The proposed ban on a specific type of popular ammunition used in AR-15 rifles has been shelved, for now.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives proposed last month to reclassify green tip M885 bullets from being primarily a sporting round used by hunters and target shooters to being a banned projectile because they can pierce body armor when used in handguns. Gun rights groups were quick to lobby, pointing out that the law that would have allowed the ban exempted ammunition primarily intended sporting purposes.

The argument from ATF was that the intended use of the manufacturers and the overwhelming majority of users should not carry as much weight as the intended use of would be criminals.

In a statement released Tuesday, ATF admitted that they received more than 80,000 comments, almost all negative.

Although ATF endeavored to create a proposal that reflected a good faith interpretation of the law and balanced the interests of law enforcement, industry, and sportsmen, the vast majority of the comments received to date are critical of the framework, and include issues that deserve further study. Accordingly, ATF will not at this time seek to issue a final framework. After the close of the comment period, ATF will process the comments received, further evaluate the issues raised therein, and provide additional open and transparent process (for example, through additional proposals and opportunities for comment) before proceeding with any framework.

The gun lobby doesn't expect this to end here, the NRA's Wayne Lapierre told the Washington Examiner, "They've gone away for now. We know they're coming back and we will be ready."