DHS Explains Plans To Buy 1.6B Rounds Of Ammo: We're Buying in Bulk to 'Significantly Lower Costs'

cnsnews.com ^ | 4-2-2013 | Gregory Gwyn-Williams

[plain talk]

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has responded to a letter dated November 13, 2012 from Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) regarding the agency's ammunition purchases. Sen. Coburn published the response on the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs website yesterday, April 1, 2013.

The response, dated February 4, 2013, says that DHS buys ammunition in bulk to "significantly lower costs."

[Gator113]

Well, maybe they are lying again.

— (U//FOUO) Proposed imposition of firearms restrictions and weapons bans likely would attract new members into the ranks of rightwing extremist groups, as well as potentially spur some of them to begin planning and training for violence against the government. The high volume of purchases and stockpiling of weapons and ammunition by rightwing extremists in anticipation of restrictions and bans in some parts of the country continue to be a primary concern to law enforcement.

— (U//FOUO) Returning veterans possess combat skills and experience that are attractive to rightwing extremists. DHS/I&A is concerned that rightwing extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans in order to boost their violent capabilities.

http://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/downloads/resource/DOJ_rwextremism2009.pdf

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Re #14: and the TSA uniform:

You left out the Obama and Sickle arm patch and pin.

Remember, you can bend a Swastika into the Hammer and Sickle without breaking off any parts.

[American in Israel]

“We are buying in bulk to lower costs”.

Yeah, costs are going down as we speak. Just like everything Government does, it is a lie, and goes back asswards.

[RobO1125]

It’d be funny if it wasn’t so dire.

[vox_freedom]

Just what is HSA's expressed purpose for all this ammo?
Have they been quoted as to what it is to be used for? Surely more than target practice and it is not going to be used for DOD reasons, so it must be used for US domestic purposes. WTH?
In my view they are making these humongous purchases in large part to drive up the price and dry up the availability against the interests common citizens.
I also wonder what in the hell our Congress is doing to allow these expenditures and what oversight are they providing. The House of Reps must have approved this, eh?, since they have the legislative authority for appropriation?
Hey, Boehner and Co. could you take the time out of your busy schedules to hold a hearing or two and get some answers for your constituents???

[clearcarbon]

"Having that much ammunition arounsd without military security means it is beggng to be stolen....but by whom?"

Those materials could do a lot of damage in the hands of a few disgruntled DHS employees.

[Halls]

who are they going to get to fire this ammunition at us? No way the the majority of the military will fire on us. So who? My mind is scrambling over this. It is very distrurbing!

[Halls]

that is what I am thinking. The the majority in the US military wouldn’t shoot us. So, what I am wondering is who they plan to get to do this?

[Strategerist]

Then it shouldn’t concern you as to why the DHS is buying enough bullets to shoot each man, woman, and child, 7 times over

They haven't bought, aren't buying, and are not going to actually buy 1.6 billion rounds.

[metalurgist]

If the DHS is buying up all the ammo for the purpose of making ammo scarce, why havn’t the Russians stepped in with their Wolf, Brown and Silver Bear and Tupelov ammo? The government won’t buy those brands and I can’t see the Russians passing up an opportunity to make a quick buck. So, where is it? Is the Rusky ammo being bought up as soon as it comes into the country, or is the importation of commie ammo being hindered?

[Strategerist]

If the DHS is buying up all the ammo for the purpose of making ammo scarce

DHS bought less ammo last year than it did last year, and a LOT less ammo than it did two years ago.

They only bought a bit over 100 million rounds last year, and since they plan to spend about the same amount of money this year, it's going to be about 100 million rounds this year.

Any ammo shortages have NOTHING to do with DHS; they're caused by panic buying in fear of gun control after Newtown, and panic buying caused by stupid articles inducing fear of a non-existent DHS-induced ammo shortage.

[llevrok]

Why’d they need hollow point bullets?

Because these days, we the targets might shoot back

[metalurgist]

I know that people are buying ammo in larger quantities than usual and that it actually started when the jug eared Kenyan was first elected and hasn't slowed down. Federal, Winchester and Remington can't keep up. So, why aren't the Russians taking advantage and filling the void? Are the import licenses being held up or delayed?

[Segovia]

You made my day!!

“Then it shouldn’t concern you as to why the DHS is buying enough bullets to shoot each man, woman, and child, 7 times over...”

Americans have bought enough ammo to shoot every DHS employee 45,836 times.

[Strategerist]

My expertise extends to some level of understanding of how federal contracting works, and having looked beyond the panic hype articles about the non-existent purchase of 1.6 billion rounds.

I’m no expert on the details of the ammunition market or ammo importing. Logic dictates that if DHS has been reducing ammo purchases over the last few years, they can’t be the cause of the ammo shortage. The real cause is similar to a panic run on the banks - it started with Newtown, and then when the shortages started it caused MORE people to panic and go stock up on ammo. It’s all psychological.

As many people have pointed out, there are shortages for rounds that DHS has not purchased or solicited for at all.

All I have is my Dad’s old Browning Auto 5 and I just haven’t had time to shoot for ages though I really enjoy sporting clays.

[Buddygirl]

Yeah, right~ I will never believe anything that comes out of a Democrat’s mouth...

[devolve]

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I’ve got .38rf in one cartridge belt

Some .44-40wcf in another rig

Anything you could imagine - modern or obsolete -

.44 ball and BP handy

If they are stupid enough to sneak around here night or day they better have a few dozen invisible Abrams

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[sergeantdave]

“You made my day!!”

Sometimes, it frustrates me to point out to Americans how strong they are compared to the fascist criminal syndicate occupying Washington.

For example, people are whining about the 2 billion bullets that DHS has bought. Well, what makes Americans think that they can’t go help themselves to those bullets?

It’s so obvious. I’m not about to draw a map.

Semper fi, buddy.

[NoLibZone]

REMEMBER the OBAMA years.

The Ammo manufacturers have chosen to support Obama rather than us.

[Strategerist]

For example, people are whining about the 2 billion bullets that DHS has bought

DHS hasn't bought 2 billion bullets. They've bought between 100 and 150 million rounds for the last three years. They will probably buy about that many every year for the next 5 years.

There's literally NO story here, nothing of interest. and nothing that matters or affects anything. . Nothing has been a greater waste of internet electrons than the DHS ammo panic stories.