This was apparently done in June, but I didn’t find out about this until last week…
The Biden administration has reportedly ordered an ammunition manufacturer to stop selling Americans some 5.56mm rounds, which is the most common for the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.
In an effort to severely limit the sale of ammo used in AR-15s, the U.S. military has ordered Winchester – which manages the U.S. Army’s Lake City ammunition plant – to stop selling its excess M855/SS109 (5.56mm) ammo to the public, The Truth About Guns reported citing a source close to the matter.
Full article, HERE from American Military News. And HERE from TTAG…
If this is true, things are going to get sporty…
Comments?
Yes. That news was making the rounds some months ago. And it fits right in with the lefts attempts to disarm us. If they can’t get the guns they will go after the ammo, without which guns are worthless.
Fortunately there are plenty of other manufacturers though I have little doubt the criminal gun grabbers are dreaming up ways to put them out of business if possible.
I’ve been hearing the stomping of jackboots getting closer for years.
I think that this year will be bad, and 2024 worse.
So many of the people who control the flow of money to and through .gov power over us have been named that they may believe that their plans for overall control must be implemented now, before the moment is lost.
Their moment has already passed, and their grip tightens on sand.
As resilient as Americans are, our tech dependent society has too many individual points at which a cascade failure can begin for a totalitarian regime to identify, much less control. Look for ways to preserve civilization on your local level, and keep the snakes out of your garden, and your neighbors too, if you can.
Consider that Kevin Brannaughs’ Henry V Agincourt speech was recited here, and steel your thews for what comes next.
John in Indy
Like Dan, I remember it.
I’m curious why the ban on Russian surplus has driven Wolf through the roof yet.
hasn’t not has.
Actually, up in Canada, most of the surplus ammo has dried up.
I seem to recall reading somewhere that some Russian ammo was being re-branded and coming in through other countries.
I subscribe to emails from Midway, Brownell’s, and others. I have been surprised at the number of items on sale and amount of the mark downs. IMO, no one can afford to buy anything, and sales are through the floor, and is why most store ammo shelves appear well stocked.
If the rumor of an order to stop selling excess to civilians is true, they might find it difficult to get another company to bid for the contract to run Lake City next time.
Selling the overage is a huge plum that goes with that contract.
Wolf is not yet through the roof because the effects of the ban haven’t kicked in yet. Contracts and permits made before the ban are still allowed to be imported and those were let years in advance.
Also…
With the shift from M855 to M855A1 the excess will soon be unsellable to the public because it’s AP (by legal definition if not performance).
I don’t think we were properly braced for that yet.
Washington Times has an article from 6-21-22 about 50 House Repubs petitioning the White House to stop the Pentagon’s plan to ban the production of AR-15 ammo at the Lake City plant in Missouri. A White House spokesman tweeted that the Administration was not going to restrict production/sales of excess ammo to the public. Haven’t found any newer posts since then but I only did a quick search.
Because the Lake City site is owned by the U.S. Army, and is only managed and staffed by Olin Winchester LLC acting as a contractor, it is within the realm of possibility that the U.S. Government could try to mandate a restriction like this, and it would seem to be lawful (though spectacularly stupid and harmful for several reasons.)
Looking into what transpired beyond the dates of the articles cited, it looks like this was a trial balloon, and got a lot of negative response including a signed letter from 50 Congress critters urging the Biden administration to give up consideration of this idea. Had this been enacted during the fall of 2022, the issue would have exploded in the firearms press and become a major issue that affected the midterm elections.
The proposed idea was probably placed on the back burner, and I doubt they’ve given up on it completely. These sorts of things have a habit of showing up later in future bills, regulations or executive orders as a rider or addendum, especially when they’re trying to sneak something past the citizenry’s notice.
As always, remain vigilant and never trust the bastards.
Off topic rant removed.
Yes, I read it back then and I think the receipt for 2 cases is dated the same day.
Prohibition seldom works in the long term but that won’t stop the (P)regressives from trying.
much ado about nothing. lake city is switching over to make the new 6.8 round for the military. the army asked olin to curtail 5.56 production in order to fill the massive first run of the 6.8. no big deal. never asked them to stop selling it, just to concentrate on the new round. there’s still plenty available, and other manufacturers are stepping into the breach. but more to the point, why aren’t we stocked up to the roof already? well, some of us are. quit smoking, there’s a box a day right there. quit drinking, two more….priorities.
This didn’t happen, leaving some vendors who stocked up with high priced inventory now selling at a loss.
It’s pretty basic – selling overruns is part of their contract to run the plant; Biden to isn’t a contracting officer so he could only request they stop, which of course they didn’t.
Just like with his vaccine mandate for contractors, the contract would have to have been renegotiated to make it legal and nobody did it, the announcement was just for show.
As far as Russian ammo, the ban only applies to new contracts for another made in Russia – existing contracts are being milked for all they are worth, and most cheap steel case ammo coming to the US isn’t from Russia anymore, so there won’t be much change in supply …
Just another example of the need for common sense government control. We must all do our part for a better and brighter tomorrow: remember to keep government on a short leash!
All- Thanks, I apparently missed the whole kefluffle and the follow up. Yes, switching to 6.8 will impact, but there is ammo available… For now… High as hell. Bought 3 boxes of .38 range ammo for $33/box. Ridiculous… sigh
Actually, not so much, Jim. Lake City is reopening some lines that haven’t been used for ten years or more. Those old lines are being updated for the new caliber(s). The existing 5.56 lines are untouched.
Lake City is the primary small arm Army Ammunition Plant.
BTW,one of the .50 cal lines are being opened, too.
You should have looked around more; I sell it in my shop for $28 a box including sales tax and online places are even cheaper.
This was a false report. Common with TTAG frankly. The plant management stated they never heard about this at all.
The contract explicitly provides for selling excess production.
This was mentioned in our local news. The up side is that Winchester, due to mandated overages from DoD orders, still has and is still selling surplus ammo to the public.
Whichever gov’t drone who is to monitor ammo sales…isn’t….
I do not know about Winchester stopping the sale of 556 ammo/ I have been on anlot of ammo sites that are still selling it. Both Winchester and Lake City.
And… the Lake City plant is being retooled to produce the new 6.8 wunderround. Which makes sense as the .mil is transitioning to the new 6.8mm wunderweapons.
All- Thanks, I apparently screwed the pooch with this one. My bad… More research next time and the side eye to TTAG… sigh