II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 935 

To regulate .50 caliber sniper weapons designed for the taking of human 

life and the destruction of materiel, including armored vehicles and 

components of the Nation’s critical infrastructure. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 28, 2005 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. CORZINE, and Mr. DURBIN) introduced the 

following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance 

A BILL 

To regulate .50 caliber sniper weapons designed for the taking of human life and the destruction of materiel, including armored vehicles and components of the Nation’s 

critical infrastructure. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fifty Caliber Sniper 

5 Weapons Regulation Act of 2005’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 
2 

•S 935 IS

1 (1) Certain firearms originally designed and 

2 built for use as long-range .50 caliber military sniper 

3 weapons are increasingly being sold in the United 

4 States civilian market. 

5 (2) The intended use of these long-range fire6 arms, and an increasing number of models derived 

7 directly from them, is the taking of human life and 

8 the destruction of materiel, including armored vehi9 cles and components of the national critical infra10 structure, such as radar and microwave transmission 

11 devices. 

12 (3) These firearms are neither designed nor 

13 used in any significant number for legitimate sport14 ing or hunting purposes and are clearly distinguish15 able from rifles intended for sporting and hunting 

16 use. 

17 (4) Extraordinarily destructive ammunition for 

18 these weapons, including armor-piercing and armor19 piercing incendiary ammunition, is freely sold in 

20 interstate commerce. 

21 (5) The virtually unrestricted availability of 

22 these firearms and ammunition, given the uses in23 tended in their design and manufacture, present a 

24 serious and substantial threat to the national secu25 rity. 
3 

•S 935 IS

1 SEC. 3. COVERAGE OF .50 CALIBER SNIPER WEAPONS 

2 UNDER THE NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 5845(a) of the Internal 

4 Revenue Code of 1986 (defining firearm) is amended by 

5 striking ‘‘(6) a machine gun; (7) any silencer (as defined 

6 in section 921 of title 18, United States Code); and (8) 

7 a destructive device.’’ and inserting ‘‘(6) a .50 caliber snip8 er weapon; (7) a machine gun; (8) any silencer (as defined 

9 in section 921 of title 18, United States Code); and (9) 

10 a destructive device.’’. 

11 (b) DEFINITIONS.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 5845 the Internal 

13 Revenue Code of 1986 (defining terms relating to 

14 firearms) is amended by adding at the end the fol15 lowing: 

16 ‘‘(n) FIFTY CALIBER SNIPER WEAPON.—The term 

17 ‘.50 caliber sniper weapon’ means a rifle capable of firing 

18 a center-fire cartridge in .50 caliber, .50 BMG caliber, any 

19 other variant of .50 caliber, or any metric equivalent of 

20 such calibers.’’. 

21 (2) MODIFICATION TO DEFINITION OF RIFLE.— 

22 Section 5845(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 

23 1986 (defining rifle) is amended by inserting ‘‘or 

24 from a bipod or other support’’ after ‘‘shoulder’’. 
4 

•S 935 IS

1 SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

2 The amendments made by this Act shall only apply 

3 to a .50 caliber sniper weapon made or transferred after 

4 the date of enactment of this Act. 

Æ