Subdivision 1. Intent. This section is designed to give law enforcement officers performing their official duties a reasonable degree of protection from penetration of quality body armor. It is not the intent of this section to restrict the availability of ammunition for personal defense, sporting, or hunting purposes.
Subd. 2. Definition. For purposes of this section, "metal-penetrating bullet" means a handgun bullet of 9 mm, .25, .32, .357, .38, .41, .44, or .451 caliber which is comprised of a hardened core equal to the minimum of the maximum attainable hardness by solid red metal alloys which purposely reduces the normal expansion or mushrooming of the bullet's shape upon impact. "Metal-penetrating bullet" excludes any bullet composed of copper or brass jacket with lead or lead alloy cores and any bullet composed of lead or lead alloys.
Subd. 3. Use or possession in commission of crime. Any person who uses or possesses a metal-penetrating bullet during the commission of a crime is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than three years or to payment of a fine of not more than $5,000, or both. Any imprisonment sentence imposed under this subdivision shall run consecutively to any sentence imposed for the other crime.
Subd. 4. Local regulation. This section shall be construed to supersede any municipal or county regulation of ammunition, including its component parts.
History:1982 c 525 s 1; 1984 c 628 art 3 s 11