TESTIMONY OF CHARLES F TURNER, TECHNICAL ADVISER, SPORTING ARMS & AMMUNITION MANUFACTURERS' INST., ACCOMPANIED BY RICHARD DOWNING, MGR, DUPONT POTOMAC RIVER WORKS, MARTINSBURG, WV & P O GIELEN...(SEE NCJ-59960)

• NCJ Number: 59961
• Author(s): C F TURNER; R DOWNING; P O GIELEN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 38 pages
• Corporate Author: US Congress
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

TESTIFYING BEFORE THE HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON AVIATION, THE TECHNICAL ADVISOR OF THE SPORTING ARMS AND AMMUNITION MANUFACTURERS' INSTITUTE ADVOCATES THE EXCLUSION OF GUNPOWDER FROM EXPLOSIVE TAGGING LAWS.

Abstract

THE ISSUE OF WHETHER DETECTION OR IDENTIFICATION TAGGANTS SHOULD BE REQUIRED FOR SMOKELESS POWDER SOLD IN CANNISTERS TO LOADERS OF AMMUNITION HAS BEEN RAISED BY TESTIMONY BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE, ALTHOUGH SUCH REGULATION BY TAGGANTS IS NOT A PART OF H.R.13261. ALTHOUGH THE ADDITION OF TAGGANTS TO DYNAMITE MAY BE USEFUL IN TRACING THE MANUFACTURE OF SUCH EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL, IDENTIFICATION CANNOT BE ADDED TO SMOKELESS POWDER DURING THE NORMAL MANUFACTURING PROCESS WITHOUT RENDERING A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE POWDER UNMARKETABLE, AND WITHOUT CAUSING AN UNREASONABLE INCREASE IN THE COST OF THE PRODUCT. THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS HAS INDICATED THAT POWDER IS ONLY CAPABLE OF LOW-POWER EXPLOSIONS, AND THAT IT HAS RARELY BEEN USED BY TERRORISTS. EXHIBITED MATERIAL INDICATES THAT TAGGANTS COULD FOUL THE EFFECTIVE OPERATION OF FIREARMS CAUSING MISFIRES OR DAMAGED WEAPONS. THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL LOSSES NECESSITATED BY THE PROPOSAL TO TAG ORDINARY POWDER FAR OUTWEIGH THE NEGLIGIBLE ENHANCEMENT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE TAGGING OF POWDER WOULD MERELY INCREASE CRIMINAL RELIANCE ON STOLEN CHEMICALS. ALTHOUGH A TESTING PROGRAM ON THE USE OF TAGGANTS IN COMMERCIAL POWDER WILL BE CONDUCTED, THE EXCLUSION OF POWDER FROM TAGGANTS REGULATION IS RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURERS. TABULAR DATA AND EXHIBITS ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)