Friday, June 18, 1999
Fifty Caliber Rifles and Ammunition, Guns

Civilian Access to Military Armor Piercing Ammunition

At the request of Reps. Blagojevich and Waxman, the Special Investigations Division in conjunction with the Office of Special Investigations of GAO worked to reveal how the Department of Defense indirectly armed citizens with some of the most powerful and destructive ammunition available. Armor piercing ammunition for fifty caliber weapons can pierce armored vehicles and bulletproof glass when fired at a distance of over a mile. Until Congress acted in response to the investigation, military surplus fifty caliber armor piercing ammunition was readily available in the U.S. civilian market as a result of a little-known Department of Defense demilitarization program. As part of the investigation into fifty caliber sniper rifles, expert Marine snipers provided a demonstration of the power and accuracy of these weapons. The demonstration was recorded on video tape. Also as part of the investigation, undercover investigators from the Office of Special Investigations of GAO taped conversations with ammunition dealers who sell specialized armor-piercing ammunition for fifty caliber sniper weapons.