Montana Code 30-20-202. Legislative findings
30-20-202. Legislative findings. (1) In recognition that the people of Montana have reserved to themselves the individual right to bear arms in Article II, section 12, of the Montana constitution, the legislature finds that both this right and the firearms that the people possess are at serious risk if the people cannot obtain ammunition for firearms. An adequate source of ammunition is an indivisible and essential part of the right to bear arms. The people of Montana are totally dependent upon a very few manufacturers of smokeless propellant, small arms primers, and cartridge cases located in other states for small arms ammunition used in Montana.
Terms Used In Montana Code 30-20-202
- Cartridge cases: means the casings that contain and hold together the propellant, primer, and bullet, which may be formed from brass, aluminum, steel, plastic, or some combination of those or other materials. See Montana Code 30-20-203
- Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
- Propellant: includes smokeless propellant and black powder. See Montana Code 30-20-203
- Small arms: means pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, and other similar devices that are portable by one person, the possession and use of which are protected by Article II, section 12, of the Montana constitution. See Montana Code 30-20-203
- Small arms primers: means the priming component for a round of ammunition intended for use in small arms that is usually made of a cup, an anvil, and a shock-sensitive chemical compound and is designed to ignite the propellant in an ammunition cartridge for conventional small arms. See Montana Code 30-20-203
- Smokeless propellant: means a chemical substance designed to expel a projectile from small arms through burning and expansion at a quick but controlled burning rate. See Montana Code 30-20-203
(2)The legislature intends to encourage the manufacture of smokeless propellant, small arms primers, and cartridge cases within the borders of Montana to ensure availability of small arms ammunition for the people of Montana and to fully implement the right to bear arms that the people have reserved to themselves.