Law Enforcement Officers Protection Act of 1985
PL 99-408 (H.R.3132), enacted 08/28/1986

100 STAT. 920 
PUBLIC LAW 99-408—AUG. 28, 1986 
Public Law 99-408 
99th Congress 
An Act ^
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Aug. 28, 1986 
[H.R. 3132] 
Arms and 
munitions. 
Exports. 
Research and 
development. 
Exports. 
To amend chapter 44, of title 18, United States Code, to regulate the manufacture, 
importation, and sale of armor piercing ammunition, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America 
in Congress assembled, That section 
921(a)(17) of title 18 of the United States Code is redesignated as 
section 921(a)(17)(A), and a new subparagraph (B) is added to section 
921(a)(17) to read as follows: 
"(B) The term 'armor piercing ammunition' means a projectile or 
projectile core which may be used in a handgun and which is 
constructed entirely (excluding the presence of traces of other sub-
stances) from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, 
brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium. Such term 
does not include shotgun shot required by Federal or State environ-
mental or game regulations for hunting purposes, a frangible projec-
tile designed for target shooting, a projectile which the Secretary 
finds is primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes, or any 
other projectile or projectile core which the Secretary finds is in-
tended to be used for industrial purposes, including a charge used in 
an oil and gas well perforating device.". 
SEC. 2. Section 922(a) of title 18 of the United States Code is 
amended— 
(a) by striking out "and" at the end of paragraph (5); 
(b) by striking out the period at the end of paragraph (6) and 
inserting in lieu thereof a semicolon; and 
(c) by adding after paragraph (6) the following: 
"(7) for any person to manufacture or import armor piercing 
ammunition, except that this paragraph shall not apply to— 
"(A) the manufacture or importation of such ammunition 
for the use of the United States or any department or 
agency thereof or any State or any department, agency, or 
political subdivision thereof; 
"(B) the manufacture of such ammunition for the purpose 
of exportation; and 
"(C) any manufacture or importation for the purposes of 
testing or experimentation authorized by the Secretary; 
and 
"(8) for any manufacturer or importer to sell or deliver armor 
piercing ammunition, except that this paragraph shall not 
apply to— 
"(A) the sale or delivery by a manufacturer or importer of 
such ammunition for use of the United States or any 
department or agency thereof or any State or any depart-
ment, agency, or political subdivision thereof; 
"(B) the sale or delivery by a manufacturer or importer of 
such ammunition for the purpose of exportation; 
PUBLIC LAW 99-408—AUG. 28, 1986 
100 STAT. 921 
"(C) the sale or delivery by a manufacturer or importer of 
Research and 
such ammunition for the purposes of testing or experiment- 
development. 
ing authorized by the Secretary.". 
SEC. 3. Subparagraph (A) of section 923(aXl) of title 18 of the 
United States Code is amended to read as follows: 
"(A) of destructive devices, ammunition for destructive de-
vices or armor piercing ammunition, a fee of $1,000 per year;". 
SEC. 4, Subparagraph (C) of section 923(a)(1) of title 18 of the 
United States Code is amended to read as follows: 
"(C) of ammunition for firearms, other than ammunition for 
destructive devices or armor piercing ammunition, a fee of $10 
per year.". 
SEC. 5. Subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 923(aX2) of title 18 of 
the United States Code are amended to read as follows: 
"(A) of destructive devices, ammunition for destructive de-
vices or armor piercing ammunition, a fee of $1,000 per year; or 
"(B) of firearms other than destructive devices or ammunition 
for firearms other than destructive devices, or ammunition 
other than armor piercing ammunition, a fee of $50 per year.". 
SEC. 6. Section 923(e) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by Ante, p. 453. 
inserting after the first sentence the following: "The Secretary may, 
after notice and opportunity for hearing, revoke the license of a 
dealer who willfully transfers armor piercing ammunition.". 
SEC. 7. Section 923 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end thereof the following: 
"(k) Licensed importers and licensed manufacturers shall 
mark all armor piercing projectiles and packages containing 
such projectiles for distribution in the manner prescribed by the 
Secretary by regulation. The Secretary shall furnish informa-
tion to each dealer licensed under this chapter defining which 
projectiles are considered armor piercing ammunition as de-
fined in section 921(a)(17)(B).". 
SEC. 8. Section 929 of title 18 of the United States Code is Ante, p. 460. 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking out "violence including" and inserting 
"violence (including" in lieu thereof; 
(B) by striking out "device for" and inserting "device) for" 
in lieu thereof; 
(C) by striking out "uses or carries any handgun" and all 
that follows through "subsection (b)" and inserting in lieu 
thereof "uses or carries a firearm and is in possession of 
armor piercing ammunition capable of being fired in that 
firearm"; 
(D) by striking out "nor more than ten"; and 
(E) by striking out the last two sentences; and 
(2) so that subsection (b) reads as follows: 
"(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the court shall 
not suspend the sentence of any person convicted of a violation of 
this section, nor place the person on probation, nor shall the 
terms of imprisonment run concurrently with any other terms of 
imprisonment, including that imposed for the crime in which the 
armor piercing ammunition was used or possessed. No person sen-
tenced under this section shall be eligible for parole during the term 
of imprisonment imposed herein.". 
SEC. 9. The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the 
date of enactment of this Act, except that sections 3, 4, and 5 shall 
Law 
enforcement 
and crime. 
Effective date. 
18 u s e 921 note. 
100 STAT. 922 
PUBLIC LAW 99-408—AUG. 28, 1986 
take effect on the first day of the first calendar month which begins 
more than ninety days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Ante, p. 920. 
SEC. 10. For purposes of section 921(aX17XB) of title 18, United 
18 use 921 note. States Code, as added by the first section of this Act, "handgun" 
means any firearm including a pistol or revolver designed to be fired 
by the use of a single hand. The term also includes any combination 
of parts from which a handgun can be gissembled. 
Approved August 28, 1986. 
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LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 3132 (S. 104): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 99-360 (Comm. on the Judiciary). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 131 (1985): Dec. 17, considered and passed House. 
Vol. 132 (1986): Mar. 6, considered and passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 
104. 
Aug. 11, House concurred in Senate amendment with an 
amendment. 
Aug. 13, Senate concurred in House amendment. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 22 (1986): 
Aug. 28, Presidential statement. 
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