1.6 Billion Rounds Of Ammo For Homeland Security? It's Time For A National Conversation

Forbes ^ | 3/11/2013 | Ralph Benko

[LucianOfSamasota]

The Denver Post, on February 15th, ran an Associated Press article entitled Homeland Security aims to buy 1.6b rounds of ammo, to far too little notice. It confirmed that the Department of Homeland Security has issued an open purchase order for 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition. As elsewhere reported, much of this purchase order is for rounds forbidden by international law for use in war plus a frightening amount specialized for snipers. Also reported elsewhere, at the height of the Iraq War the Army was expending fewer than 6 million rounds a month. 1.6 billion rounds, therefore, would be enough to sustain a hot war for 20+ years. In America.

Add to this perplexingly outré purchase of ammo, DHS now is showing off its acquisition of heavily armored personnel carriers, repatriated from the Iraqi and Afghani theaters of operation. As observed by “paramilblogger” Ken Jorgustin last September:

[LucianOfSamasota]

These reports have been on the blogosphere for some time. Interesting that Forbes is now picking them up.

It would be very interesting for one of our Congressional budget 'hawks' to run with this.

[Biggirl]

Would not surprise me if those budget hawks do just that.

[Sender]

Meanwhile, the civilian supply of ammo remains pitiful. Last weekend I went to check at a high-volume store, and there were only a handful of boxes of 5.56, limit two to a customer. A few surplus 7.62. No 9mm, 40 or 45 at all. No 22s. The only plentiful ammo was Russian 7.62x54R and shotshells.

[ConservaTexan]

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security..."

The founding fathers would be shooting by now.

[Georgia Girl 2]

“Interesting that Forbes is now picking them up”

Yes but notice he still can’t quite bring himself to identify the intent of all this. He still wants to think its just because govt is wasteful or silly.

[VanShuyten]

I can’t wait for the time, as is too often the case for large government purchases, that the bureaucrats decide they have too much ammo, and to save storage costs, they unload the surplus at great discounts.

[Bogey78O]

Who is filling the order?

[madison10]

Who is filling the order?

Question of the Year. Who IS filling those orders? The answer may explain why the "Big Boy" ammo companies have not joined the non-sales-to-the-government fight.

[Falcon4.0]

Senator's Paul and or Cruz need to attach an Amendment to every piece of Gun Legislation prohibiting the Federal Government and or Law Enforcement form using "Hollow Point" ammo. I'd call my Senators, but I live in NJ so you know how far that would go.

[NativeSon]

I’m saving up for those good deals myself.

[Williams]

Oh don’t be ridiculous John McCain told us it is “ridiculous” to even ask such questions. Just let them buy tons of ammo while they argue against guns. I’m sure it’s all for a good purpose and not for use in cafes.

[DManA]

What fraction is being filled by foreign manufacturers?

[factoryrat]

Doesn't matter, in the last few months US citizens bought enough firepower to outfit the entire chinese and indian armies. And that’ just the stuff they know about. The feds are scared because they know they're out-manned and outgunned in most parts of the country. This isn't close quarter combat in a small country like Iraq or Afghanistan; tanks, drones, and urban combat training will do the feds no good. The simple fact is that the feds would have to go up against the largest standing army in the world, in their own backyard, and it would end badly for them. This is the only reason for all of the attacks on the 2nd amendment that are taking place now.

[RedHeeler]

“The Founding Fathers, would be shooting by now”...and well shot dead. The only person, who kept them, and this Great Nation alive- was Robert Rogers. You probably have never heard of him. Since, those he saved, languished him in obscurity, by unsecured debt and slander. You do not know the history of Our Country.

[stanne]

Cruz and Paul really cannot do everything, even if they wanted to.

Forbes is not an off the wall publication.

Perhaps you could tell your silly, corrupt NJ Senators that in case they hadn’t noticed, there is a new wave coming and it has the Constitution on it’s side, as well as young adults (who notice that 25% of their pay goes to Social Security that they will never see) and who rely on the internet and twitter feed to keep up with current events.

[Boiling point]

Funny how this isn’t affected by the sequestration.

[ConservaTexan]

I appreciate you telling me what you think I don’t know.

[Rusty0604]

I just posted on another thread about a dealer at a show I went to told me that this is just an internet conspiricy, no arguments allowed. He did have a good inventory including hollow points.

[July4]

Gentlemen and Ladies,

I think we are centered in the crosshairs of a psychotic Marxist regime.

To paraphrase the First Lady, “For the first time in my life, I am AFRAID of my country.”

[Noumenon]

I find it interesting that .22 has all but vanished. The cheapest and most common caliber.