DHS Purchases 200 Million More Rounds Of Ammunition
BY Herschel Smith
12 years, 3 months ago
You know my view. The Department of Homeland Security should not exist. Furthermore, they and the TSA are helping to turn the U.S. into a police state. But as I have followed this story it becomes more troubling each time it is updated.
Following controversy over its purchase of around 1.2 billion bullets in the last six months alone, the Department of Homeland Security has put out a new solicitation for over 200 million more rounds of ammunition, some of which are designated to be used by snipers.
A series of new solicitations posted on the FedBizOpps website show that the DHS is looking to purchase 200 million rounds of .223 rifle ammunition over the next four years, as well as 176,000 rounds of .308 caliber 168 grain hollow point boat tail (HPBT) rounds in addition to 25,000 rounds of blank .308 caliber bullets.
As James Smith over at the Prepper Podcast website highlights, “It is the type of ammunition and not necessarily the quantity that is troubling.”
Smith points out that the DHS’ acquisition of .308 rounds is of concern because they are set to be used by well-trained snipers.
“All of the sniper grade ammunition is being used by trained, or in-the-process-of-being-trained snipers,” writes Smith, noting that the math adds up to 135,384 potential kills for the snipers to make, using the 176,000 rounds of ammunition, basing the figures on the fact that United States Army and Marine Corps snipers in the Vietnam War expended 1.3 rounds of ammunition for each claimed and verified kill.
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The DHS’ decision back in March to purchase of 450 million rounds of .40-caliber hollow point bullets that are designed to expand upon entry and cause maximum organ damage prompted questions as to why the federal agency required such powerful bullets and in such large quantities merely for training purposes.
So there are a couple of problems that need to be pointed out here. First, personal defense rounds (hollow point, jacketed hollow point of any brand, e.g., Gold Dot, Hydrashock, etc.), are not used for range time. They are too expensive. You use FMJ or metal case rounds. Second, you need to watch this video of Travis Haley (former Recon Marine, Blackwater, now on to greater things) in al Najaf fighting the Mahdi Army.
Travis Haley is a legitimate bad ass. The DHS doesn’t have anyone like him, a point I will readily concede. Nonetheless, he is using a 5.56 rifle with good glass to take out fighters at 800 meters. No one in DHS needs to shoot targets at this distance or anywhere near it.
The DHS doesn’t need .308 rounds for any legitimate purpose.
On September 21, 2012 at 1:38 am, Rupert Fiennes said:
Well, I cannot see why the DHS needs snipers, but if it has them, they certainly need to be trained, and that’s a couple of thousand rounds per sniper, per year…
On September 21, 2012 at 6:44 am, TS Alfabet said:
Geeeeeeeeez. Yet another huge chip on the poker table for this Election. And yet I don’t hear any Republicans in Congress or candidates calling for explanations and investigations into exactly what DHS is planning that requires these kinds of munitions.
Sounds like they are gathering the means to put down a rebellion and not keep us safe from Islamists (unless they have intel that shows that we are about to be invaded by thousands of jihadists… Maybe Hezbollah is here in greater numbers and strength than anyone is willing to publicly admit).
On September 21, 2012 at 8:52 am, Herschel Smith said:
Rupert,
Well, I guess that’s one way of looking at it. If the DHS is going to shoot at U.S. citizens, I hope they hit the one they’re aiming at. It’s certainly NOT the way I see it, as you can tell. Remove the rifles from their hands completely. In fact, do away with DHS, for that matter.
On September 21, 2012 at 3:55 pm, Manuel said:
Time to stock up on phone books to bulletproof the ol compound.
On September 21, 2012 at 5:13 pm, KragCulloden said:
Rather than the simple – “they’re buying bullets to kill citizens with” angle, has anyone with the time on their hands looked at the economic/supply impact of these buys?