Breaking: House Passes New Bill Mandating Transfer of ALL US Army M1911 Handguns to Civilian Marksmanship Program

The United States House of Representatives has passed along a new bill that will mandate the release of all M1911 handguns currently in the US Army’s inventory to the Civilian Marksmanship Program, to be redistributed to eligible US civilians.

The text of this new bill can be read below, and you can find the entire bill right here:

(a)Required Transfers.—In accordance with subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary of the Army shall transfer to the corporation all firearms and ammunition that, on February 9, 1996, were under the control of the director of civilian marksmanship (as that position existed under section 4307 of title 10 on February 9, 1996), including—

(1)

all firearms on loan to affiliated clubs and State associations;

(2)

all firearms in the possession of the Civilian Marksmanship Support Detachment; and

(3)

all M–1 Garand and caliber .22 rimfire rifles stored at Defense Distribution Depot, Anniston, Anniston, Alabama.

(b)Time for Transfers.—The Secretary shall transfer firearms and ammunition under subsection (a) of this section as and when necessary to enable the corporation—

(1)

to issue or loan firearms or ammunition under section 40731 of this title; or

(2)

to sell firearms or ammunition under section 40732 of this title.

(c)Vesting of Title in Transferred Items.—Title to an item transferred to the corporation under this section shall vest in the corporation—

(1)

on the issuance of the item to an eligible recipient under section 40731 of this title; or

(2)

immediately before the corporation delivers the item to a purchaser in accordance with a contract for sale of the item that is authorized under section 40732 of this title.

(d)Storage of Firearms.—

Firearms stored at Defense Distribution Depot, Anniston, Anniston, Alabama, before February 10, 1996, and used for the Civilian Marksmanship Program (as that program existed under section 4308(e) of title 10 before February 10, 1996), shall remain at that facility or another storage facility designated by the Secretary, without cost to the corporation, until the firearms are issued, loaned, or sold by the corporation, or otherwise transferred to the corporation.

(e)Discretionary Transfer of Parts.—

The Secretary may transfer from the inventory of the Department of the Army to the corporation any part from a rifle designated to be demilitarized.

(f)Limitation on Demilitarization of M–1 Rifles.—

After February 10, 1996, the Secretary may not demilitarize an M–1 Garand rifle in the inventory of the Army unless the Defense Logistics Agency decides the rifle is unserviceable.

(g)Cost of Transfers.—

A transfer of firearms, ammunition, or parts to the corporation under this section shall be made without cost to the corporation, except that the corporation shall assume the cost of preparation and transportation of firearms and ammunition transferred under this section.

(h)Authorized Transfers.—

(1)

Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary may transfer to the corporation, in accordance with the procedure prescribed in this subchapter, surplus caliber .45 M1911/M1911A1 pistols and spare parts and related accessories for those pistols that, on the date of the enactment of this subsection, are under the control of the Secretary and are surplus to the requirements of the Department of the Army, and such material as may be recovered by the Secretary pursuant to section 40728A(a) of this title. The Secretary shall determine a reasonable schedule for the transfer of such surplus pistols.

(2)

The Secretary may not transfer more than 10,000 surplus caliber .45 M1911/M1911A1 pistols to the corporation during any year and may only transfer such pistols as long as pistols described in paragraph (1) remain available for transfer.

(Pub. L. 105–225, Aug. 12, 1998, 112 Stat. 1339; Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title X, § 1087(a)(1), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 1012.)

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