THE ISSUE:

A federal ban of armor-piercing bullets for handguns is facing opposition.

THE STAKES:

Stricter gun control laws remain the best way to keep people safe.

Opponents of firearms safety laws can be fanatic. We're used to that. But when that political stance puts law enforcement officers at risk, Americans should speak up.

Gun owners are stocking up on so-called "green-tip bullets," a popular ammunition used for target practice and hunting in AR-15 semiautomatic rifles, according to The New York Times. But the same bullets can be fired from a relatively new type of handgun. Because the bullets can pierce bullet-proof vests, and because handguns are so easily concealable, police groups say availability of these bullets poses a particular threat.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has moved to restrict the manufacture and sale of the "green-tips," allowing people to use up their current supplies and gradually transition to other ammo. Not surprisingly, gun shops are reporting a rush on sales of the bullets, ever since the National Rifle Association and other gun groups sent out urgent alerts to their members. They are assailing the ATF move with the usual rhetoric, accusing the Obama administration of trying to dismantle the Second Amendment. Members of Congress cower in fear of the NRA's political muscle.

It's true that ever since 2013, when Congress failed to back tougher background checks and limit the capacity of certain semiautomatic weapons, Mr. Obama has sought alternative ways to adopt gun safety measures. Now, sadly, the momentum seems to be swinging the other way.

Less than three years after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., a preposterous notion from the NRA is gaining ground: that schools would be safer if teachers and other employees could carry concealed weapons. Supporters say the next time a gunman decides to attack a school, the best defense would be for teachers or the principal to pull out their own pistols and start firing back.

We have to ask: Would bullets flying back and forth really be the best way to keep American classrooms safe?

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A Quinnipiac University poll last year found half of Coloradoans support arming teachers. A key backer is a state lawmaker who was a Columbine High School student during the 1999 murderous rampage by two seniors that killed 13 and injured 21. Similar guns-in-the-classroom laws are being weighed in North Dakota and Wyoming; Utah already has such a law.

But the best ways to defend against gun violence in schools isn't to arm teachers. It's to adopt sensible firearms regulation. Congress should reimpose the assault weapons ban, and require enhanced background checks with longer waiting periods to help keep guns out of the hands of unstable people. And while we're at it, we certainly shouldn't allow the sale of bullets that can easily rip through cops' protective gear.

The Justice Department is accepting public comments on the proposed ban on the armor-piercing bullets. It's a good time to stand up to the radical gun-rights lobby.