Planned ease in arms export rules could boost gun companies both large and small

By Chris Eger

While gun and ammo makers looking to export may see as much as a 20 percent boost, decreased regulation on small companies could also be a result of ITAR changes (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
The ramifications of cutting away dense federal regulation on munitions controls could drastically increase exports while easing the load on small-scale gun shops.
The news surfaced from the Sept. 8 meeting of the U.S. Department of State-industry advisory organization, the Defense Trade Advisory Group, that the 1970s-era International Traffic in Arms Regulations could see major changes. Made up of defense and munitions industry leaders appointed by State, DTAG helps coordinate the efforts of the agency’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls with the commercial sector.
Among the pending changes in ITAR reported by the FireArms Importers/Exporters Roundtable Trade Group and the National Law Review are that three categories of the United States Munitions List– those dealing with small arms including firearms, close assault weapons, combat shotguns and ammunition and ordnance– would be moved from the State Department’s control to the more relaxed purview of the Commerce Department.
The result after wading through the alphabet soup? Domestic gun and ammo makers looking to sell more overseas will likely find it easier to do

Source: Guns.com