Social Security combats bullet rumors(Just for target practice)

cnn ^ | 9/8/12

[hope]

CNN) -- Praise the Internet and pass the ammunition: the blogosphere is roiling with conspiracy theories over a Social Security Administration shopping list for 174,000 hollow-point bullets.

Depending on whom you believe, police who protect Social Security Administration officers are either preparing for impending financial doom by purchasing lethal ammo to put down rioting citizens, or they're just making a standard purchase of ammunition for a federal police agency.

It all began last month when the agency, which is primarily responsible for distributing benefits to the disabled and retired people, posted an announcement seeking bids for 174,000 hollow-point bullets.

[rjamesca]

I'm clearly not one who supports this administration in Washington, but most of these comments are suggesting that Law Enforcement uses ball ammo or should practice with target rounds.

Neither is true. Law Enforcement uses full power “duty ammo” not just for carry, but for practice. In that way, it can be said that they are familiar with the functioning of full power ammo. By practicing with the ammo, it also allows them to know if there is a functioning issue. If a cop were to say that the only time he ever fired his duty ammo was in the field, attorneys would have a field day.

Do they carry ball ammo? . . . . Absolutely not. With almost no exceptions, LE officers carry hollow-point ammunition in their duty weapons.

Much of this discussion is trying to make something out of the fact that 170,000 rounds of ammo is excessive. In my agency, we would go through well over 3000 rounds just for training & qualification. 170,000 rounds would not have been enough ammo for just my agency (med-sized Sheriff's Office on the west coast)to last a year!

I can't explain why the Social Security Administration is buying 170,000 rounds of JHP ammo, or if they have a law enforcement unit, but some of the folks responding in this post are looking pretty uninformed.

[Secret Agent Man]

I get the concept. But you can still do practice with a round of equal or near equal power and a lead bullet than with an expensive copper bullet.

Shooters feel the difference with different power loads. You can get lead loads equal or near equal to what they’d actually be carrying.

Bigger question is why is Social Security carrying freaking guns and needing that much practice in the first place? They are not police officers.

[Secret Agent Man]

SOCIAL SECURITY IS NOT LAW ENFORCEMENT.

That’s why it’s drawing discussion.

On top of the 750 million rounds of hollow points the fedgov just ordered. It ain’t for military so it means it’s intended to be aimed at civilians.

[FlyingEagle]

No normal/typical pistol range allows Hollow Points for practice, only FMJ rounds allowed. HP is too dangerous, frangible rounds can cause injury in ricochet.

Therefore, have to call BS on this bs.

[goat granny]

Isn’t it hard to buy the lead for bullets...I use to watch my dad make his own when he was a cop...after he retired, he used the mold to make sinkers for fishing...back in the late 40’s

[RandallFlagg]

Isn’t it hard to buy the lead for bullets..

I wouldn't think that there are that many folks out there who would want to go through the hassle of making the lead when they're so cheap to buy these days.
But if Obama pulls a, "Reichtag Fire," to prevent his removal of office....

That being said, I'm guessing one could take a walk down a highway and collect enough wheel balancing weights to get the job done.
My Uncle Ray used to do that to make his fishing weights.
(Those were the days. Fishin' with Uncle Ray.)

[SunkenCiv]

Believe ‘em or else. Thanks hope.

[goat granny]

When dad was a cop, he always made his own bullets...Don't know if they had to, (because the police department ) didn't supply them back then or he just liked to know the bullets he had in his gun...(it was old by todays standards) but a large 6 shot revolver.
The last home I bought there was some adjustments I wanted to builder to make and he saw a pile of lead pigs on my floor and said he'd do the adjustments for nothing in return for a couple of the lead pigs (I think that is what they were called. each weighted at about 4-5 pounds...I used them to counter balance an antique corner cabinet I had to keep it from tipping over...the lead was put on the bottom of cabinet, in the back corner. It had a large rounded glass door, heavier than anything you'd find today. My dad used hook and eyes to keep it upright. Attach it to wall. been the family about 100 years back then..

I just though it must be hard to buy...those suckers seemed heavy when you picked one up...my daughter now has the cabinet and the lead...it reminded me of the gold bullion you see and almost as big.....just curious I am... I was looking for something my son wanted today in the garage and I found his old ladle he used...Things are easier to find if one has a neat basement and garage, Idon't....I knew I had the bolt cutters, but think I probably threw them out one time when I got mad them for not doing the job..Like me they were old and not quite as sharp as they should have been...

[Buffalo Head]

"....174,000 hollow-point bullets."

What does one do with bullets without accompanying shellcases, primers and propellant powder, all assembled into a nice little package known as a cartridge?

Bullets are to cartridges as flour is to bread, as cement is to concrete, etc. When will they ever learn?

[USAFJeeper]

You’re not alone in being old enough to remember haha!

[rgboomers]

Good question. I guess we will find out someday.

[trebb]

I will on occasion fire 30 Hydra-Shoks at the pistol range just to get a feel for them, but don’t really notice much difference between them, Cor-Bons, and the inexpensive ammo mentioned above, other than price.

Competition shooting or hunting are about the only times I use what I shoot for practice. Even my self-defense hand guns go through the cheap stuff on the range - after all they are mainly pocket pieces and not ecpected to hit a bulseye at any range, much less the 25' bubble they are likely to be used in. I had my wife shoot a magazine of her hollow points to see if she noticed a difference between them and the practice rounds and she didn't - same "accuracy" and recoil as far as she was concerned. We usually kill paper plates at 25' and I'm happy if my wife gets 90% on the paper. I've shot for over 50 years and even a small pocket piece (Ruger .380 LCP) hits the paper almost 100% of time using point and shoot vs. aiming with the "sights".

[Durus]

Dillion 650 without or without the automatic shell loader is a better machine than the 550. Personally I think the 1050 is overkill but I know people who need the capacity.
On the other hand I'm still working on a single stage.

[Durus]

I've been to a whole lot of shooting ranges and pistol clubs and I have never ever seen hollow points banned. I have seen ranges that only allow frangible bullets but that is a whole 'nother thing.

Team Glock match ammo that is used in SCSA, IDPA, USPSA competitions is hollow point ammo.

[RandallFlagg]

I do remember watching this video, though:
http://youtu.be/ZuokqTSkFNo
Might bring back some good memories for ya.
Have a great Sunday.

[RandallFlagg]

Yeah, I’m researching both machines. Haven’t actually bought anything yet -still studying the hobby intensely.
This is something I DON’T want to screw up.
Thanks.

[absalom01]

Law Enforcement uses full power “duty ammo” not just for carry, but for practice.

While it is certainly true that duty rounds almost always have "hollow point" projectiles (the possible exception being some special application for frangilbe projectiles), the local agencies here in So Cali can't afford duty rounds for practice. One large agency is so broke that they actually use their own reloads (no kidding) at times.

Maybe it's SOP for the federales to use full-house rounds, but still, seems pretty rich to me.

[FlyingEagle]

WE ALLOW THE FOLLOWING AMMUNITION:
FULL METAL JACKET
BRASS CASINGS
LONG GUN:
FRANGIBLE AMMO ONLY.
WE DO NOT ALLOW THE FOLLOWING AMMUNITION:
STEEL OR ALUMINUM CASINGS
MAGNUMS
SHOTGUN
(UNLESS TRAINING)

http://memorialshootingcenter.com/safety-rules

Well this is where I go. Only FMJ in Brass Casings for pistols.

They do not shoot competition associations there. I am sure you know a whole lot more about it. Maybe Social Security and DHS are joining up with IDPA etc.

[goat granny]

Thanks for the link...it was quite interesting....GG

[Durus]

"Maybe Social Security and DHS are joining up with IDPA etc."

I would hope so. When they got their asses kicked all day long by Joe-Sixpack maybe they would have second thoughts about implementing tyranny.