Kentucky law, like federal law, prohibits any person from knowingly manufacturing, selling, delivering, transferring, or importing armor-piercing ammunition, defined as a projectile or projectile core which may be used in a handgun and which is constructed entirely from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium, with exceptions for certain sporting shot and industrial materials.¹ This prohibition does not apply to members of the U.S. Armed Forces or law enforcement acting within the scope of their duties, and does not prohibit licensed gun dealers from possessing the ammunition for the purpose of receiving and transferring it to these exempt individuals.²

Kentucky law also prohibits a person from being armed with a firearm loaded with armor-piercing ammunition or flanged ammunition during the commission of a felony, or in flight immediately thereafter.³ Flanged ammunition is defined as ammunition with a soft lead core and sharp flanges that are designed to expand upon impact.⁴

Kentucky law doesnot:

• Require a license for the sale of ammunition;
• Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers; or
• Prohibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition, although the federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply.

MEDIA REQUESTS

Our experts can speak to the full spectrum of gun violence prevention issues. Have a question? Email us at media@giffords.org.

Contact

1. Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 237.060(7), 237.080(1).[↩]
2. Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 237.080(2).[↩]
3. Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 527.080(1).[↩]
4. Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 237.060(8).[↩]