I have a directive/order/decision we were issued by our command that said HP ammo was authorized for all but a declared war......uniformed troops in such a fight get ball ammo and terrorists get the good stuff for CT ops..... I'll have to hunt it up and scan for ya to peek at when I get home !
I knew a VN era SEAL Stoner gunner who would clip the tips off of all of his ammo. Jungle ranges, he wanted them keyholing all over the place! Illegal? I guess. Did he care? No.