Biden Administration Bans Russian-Made Ammo Amid Shortage 

On Friday, the U.S. Department of State announced it would stop accepting new and pending permits for Russian firearms and ammunition importation for 12 months as part of a new round of sanctions against Moscow over the 2020 poisoning of Russian Dissident Aleksey Navalny. 

The Department of State released the new sanctions under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 (the CBW Act), which reads: 

Restrictions on the permanent imports of certain Russian firearms. New and pending permit applications for the permanent importation of firearms and ammunition manufactured or located in Russia will be subject to a policy of denial.

Shipments of firearms and ammunition from Russia that have already been approved will enter the U.S. But Russian firms who want to expand their footprint at U.S. gun stores won’t be able to for a 12-month period. The move could adversely impact gun and ammo prices.

The Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition questioned the State Department’s rationale behind the ban. The group suspects the move is part of a plan by the Biden administration to tighten firearm supply and increase ammunition prices to make it unaffordable – a highly complex way to squeeze gun-loving Americans. 

“The law in question was intended—and rightfully so—to hold the Russian government accountable,” the group told The Reload. “With this rule, however, the State Department appears to be using the attack on Mr. Navalny and this law primarily to further the current administration’s campaign to undermine the firearms industry and American consumers’ access to firearms and ammunition.”

The ban of new and pending permits to import Russian-made ammo and guns couldn’t have come at the worst time as the U.S. is facing an ammo shortage. 

Over the last 24 hours, gun-loving Americans in almost every state are panic searching “Russian ammo ban” and are concerned about AK-47 ammo chambered in 7.62×39mm. 

Say goodbye to cheap 7.62×39mm ammo from Russia?