The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under intense pressure from the majorities in the House and Senate, and a massive outpouring of public input has rescinded its proposed ban of popular 5.56 M855 ammunition. To date, the ATF has received more than 80,000 public comments, many of which were critical of the ban.

"This is a definite victory for all gun owners" said Steve Hornady, President of Hornady Manufacturing. "Much of the credit belongs to the legions of shooting sports enthusiasts who voiced their opinion with the ATF. We urge everyone to remain vigilant against any action that threatens our Second Amendment rights. You can bet that future attempts will be made."

Opponents of the ban saw it as a backdoor attempt to impose gun control – specifically with regard to the extremely popular AR-15 rifle.

The ATF will continue to accept public comments regarding the proposed ban through March 16, 2015. Comments can be emailed to APAComments@atf.gov, or mailed to Denise Brown, Mailstop 6N-602, Office of Regulatory Affairs, Enforcement Programs and Services, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, 99 New York Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20226: ATTN: AP Ammo Comments.