Bullet Laws?

Question

I heard a long time ago that it is illegal to cut notches in your bullets or otherwise deface them. Some reason about it makes them more effective and they Feds don't want that or something.

Is this a real law? Am I thinking of a similar law perhaps?

There is a law (I think) that says you cannot make your own armor piercing rounds. Could it be a misunderstanding derived form that law? Or am I misunderstanding that law too, I actually read the text of this one.

Answer 1

It is not illegal but it is very stupid to do outside of non-lethal experimentation. There is a liability issue with using any reloaded ammo or modified slug ammo. The last time I checked it was illegal for non-LE to have hollowpoints in New Jersey. And for the record The Hague Convention of 1899 is the convention that barred bullets that flatten or fragment based on design-not Geneva. This is a very popular misconception. Geneva has been used to discuss projectiles (like the .223/5.56mm back in the mid-70s) but The Hague Convention is the original convention for the modern rules of land warfare. Geneva is more about prisoners of war. The Kaiser warned the US about using shotguns in trenches but we ignored the pompous noble and used them anyway.

Answer 2

No it is not illegal to 'de-face' a bullet. You can't make dum-dum bullets by slicing them. All that does is makes them more apt to fragment, not necessarily a good thing. Just get quality defensive ammo and you're good to go.

A dum-dum bullet is old technology where a lead bullet had a harder lead core allowing the soft lead exterior to 'peel back' as it plowed into the target. Not very efficient, but like I said that was early technology. Also, dum-dums were outlawed by the Geneva Convention to use as military anti-personnel ammo. After Geneva only solids could be used as anti-personnel ammo.

Best.

H

Thanks for the correction about the Hague rather the Geneva Convention, David. I knew it was one of the two but said 'Geneva' because hardly anyone has ever heard of The Hague Convention.

H

Answer 3

No, it's a part of international military law, not US law. I think New Jersey has some bizzarre bullet laws, but in most of the country you're welcome to use bullets that are scored. You might want to look at the design of the all-copper Barnes bullets, for instance.

Answer 4

I have heard that also, that if you etch a notch into them they fall into a category of uncontrolled frangible ammunition (Dumb Dumb bullets). I too also heard that it is considered illegal.

Answer 5

NO you can make or do whatever you want to them to please yourself.*