So you want your check eh? Do Ya Feel Lucky Old Man, Well Do Ya???

First the DHS needed 450 million rounds of ammunition, then the NOAA requested 46,000 rounds, now we’ve discovered an online request at FBO.Gov calling for 174,000 rounds of ammunition for the Social Security Administration.

The request actually calls for 174K .357 hollow points that arguably have as much stopping power as any bullet out there, and hollow points do as much damage to soft tissue as possible on top of that.

R.K. Campbel at Gun Blast mentions his experience with .357 rounds:

I observed the effect of the .357 Magnum 125 grain JHP once over the top of my own sights. The effect was gruesome. A solid hit that produced a severe blood flow AND dramatic effect from the rear, including lung tissue thrown perhaps three feet.

The 125 grain and JHP (jacketed rounds) are exactly the ones requested by the SSA and their offices of Inspector General and Office of Investigation.

While the government heavily arms seemingly every branch, Americans are being told that guns are bad and we should give them up. Are they preparing for an army of geriatrics, perhaps a zombie apocalypse? Will they arm the DMV next? What is with this Administration?



  1. dusanmal says:

    “Are they preparing for an army of geriatrics, perhaps a zombie apocalypse?” – Though I hate any Government spending answer is quite obvious and not nearly interesting for a story: Just having armed guards and guns and bullets is pointless. You must train those people at least weekly. Training spends bullets. So, say 100 bullets per guard per week x 50 weeks: 5000 bullets per guard per year. 174000/5000 = 34… enough ammunition to keep 34-35 armed guards with .357 magnums properly trained and ready to do their job. My conclusion: not enough for a whole agency. Expected results: same as recent shooting between cops and murderers in a car ’round here: 144 rounds fired from 10-20 feet, 4 rounds hit the car(!) none hit the criminal.

    • SteveA says:

      Do SSA armed guards need .357 hollow point ammo to blow people away Dirty Harry style? If not, why train with this type of ammo (as you theorise?).

      • jollycynic says:

        I’m not for sure that I would go with their particular choice of caliber, but then I’m a .45 ACP man myself so that’s probably just subjective. As to hollow points themselves, they are a pretty good idea. Hollow points are more effective at putting down your target and if I recall correctly, hollow points also produce less penetration through surfaces like walls, so there is reduced risk of accidental bystander injury.

        • webb says:

          Those who want more penetration will generally choose .357 Sig as its 9mm bullet in a .40 cal projectile allow it to more easily go through car doors, windshields etc. The reality is with modern ammunition, choosing between 9mm +p and .45 is really all you need to decide. 9, .40, .357 sig are all really close.

    • The DON says:

      How about the 450 million hollow points ordered earlier this year…
      http://rt.com/usa/news/dhs-million-point-government-179/
      from 4th April 2012

  2. denacron says:

    “Are they preparing for an army of geriatrics, perhaps a zombie apocalypse?”

    Urban ‘pacification’. The last decade was spent working out some of the finer details in dusty foreign desert areas.

    When I first noticed this trend was in the early 80’s with the Forest Circus, I mean Service, getting badges guns radar and as well as an attitude to match. Although Federal firepower and scope of enforcement has been ever increasing since the founding of the U.S..

    I blame (from my life memory) Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush (Shrub senior) Clinton, (Junior Shrub) Bush, and latley O’Bomba. I would list the clown college too but the house and senate have too many buffoons to list.

    But they all mean well. Just remember to duck and cover if they want to add some more democracy to your diet.

    • Cap'nKangaroo says:

      Knowing some Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife officers, I can tell you that starting in the early 80’s, things got a lot more hairy out in the woods. A lot of Whacky Weed patches suddenly sprouted up as well as irrigation systems for the patches. Many were booby-trapped and the officers were not anxious to come upon the people tending the plants with nothing but a Buck knife.

  3. shooff says:

    I think it’s called corporate welfare. Keeping your boys at the Pentagon happy is what it is all about.

    How much ammo does a local police department go through in a year? More importantly what do they pay for it. What is the cost per round on these orders?

    I read the Russia Today article. Sounds a little bias…just a little.

    They may be planning to a Romney/Ryan win. Maybe they will militarize the borders with both Cananda and Mexico.

    ATK has no work with the Shuttle Program completed. Bullets are little tiny solid rocket boosters. Think about it. GE makes Medical Equipment.

  4. bobbo, the pragmatic existential evangelical anti-theist says:

    Pretty good reason to outlaw ALL GUNS==including those of our overlords.

    Which scenario make you more safe? Feel more safe?

    Reasonable people may have opposing points of view — but who is ever reasonable when it comes to gun control?

      • bobbo, the pragmatic existential evangelical anti-theist says:

        I would never even dream of this happening. Its just as stated: a good reason.

        Men of Reason, usually don’t waste time dreaming.

        for proof of this by opposite demonstration, see Mpod’s vision of dystopia below.

    • msbpodcast says:

      I believe in gun control, like in the control of people and their guns over themselves.

      Every citizen should be armed, trained in the use of firearms, required to keep one weapon in a locked cabinet at home and should be provided by the state with a box of free ammunition and some time off to refresh their sharpshooting skills every year.

      You would get a lot fewer urban cowboys doing drive-bys if they knew for a fact that they were going to ened up looking like they had just finished in last scene in Bonny and Clyde.

    • deowll says:

      When I was younger I was interested in traditional muscle powered weapons. I’ve done enough research and messed with decent reproductions enough to know they can do every bit as much damage as any gun but as a senior I must note that “God didn’t make men equal, Sam colt did.” or something like that. Seniors and smaller people are more likely to win against home invaders using thunder sticks than swords.

  5. LibertyLover says:

    The Department of Edumacation has one, too.

    And the Retired Rail Workers Administration.

    And a couple dozen more.

    shooff hit it on the head — Corporate Welfare.

  6. Ken says:

    They must be arming the members of the Death Panels.

    • B. Dog says:

      Maybe, but it’s just typical that they ignored my request for .38 +P ammo. For what they pay me to be on a death panel it’s just outrageous to put up with all that noise and muzzle blast.

    • Dallas says:

      The death panels don’t start till 2014. This seems like a scandal to arm the Syrian rebels.

  7. Cap'nKangaroo says:

    I don’t wish to nit-pick, but then what use is the Internet for.

    Dirty Harry carried a .44 Magnum, not a .357. And in a later sequel he upgraded to the .44 Auto Mag.

    Now all is well in the innerwebtubes and my job is done.

  8. CrankyGeeksFan says:

    I thought most government organizations changed their guns to 9mm automatic pistols from revolvers.

    • webb says:

      most use .40 calibre. Homeland Security bought 450 million rounds this year in .40. FBI uses .40. I believe the Secret Service and Air Marshalls both use .357 Sig.

  9. NewformatSux says:

    They need the bullets to hand out to their minions who go around shooting up conservative organizations like the Family Research Council.

  10. webb says:

    The SSA has an investigative branch that covers fraud and works in a law enforcement capacity. I suspect that this purchase is in line with normal (and previous) purchase orders.

    Homeland Security has plenty of resources to pacify us…I wouldnt be too worried about SSA.

  11. Stewrt says:

    They are going into Miami and San Diego to chase down the people filing those hundreds of false tax documents and getting refunds from them.

  12. roy b. giv says:

    …and then only the criminals will have guns (weapons)

  13. Bones says:

    Main stream media loves all these stories of other countries stock piling weapons “to use against their own people.” No one seems to care when it happens in their back yard.

  14. NewformatSux says:

    Oh, all this time I thought you were complaining that the Secret Service wanted bullets. It’s Social Security!

  15. WmDE says:

    Visit your Social Security office. You might want a .357 as well.

  16. jpfitz says:

    Did anyone read the Business section of the New York Times yesterday? There is an article front ans center about importing Russia’s top gun. The factory in Russia that manufactured the AK’s
    are now tooled up and producing rifles and shotguns under the brand Saiga. Sales in the U.S. are brisk. Thank goodness that the Batman Aurora shooter wasn’t armed with an AK, his AR-15 type rifle jammed saving many lives.

  17. NewformatSux says:

    It’s to defend themselves from the public. They expect the public will get irritated that they are now handing out Social Security numbers to illegal immigrants, illegally.

  18. John says:

    So we all know government money is misspent in so many ways. Why does this surprise anyone? Its a free for all anymore.

  19. NewformatSux says:

    It’s because of the Medicare cuts. The Social Security Administration is illegally not paying out benefits to people who don’t sign up for Medicare. With the reduced services, this group of people is going to grow.

  20. Glenn E. says:

    So are we now allowed to wear body armor, while standing in line at the local SSA offices? Ya know, just in case one of their pistols misfires. BTW, how are bullets going to stop a car bomb? That’s what gets used, whenever someone is super pissed enough at a federal agency, to fight back. AKA Oklahoma City. Are SSA agents thinking of packing, “The Matrix” style? They forgot to order the cool shades, if so.

  21. Doug Bloomdahl says:

    Mr. Dvorak: Just who is it you say is saying we should give up our guns? Be sure you say it is someone who can actually make us give up our guns. Everybody who has the power seems to tell us we have a right to our guns. Even after all the mass murders elected leaders are telling us we have enough gun laws. Even insane people have guns. Are you just trying to stir up trouble and make people anti-Obama even though he has done nothing to make the practice of having a gun more sane. Shame on you.

  22. MartinJJ says:

    Don’t you just love your big government? They not only waste your taxdollars just them being there in large quantities to make your life as miserable as possible with new more restricting laws every day now, they also use lots of your taxdollars to buy very nasty bullits to shoot you with.

    IRS people with guns. TSA with guns. Social security administrators with guns. All the three letter agencies with guns. And god only knows what other departments already have them. Really? This is your government supposed to work for you? Common sense obviously left the country a long time ago already.

  23. Rick says:

    This is AMERICA! Everybody needs ammo.


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