§ 478.119 Importation of ammunition feeding devices.

  1. a.(a) No ammunition feeding device shall be imported or brought into the United States unless the Director has authorized the importation of such device.

  2. b.(b) For purposes of this section, an “ammunition feeding device” is a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device for a firearm that has a capacity of, or that can be readily restored or converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition. The term does not include an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition, or a fixed device for a manually operated firearm, or a fixed device for a firearm listed in 18 U.S.C. 922, Appendix A.

  3. c.(c) An application for a permit, ATF Form 6, to import or bring an ammunition feeding device into the United States or a possession thereof under this section shall be filed, in triplicate, with the Director. The application shall contain:

    1. 1.(1) The name and address of the person importing the device,

    2. 2.(2) A description of the device to be imported, including type and cartridge capacity, model and caliber of firearm for which the device was made, country of manufacture, and name of the manufacturer if known,

    3. 3.(3) The unit cost of the device to be imported,

    4. 4.(4) The country from which to be imported,

    5. 5.(5) The name and address of the foreign seller and the foreign shipper,

    6. 6.(6) Verification that such device will be marked as required by this part, and

    7. 7.(7) A statement by the importer that the device is being imported for sale to purchasers specified in § 478.40a(b) or physical or reasonable documentary evidence establishing that the magazine was manufactured on or before September 13, 1994. Any one of the following examples, which are not meant to be exhaustive, may be sufficient to establish the time of manufacture:

      1. i.(i) Permanent markings or physical characteristics which establish that the magazine was manufactured on or before September 13, 1994;

      2. ii.(ii) A certification from the importer, under penalty of perjury, that the importer maintained continuous custody beginning on a date prior to September 14, 1994, and continuing until the date of the certification. Such certification shall also be supported by reasonable documentary evidence, such as commercial records;

      3. iii.(iii) A certification from the importer, under penalty of perjury, that the magazines sought to be imported were in the custody and control of a foreign Government on or before September 13, 1994, along with reasonable documentary evidence to support the certification; or

      4. iv.(iv) A certification from the importer, under penalty of perjury, that the magazine was in the possession of a foreign arms supplier on or before September 13, 1994, along with reasonable documentary evidence to support the certification.

  4. d.(d) The Director shall act upon applications to import ammunition feeding devices as expeditiously as possible. If the Director approves the application, such approved application shall serve as the permit to import the device described therein, and importation of such devices may continue to be made by the person importing such devices under the approved application (permit) during the period specified thereon. The Director shall furnish the approved application (permit) to the applicant and retain two copies thereof for administrative use. If the Director disapproves the application, the person importing such devices shall be notified of the basis for the disapproval.

  5. e.(e) An ammunition feeding device imported or brought into the United States by a person importing such a device may be released from Customs custody to the person importing such a device upon showing that such person has obtained a permit from the Director for the importation of the device to be released. In obtaining the release from Customs custody of such a device authorized by this section to be imported through use of a permit, the person importing such a device shall prepare ATF Form 6A, in duplicate, and furnish the original ATF Form 6A to the Customs officer releasing the device. The Customs officer shall, after certification, forward the ATF Form 6A to the address specified on the form. The ATF Form 6A shall show the name and address of the person importing the device, the name of the manufacturer of the device, the country of manufacture, the type, model, caliber, size, and the number of devices released.

  6. f.(f) Within 15 days of the date of release from Customs custody, the person importing such a device shall:

    1. 1.(1) Forward to the address specified on the form a copy of ATF Form 6A on which shall be reported any error or discrepancy appearing on the ATF Form 6A certified by Customs, and

    2. 2.(2) Pursuant to § 478.92, place all required identification data on each imported device manufactured after September 13, 1994, if same did not bear such identification data at the time of its release from Customs custody.

  7. g.(g) The Director may authorize the conditional importation of an ammunition feeding device as provided in § 478.116.