The decree so dreaded by antique firearm collectors was published on July 3rd and takes effect on September 1st.
Currently, black powder metallic cartridges for pre-1900 firearms are available for unrestricted sale.
As of September 1st, the ammunition will be classified as follows:
Category C: metallic cartridges in calibers considered to be for long guns (e.g., .32-20, .38-40, .44-40, .45 Colt, .44 Rem Mag).
Category B: all others—specifically regarding American firearms—such as .32 S&W (Long and Short), .38 S&W, .38 Colt (Long and Short), .41 Colt, .44 Russian, and .45 S&W.
From September 1st, a shooting license or hunting permit will be required to purchase Category C ammunition, and a firearm possession permit (for any Category B firearm) will be required to purchase Category B ammunition.
Black powder ammunition listed on our site will remain available for sale—subject to stock—until August 31st.
Update as of April 28, 2023
According to information from the UFA (a recommended site), the decree is reportedly awaiting signature. Stay tuned...
Update as of March 13, 2023
The decree concerning black powder ammunition—aimed at restricting it—is expected to be signed during the second half of March. Details regarding the decree are provided below.
Update as of November 1, 2022
The Council of State approved only part of the draft decree regarding changes to firearms legislation. The "ammunition" section was not deemed urgent and was therefore not amended as of November 1. However, the proposal remains active, with a possible signing date of January 1, 2023.
Update as of October 20, 2022
For those who have already read the blog post, a summary of the new information is provided here, followed by the full, corrected text.
Summary
The decree is expected to be published on November 1, with implementation starting January 1, 2023.
Black powder metallic cartridges—AND their components (bullets, casings)—will then take on essentially the same status as smokeless powder ammunition: Category B for handguns and Category C for long guns (including "mixed-use" calibers such as .45 Colt, .44-40, .38-40, .32-20, and .25-20).
All Category B ammunition will be available without restriction (other than quantity limits) to sport shooters who hold a firearm possession permit. Simply owning a firearm (even a 9mm Glock, for example) will serve as a permit allowing the purchase of all black powder ammunition calibers classified as Category B.
Ammunition classified as Category C will be available without restriction (other than quantity limits) to hunters and sport shooters.
In any case, proof of firearm ownership will not be required to purchase this ammunition.
Finally, it is possible that ammunition classified in categories other than D will need to meet CIP standards or, at the very least, undergo laboratory proof testing; this could reduce the already limited supply available from retailers.
Metallic black powder ammunition for antique collector's firearms is currently classified as Category D and is available for unrestricted sale to adults.
The decree taking effect on January 1, 2023, will reclassify this ammunition: Category B for handgun ammunition and Category C for long-gun ammunition.
Wildwestgunstore sells Western-style black powder ammunition in various calibers for collector's firearms. We will continue fulfilling orders based on the sequence in which they are received until the new decree takes effect, at which point we will implement the new requirements.
DETAILS:
First, we encourage you to consult issue 556 (October) of La Gazette des Armes and the UFA website (https://armes-ufa.com).
Until the new decree comes into force, regulations allow for the purchase of metallic black powder cartridges with no requirement other than being an adult. This makes sense, given that purchasing a Category D firearm is subject to the same simple requirement and that—at least in theory—shooting Category D firearms (black powder guns, air rifles, etc.) is permitted on secure private property, subject to certain conditions.
However, the new policy dictates that, as of January 1, 2023, this ammunition will be restricted to licensed shooters and, potentially, hunters. Regulations governing the purchase of the corresponding category of firearm remain unchanged.
Unrestricted sales of this ammunition will therefore end on December 31, 2022. The interval between the signing of the decree (November 1) and its implementation (January 1) is intended—at least in theory—to allow collectors to use up their existing stocks.
Ammunition for long guns will be reclassified as "Category C," as will ammunition equivalent to the "Category C6°" classification (e.g., .45 Colt, .44-40, .38-40, .32-20, and .25-20). Handgun ammunition will be moved to "Category B," aligning it with "modern" ammunition.
Purchasing this ammunition will require:
For Category C ammunition: a valid shooting license or hunting permit.For Category B ammunition: status as a sport shooter holding a Category B firearm authorization (regardless of the specific firearm). For instance, a sport shooter authorized only for a 9mm firearm could purchase—without limit (other than home storage restrictions)—any black-powder ammunition caliber classified as Category B.
The question of the compliance timeframe for collectors arises, as the allotted period is completely out of step with the (low, or even very low) rate at which collectors actually fire their weapons. In principle, the transition will happen over time, and it is worth remembering that this ammunition was originally acquired when sales were unrestricted.
Collectors will still have the option of contacting shooting ranges to obtain the necessary authorizations, even though these facilities are already operating at capacity. One might also hope for purchases by these cent...