predates the founding of our country. It is still protected by the second amendment and shall not be infringed. I am getting very tired of all of these illegal controls, taxes and restrictions of our rights. We are almost at a trigger point for action. But that may be just what they want so Obama can declare martial law.

jamie

So that when they come to take your guns they can claim you have “bomb making material”

crblack

To Capn Jack: ammunition is technically an explosive device, albeit a controlled one as long as it ignites in a gun. Nevertheless, your point that this may be a back door way to ban ammo is well taken.

Gunner Jim

I am a cannon shooter and make bulk purchases of 100 lbs. or more of black powder as it takes from 1/2 to 1 lb. per shot when at re-enactments or a competative shoot and was questioned once about why I needed so much powder till I showed the Agent the cannon and he basicly went “Oh”.

Capn Jack

I couldn’t help but notice the “Add On” of smokeless powder. What BS…Looks like a sneaky way of “Back Dooring” ammunition as an “explosive device.”

Buck Crosby

Oh YEAH !!! And don’t forget to tell some government official about anyone that buys more than a pound . The BATF&E and the Department of Homeland Security are both illegal and unconstitutional agencies that violate our constitutional rights with virtually action they take , and they do NOTHING for our Security , if they did there would be NO illegal immigrants in this country .

John

This makes sense if you’re a retailer of gun powders. I would be especially suspicious of anyone purchasing large quantities of black powder. Without due diligence you could be put out of business like a gun dealer who sells unknowingly to “straw purchasers”.

Drew

MontieR, to be fair, it says “killed or injured”. It’s still a red herring, but it’s factual.

MontieR

The little statement on the right about hundreds dying yearly is a load of BULL. Try googling explosives deaths inside the US. IF you can find any reference at all they are industrial accidents. As to domestic terrorists there is NO recent reference at all as in ZERO deaths.