In another thread, a view was expressed that selling a few cast boolits to another member could require an FFL. It caused a thread to go off course. So I thought I’d start the discussion in a new thread.
This specific section of the Federal Law cited, 18 USC 923(a), states in part:
(a) No person shall engage in the business of importing, manufacturing, or dealing in firearms, or importing or manufacturing ammunition, until he has filed an application with and received a license to do so from the Attorney General.
Here we have (at least) two terms/phrases that will require understanding: “engage in the business” and “ammunition”. We also have a grammatical issue, does “engage in the business” modify just the firearms part, or does it also modify “manufacturing ammunition.” Without any research, one might argue that it modifies both. Reading further down, the same section states: “Each applicant shall pay a fee for obtaining such a license, a separate fee being required for each place in which the applicant is to do business, as follows:”. Without a court case to the contrary, and there may be one, the “is to do business” would suggest it modifies both. But it’s an issue that would require research.
On to the definitions, sometimes the law defines words contrary to their common sense meaning. Here, we see a definition of ammunition that some may find counter to common sense, section 921(a)(17):
(A) The term “ammunition” means ammunition or cartridge cases, primers, bullets, or propellent powder designed for use in any firearm.
Circular, if nothing else. There is also a definition for “engage in business” in section 921(a)(21)(B):
(B) as applied to a manufacturer of ammunition, a person who devotes time, attention, and labor to manufacturing ammunition as a regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of livelihood and profit through the sale or distribution of the ammunition manufactured;
Assuming the “engage in business” applies to manufacturing ammunition, then one should ask. Is this a bullet? Then, ask did I make is as part of a regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of livelihood and profit? I suspect of one was doing that, one “would know”.
There may also be other laws that impact the answer - I don’t know. But this is a good place to start discussion.
None of this is meant to provide legal advice, or create an attorney client relationship. It’s a point of preliminary discussion for discussion purposes only.