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More on Ammo Prices

Last weekend, my buddy in Baghdad called. We were chatting away. He tells me that he’s going the next day to set off some ordnance. I ask him about it. He says he’s going to destroy some ammo. I say what kind. He says it was all kinds of military rounds, including 9mm, 5.56, 7.62, etc. About 200,000 rounds of it. It’s dangerous, just sitting around. I did some quick math and, at what I recently paid for 200 rounds of 5.56 (about $0.40 per round, btw), realized they were blowing up $80K worth of ammo. That’s just stupid. Mail that stuff home. Civilians want that surplus ammo.

24 Responses to “More on Ammo Prices”

  1. JoeMerchant24 Says:

    I figure gunnies could cleave the Federal budget deficit in half if they’d send that ammo over here.

  2. Sebastian Says:

    I’m fairly certain the reason they can’t is because Bill Clinton made it illegal. I’ve heard variously that it was made illegal through either executive order, or through law. I’m trying to find out which is the case.

    If it’s executive order, Bush is a turd for not reversing it.

  3. Weer'd Beard Says:

    One soldier blog I saw a PILE (like at least 100) Dragunov-type rifles being boxed up for destruction after being captured in Iraq.

    DAMN! I’ll take one!

    Same with the ammo. I’ve also heard that the South Africans are destroying thier mil-surplus all day every day after that door was shut.

    What a waste!

  4. sanchez aka "Jack of All Trades" Says:

    Could you provide a little more information or a link concerning this?

  5. wizardpc Says:

    its probably related to AEY selling 50 year old chinese surplus ammo.

  6. SayUncle Says:

    Could you provide a little more information or a link concerning this?

    Err, no. It was a phone conversation.

  7. trainer Says:

    Back when I was in the service, one of the jobs we got was to fill an old victory ship full of ammo, vehicles, weapons, etc…drag it out to deep water, sink it, and blow it with pressure charges when it was a mile down. The sand crabs had previously cut holes in all the frames so it was one big space. t

    Ammo, recoilless rifles, M2s, grenades, jeeps, and on and on.

    I cried like a baby. I did scam some cool maps out of the chart-house, and the chief got the binnacle and firebrick for his outside grill.

  8. Gregory Morris Says:

    I’m not sure I want a bunch of old, improperly stored god-knows-who-made-it ammo… but, on the other hand, it might be ok for plinking, or at least pulling the bullets and re-manufacturing it.

  9. Murdoc Says:

    Was this stuff US surplus? Or found in an arms cache?

    If US ammo that’s past its shelf life, it’s a shame and a waste, though I’ve seen at least one story previously about this in Iraq.

    They’re blowing captured ordnance a dozen times a day going on five years now, but I don’t think anyone would want that stuff.

  10. GrumpyUnk Says:

    I read somewhere that importation of milsurp was being limited in accordance w/ the UN’s military weapons and civilians guidelines.

    I don’t know if Clinton had anything to do with it as Commie ammo was available and cheap till just the last year or 2.

    It would be interesting to know why anything starting w/ 7.62 has doubled in price over the last year. The Mosin milsurp ammo has really gone goofy lately.

    Maybe if someone figures out the why of this, we can figure out a how to correct it?

  11. DirtCrashr Says:

    Damn straight! I need that ammo!!

  12. DirtCrashr Says:

    We shoot Lake City ammo headstamped ’45 from our club carbines. Ammo has a pretty good shelf-life.

  13. anon Says:

    Can someone out there explain how they blow up 200,000 rounds of ammo? It seems to me it would be pretty hard to ‘destroy’ and very easy to basically just scatter it over a few thousand square yards of desert…

  14. JJR Says:

    I knew a Navy buddy (Corpsman) who was friends with a USMC armorer, and every so often they would be tasked with going to the range and expending old ammunition that the regs said had to be gotten rid of after such-and-such a date. They’d have fun with it, blasting the crap out of watermelons, etc, but it did seem like a waste of ammo that could be sold, either to civilians or friendly allies in the Third World…

  15. chris Says:

    personal friend of mine had to do the same thing in Kosovo when he was over there as a contractor…

    here is his picture thread from ar-15.com… keep in mind that almost every non-issue weapon you see there is one that had to be destroyed… including the 4 tommy guns…

    http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=34&t=285276

  16. Lyle Says:

    (Redundancy alert) “Government waste.”

    Leftist bigots have infiltrated and permeated every branch of government. To them, the destruction of anything gun-related is a step in the right direction.

    If there were smart people in government, private industry would hire them, taking them into the private sector where they can be more successful. Pres. Reagan said something like that years ago.

  17. straightarrrow Says:

    Well Lyle, they would starve to death.

  18. Firehand Says:

    It’s a legacy of both Clinton and the damned UN not wanting us peasants to be able to buy the stuff. Just like they want to cut off all firearms imports/exports for civilian(i.e. ‘peasant’) sale and use.

  19. Adam Says:

    Exactly how much ammunition do you lot need and why?
    Personal protection? OK, a revolver or a pistol each.
    Hunting? OK, single shot shot gun or a single shot rifle.
    I’m not that clued-up on guns, but I don’t know of any pistols using 7.62mm.
    I see that some poor 15 year old just got shot dead by some poor 14 year old at school. Pity that your laws let youngsters get their hands on firearms, pity parents (I assume some of you are parents) don’t keep their weapons in secure places and teach your children that it’s not acceptable to take a gun to school and kill someone you happen not to like.
    Why do need assault rifles, why should they be in the hands of civilians? Why do you want semi / armour-piecing ammunition, deer wearing flak jackets around your neck of the woods are they?
    You really think that all that weaponary pictured on the link should be passed into civilians hands? Tommy Guns, MP40 (Couple of nice museum pieces there, once properly deactivated), grenades, rocket launchers.
    I’d be interested to know where this army you feel is coming to invade America is coming from and why you feel that if your own army isn’t quite capable of defeating it, a disorganised “Dads’ Army” type rabble will.

  20. SayUncle Says:

    What’s need got to do with it?

  21. Firehand Says:

    Adam, the most basic answer is “It’s none of your damned business. Not how much or what type ammo I own, OR what guns I own.”

    A “single shot shot gun or a single shot rifle”? Oh, how generous of you to allow us such! And your condescending bullcrap and strawmen show such concern for us dumb peasants!

    By the way, calling people ‘rabble’ isn’t exactly a way to argue, if you actually want to change minds.

  22. Lyle Says:

    Adam,

    Here in the U.S. it is We The People who have the rights, not some dictator who’s silly opinions have the force of law. This is not a kingdom wherein someone can decide what we “need” and don’t “need” and then force us to accept those decisions.

    Further; to blame law-abidiing citizens for the acts of criminals is not merely lazy thinking, it is downright bogoted, much like blaming all Itlains for the actions of the Mafia, or all white people for the actions of Charles Manson, etc..

    By your reasoning, since automobile accidents kill many times more people than all criminals combined, we should be disallowed the use of motor vehicles. Restrictions and licensing haven’t eliminated the problem, so a total ban is the only answer (or maybe you would kindly allow us the use of a 50 cc motor scooter). If one person who drinks alcohol commits a crime, then we should jail all who use alcohol, etc.. (Tried that. 18th Amendment. The problem got worse, little genius, not better).

    Your arguments, He Who Knows What is Best For Us All, are completely irrational, plus you have zero understanding of the American Principles of Liberty.

    Here, we have fun with things that maybe are prohibited to you, and maybe that’s your biggest complaint. Envy.

  23. Gregg Says:

    Adam,
    While it is possible that you actually are trying to learn, you come across as a hoplophobic troll.

    In the event that you are trying to learn, here are some things to think about.

    My household expends approximately 400 rounds of ammunition a week. This includes practice and competitions. That amount increases when training classes are scheduled. Doing that math, that requires 20,000 + rounds a year. Oh, and no children have been harmed by any weapon in my household, nor is there more than an infitesimal chance that a child will be harmed by any weapon in my household until well after I am worm food.

    Yes, I believe that any and all PEOPLE should be allowed the possession and ownership of any and all weapons in existence. The tool is not evil, and can only be put to evil use by a person.

    The thing is that the US is unique in that we are each sovereign individuals. To put it another way, where people in many countries must kneel to a king, emperor, fuhrer, tsar, or other ruler, here in the US we kneel only to ourselves. The governemtn is populated by the representatives of the people, NOT the leaders or rulers of the people.

    Personally I do not see an army ready to invade the US. However, the time to prepare for war is before battle is joined, not afterward. In addition, it is a matter of historical record that the Japanese had no desire to invade the US, one major reason being the proliferation of firearms in this country.

    Finally, when the fecal matter hits the impeller blades the ONLY person that you can count on is the one inhabiting your skin. Therefore adults should have the tools necessary to handle whatever happens. The fact that I feel the need to clarify that statement with the phrase” within reason” indicates that I have been dealing with mental children on these issues for many years.

  24. Jon C. Says:

    Ahh, see, they can’t sell actual surplus ammunition to us plebes. As others have said, Comerade Clinton forbade it. (Also, which they can’t sell excess MREs to us…)

Remember, I do this to entertain me, not you.

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