Homeland Security finishing acquisition of millions of rounds of high-powered ammo

Not sure if this is the correct forum for this post, so please move if need be. Just found this interesting little article. The volumes mentioned appear to be somewhat mind boggling.

The Department of Homeland Security is rushing to finish the acquisition of 750 million rounds of high-power ammunition that has already raised many eyebrows. In one week, the DHS should start expecting an arsenal that will make some armies jealous.

The DHS has updated a solicitation originally posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website earlier this year, now answering questions from prospective contractors about an inquiry the agency published back in April. All responses to the DHS’ request for hundreds of millions of rounds of high-power ammunition must still be sent in by August 20, but now the federal agency designated to thwart terrorism on the home front has answered some questions about what exactly they are looking for in terms of being able to blow stuff up.

In April, the DHS first published a solicitation “for commercial leaded training ammunition (CLTA) of various calibers for law enforcement officer firearms training courses” to be used at facilities in the states of Georgia, New Mexico, Maryland and South Carolina, as well as other unnamed DHS offices across the country. At the time the DHS demanded hundreds of thousands of test rounds for an array of ammunition types, including 209,000 rounds of #00 buckshot 8-pellet bullets for 12 gauge guns and more than 2 million shots for a .357 Sig Caliber. With their solicitation set to expire in less than a week, though, the DHS has taken it upon themselves to answer questions from contractors interested in their very pricey proposal.

In the latest amendment, published online over the weekend, the DHS answers such pressing questions as, say, “Would a 223 Rem 64Grain soft point round be acceptable?” in response to their initial request for 1.1 million rounds of .223 Rem Caliber 62.64 Grain JHP. (And, if you’re wondering, the official DHS-authored answer is, “Yes, that would be acceptable.”)

The DHS does not, however, answer why exactly they want to give its federal agents tasked with counterterrorism around 750 million rounds of ammo. On paper the proposal says their request is to fulfill training exercise requirements, but why is the DHS equipping their officers with the know-how to shoot a basketball-size hole in a human body?

And for those not keeping score, already this year the DHS has asked for upwards of 150 sets of full-body armor specifically to prepare law enforcement for any protests at the 2012 Democratic and Republican National Conventions, the 2013 Presidential Inauguration and other events of national significance. Oh, and DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano has admitted that she wants the agency to accumulate more surveillance drones to conduct domestic surveillance for the sake of “public safety.”

But don’t worry: millions of rounds of high-powered ammo, stealth surveillance craft and an army of heavily armored federal agents is all for your own security.

Now I live in the UK and have no knowledge of whats happening stateside, but I have been reading about National Guard Mobilisation recently and now this, sounds like they are preparing for something very big. Worried? damn I would be.

Oh apologies if this topic has been covered already, just I found it interesting.

You didn't link the article?

I agree with you though, if I was stateside, I too would be very concerned about this.

Is that 750Million rounds request on top of the previously ordered 450Million round request? If so, that's a helluva lot of ammo simply for training! If it is for training only, then we'd expect to see a similar order for jacketed rounds for live use, rather than the semi-jacket hollow point rounds (which I understand are banned for battlefield use under the Geneva conventions?).

However you look at it, they are certainly stocking up on weaponry, vehicles, hardened checkpoint booths and enough ammo to enact a country-wide close quarter takedown of anyone who looks at them sideways.

Originally posted by Britguy
Is that 750Million rounds request on top of the previously ordered 450Million round request? If so, that's a helluva lot of ammo simply for training! If it is for training only, then we'd expect to see a similar order for jacketed rounds for live use, rather than the semi-jacket hollow point rounds (which I understand are banned for battlefield use under the Geneva conventions?).

However you look at it, they are certainly stocking up on weaponry, vehicles, hardened checkpoint booths and enough ammo to enact a country-wide close quarter takedown of anyone who looks at them sideways.

You are correct. Armies are not allowed to use soft point or hollow point ammo during war. Only full metal jacket ball ammo. Evidently enemy nation's soldiers have more rights than American citizens, because:

If this is for DHS, they will be shooting American citizens, and don't have to abide by the rules of war. Police are allowed to use hollow points, so I'd imagine the DHS have no issue using them either. Hollow points expand when they hit someone, which accomplishes two things. Number one, more of the bullet's energy is transferred to the target (meaning more damage) and number two, the bullet is less likely to over-penetrate (go through the person) and strike someone else or cause collateral damage.

Hollow points can also be more accurate in pistol ammo, they generally have a flatter trajectory. Not completely sure if this advantage translates to rifle ammo, but I don't see why it wouldn't (possibly because of the much smaller diameter of the bullet and therefore smaller cavity in the front) Although hollow points are typically used for their ability to cause more damage and not over-penetrate, instead of increased accuracy.

Anyway,

This doesn't really bother me. Is this a lot of ammo? Sure. But, just like that Dark Knight Rising shooter proved, having a bunch of ammo doesn't really mean anything. You still need people to actually shoot it. If DHS has one billion rounds of ammo they aren't really anymore dangerous unless they 10 million men to use that ammo. I seriously doubt DHS has anywhere near that many men, so I'm not worried.

I also don't understand the need to call this ammo "High powered ammo" It's just standard .223 ammo. It's all pretty high powered. It's a rifle cartridge, after all, that's kind of the point.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

But it has been talked about a lot on here.