AG against military ammo for citizens

[swinokur]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 12, 2024

Media Contacts: press@oag.state.md.us 410-576-7009​

Attorney General Brown Joins Multistate Coalition to Stop Sales of Military-Grade Ammunition Used in Mass Shootings ​

BALTIMORE, MD – Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has joined a multistate coalition of 20 Attorneys General calling on the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention to investigate recent reports that a federally funded contractor has produced military-grade ammunition for sale to civilians, including to perpetrators of horrific recent mass shootings. The coalition sent a letter asking the Office to investigate how a facility overseen by the U.S. Army, Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (Lake City), produced billions of rounds of ammunition that were sold on the civilian market, and asked the Office to ensure that future military production contracts prohibit the sale of military-subsidized weapons and ammunition to civilians.

“Innocent lives are taken from us every day due to unnecessary and very preventable gun violence,” said Attorney General Brown. “Facilities tasked by our government with producing military-grade ammunition for our armed forces, in defense of this nation, should not also be supplying civilians who are committing tragic mass shootings in our communities.”

Lake City is a manufacturing facility operated by a private contractor and overseen by the U.S. Army. It is one of the country’s largest manufacturers of military ammunition, able to produce some 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition per year, much of it for use in AR-15-style rifles. Its commercial operations have sold billions of rounds onto the civilian market, and recent reporting has shown its products have been used in mass shootings and other crimes.

The coalition notes that Lake City rounds have become the “ammunition of choice” for use in mass shootings, citing shootings at Tops supermarket in Buffalo, New York; Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida; the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, as recent examples where Lake City rounds were used. The Buffalo mass shooter even praised Lake City ammunition as “the best barrier penetration ammo I can get.” 

The federal government has invested over $860 million to improve production at Lake City, meaning taxpayer funds are subsidizing production of these dangerous rounds sold to civilians. The coalition is calling on the White House of Gun Violence Prevention to:

• Investigate the contracting and manufacturing practices that led to military-grade rounds being sold to civilians;
• Issue a public report with recommendations about how to keep military ammunition out of civilian hands; and
• Take steps over the long term to ensure that future production contracts prohibit the sale of military weapons and ammunition to civilians.

In sending the letter to the White House, Attorney General Brown joins the Attorneys General of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/press/2024/011224a.pdf​

 

[rseymorejr]

So, expanding tip bullets are less deadly than FMJ?

 

[spoon059]

I've got a crazy idea... we could use existing laws and punish the actual criminals. Severe penalities may deter future criminality. If deterrence doesn't work, the severe penalties themselves will simply incarcerate the violent criminals.

It's the weirdest thing, we've got an exceptionally violent apartment neighborhood in my district with a lot of shootings. We arrested one particular guy in the summer of 2022, he was convicted of a gun offense (couldn't get the victim to testify about the assault) and has been incarcerated since arrest. Haven't had a single shooting in that large complex since he was arrested.

So weird. I'm not sure how or why removing a violent offender from a community can result in a dramatic drop in violent crime... but somehow it works. And we used existing laws, laws that have been in effect for my entire 22 year career, to do it. It's crazy... but maybe we should give it a shot!

 

[Allen65]

There's actually a potential upside to this: if sales of MILSURP get cutoff, that demand doesn't go away, and civilian industry will eventually expand to meet it. That capacity expansion is good for us in the long run, both for keeping prices under control and distributing production away from single points of control.

 

[mpollan1]

I've got a crazy idea... we could use existing laws and punish the actual criminals. Severe penalities may deter future criminality. If deterrence doesn't work, the severe penalties themselves will simply incarcerate the violent criminals.

It's the weirdest thing, we've got an exceptionally violent apartment neighborhood in my district with a lot of shootings. We arrested one particular guy in the summer of 2022, he was convicted of a gun offense (couldn't get the victim to testify about the assault) and has been incarcerated since arrest. Haven't had a single shooting in that large complex since he was arrested.

So weird. I'm not sure how or why removing a violent offender from a community can result in a dramatic drop in violent crime... but somehow it works. And we used existing laws, laws that have been in effect for my entire 22 year career, to do it. It's crazy... but maybe we should give it a shot!

Crazy talk. We need moar lawz. 22 years on the job and you think you know anything? Don't know how those on patrol suit up every day and climb into their cruisers. Media blaster is ready whenever you are

 

[Growler215]

I'm guessing that Olin Winchester took into account the ability to use excess capacity at Lake City to make ammo for the civilian market, in case of insufficient military demand, as a factor in its bid to run the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant. So, not cool to try to take that away from them.

 

[Bullfrog]

I'm guessing that Olin Winchester took into account the ability to use excess capacity at Lake City to make ammo for the civilian market, in case of insufficient military demand, as a factor in its bid to run the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant. So, not cool to try to take that away from them.

I'm guessing it's also in the operating contract. They wouldn't be doing it unless it was in writing.

So, good luck with that, at least until the next time it comes up for bid.... and then he can try to make his case and justify why the price per round supplied to the military will go up astronomically.

 

[welder516]

If anyone has any doubt they won’t stop until they bleed every law abiding citizen this should confirm it

 

[Ponder_MD]

There's actually a potential upside to this: if sales of MILSURP get cutoff, that demand doesn't go away, and civilian industry will eventually expand to meet it. That capacity expansion is good for us in the long run, both for keeping prices under control and distributing production away from single points of control.

It's cute that you think that the US will open another civilian ammunition plant. You don't think they'll attempt to legislate that away?

 

[dist1646]

Lake City made the ammo that used to be issued to civilians for shooting competitions. It was authorized by the Dept, of the Army and done through the Department of Civilian Marksmanship. Later known as CMP. Since the military did not and still does not have the ability to train huge numbers in the event of a major war, it is an advantage for our national security to have a civilian population that is trained in the use of arms. Think upholding the second amendment here. Democrats absolutely fear a population that has the ability to defend the Constitution and the rights contained there in. Tyrants prefer their victims to be disarmed.

 

[Uncle Duke]

They clearly know nothing about ammunition, "military" or otherwise. But they're absolute masters when it comes to wordsmithing, and with identifying which angles to pursue to most effectively spin their position.

 

[Bountied]

These guys really are retarded. I'm willing to bet that more murders in MD are caused by 9mm than 556 or any other "military round". I know the military used 9mm as well.

 

[Bountied]

Is he talking about the 62gr green tips specifically? The statement is pretty vague.

 

[Defense Initiative]

I've only seen LC ammunition being sold at gun shows. I've walked off the range with ammunition I didn't burn off on marksmanship teams. No one would allow us to turn it back in, so it was given to us for practice. Some of this ammo gets sold at some point, but is it that big of an issue, or is this another attempt at stirring up crap?

 

[King Chicken]

These guys really are retarded. I'm willing to bet that more murders in MD are caused by 9mm than 556 or any other "military round". I know the military used 9mm as well.

9mm more than every other round combined I betchya. Glocks are also always the one I see perpetrating the crime. btw they aren't retarded. They are the experts.

 

[JoeRinMD]

At least one 2A analyst/lawyer thinks it was a bad move, strategically. I tend to agree. By their own argument, BILLIONS of rounds were sold commercially, so in essence they're making the "common use" argument for us. However, facts won't get in the way of emotion.



In the same way "assault rifle" and "Saturday-night special" were two terms that were coopted to sound nefarious, the newest phrase among the anti-gun crowd is "military-grade". The firearms-ignorant, which includes most of the left-wing, swallow it hook, line and sinker.

JoeR

 

[Allen65]

It's cute that you think that the US will open another civilian ammunition plant. You don't think they'll attempt to legislate that away?

I believe if there's money to be made, someone will figure out a way to make it, Congress be damned.

 

[ChannelCat]

So what??!


This is giving the impression that he is talking about depleted uranium.

 

[Ponder_MD]

By their own argument, BILLIONS of rounds were sold commercially, so in essence they're making the "common use" argument for us.

Ah, great point.

 

[Growler215]

I'm guessing it's also in the operating contract. They wouldn't be doing it unless it was in writing.

So, good luck with that, at least until the next time it comes up for bid.

Yup. But just like liberals to want to use the power of the government to stop lawful commerce just because they don't like it.

I've only seen LC ammunition being sold at gun shows. I've walked off the range with ammunition I didn't burn off on marksmanship teams. No one would allow us to turn it back in, so it was given to us for practice. Some of this ammo gets sold at some point, but is it that big of an issue, or is this another attempt at stirring up crap?

My LGS routinely has Winchester M855 white box with LC headstamp. This stuff isn't very accurate in my guns, though, so other than first box of 20 rds, I'm not a buyer. Used to see Federal American Eagle 55 gr FMJ with "LC .223" headstamp brass dating to before Olin Winchester took over the LCAAP. It wasn't that great either. The Black Hills Mk 262 Mod 1 77gr used LC match brass and is good stuff, but nothing that can't be duplicated elsewhere.