	Legislative Proposals in the 109th Congress

In the 109 th Congress, two proposals have been introduced to regulate more strictly certain long-range .50 caliber rifles. The FCSA maintains that long-range .50 BMG caliber rifles were first developed for marksmanship competitions and, then adopted by the military as sniper rifles. One of the rifles adopted by the U.S. Army is the M-107 Long Range Sniper Rifle. Potential Deadly Misuse of Long-Range Fifty Caliber Rifles

Gun control advocates have reported that long-range .50 caliber rifles could be used by terrorists in several deadly scenarios. According to the Violence Policy Center, given the range and power of a .50 caliber BMG round, a rifle chambered to fire this round could be used to bring down a slow/low-flying aircraft. Given the potential destructiveness of these rifles, one option for Congress to consider is more strictly regulating these firearms under the National Firearms Act. National Firearms Act (NFA), As Amended

Two major statutes regulate the commerce in, and possession of, firearms: The National Firearms Act of 1934 and the Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended. Seven, Congress could consider setting ballistic performance standards that would benchmark the outward limit for .50 caliber rifle ammunition considered acceptable for sporting, hunting, or recreational purposes.
In the 109th Congress, legislation has been introduced to more strictly regulate certain .50 caliber rifles, some of which have been adopted by the U.S. military as sniper rifles. These rifles are chambered to fire a relatively large round that was originally designed for the Browning Machine Gun (BMG). Gun control advocates have argued that these firearms have little sporting, hunting, or recreational purpose. They maintain that these rifles could be used to shoot down aircraft, rupture pressurized chemical tanks, or penetrate armored personnel carriers. Gun control opponents counter that these rifles are expensive, cumbersome and rarely, if ever, used in crime. Furthermore, they maintain that these rifles were first developed for long-range marksmanship competitions and, then adopted by the military as sniper rifles. Related amendments may be offered during Senate-consideration of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (S. 397). (For further information, see CRS Report RS22074, Limiting Tort Liability of Gun Manufacturers and Gun Sellers: Legal Analysis of P.L. 109-92 (2005), by [author name scrubbed].) The issue for Congress is whether to regulate these firearms more stringently based on their destructive potential in a post-9/11 environment. And if regulation is pursued, what measures seem most effective and appropriate. This report will be updated as needed.