At a mail-order store in the Dallas area, they list Federal Hydra-Shock bullets as being for law enforcement sale only. You can't buy it from them unless you have a peace officer's license. I bought some years ago, and still have some, so I was surprised to learn this. Is this true everywhere, or just at that one store or maybe just in Texas? And if so, why? Is it that potent, or what? I keep a pistol in the house solely for home defense, and obviously don't burn up many shells, so it has been awhile since I have even looked for pistol bullets.
Federal Hydra-Shock ammo...why controlled?
- Thread starter TheOldPro
- Start date
btolliverjr
New member
Are you sure it was the Hydra-Shok or was it the Federal HST? Hydra-Shok is not, but the HST is in the tactical line marketed for LEO. They are hard to come buy.
Bunch of hype.
I can see the guys sitting in the back:
"Let's see, how can we take advantage of ObamaDemoMania?"
"I've got it. We'll say we had an 'overrun' of HST, and sell it to the public for triple the price we get from LEO."
There is NO magic bullet, at least not in service calibers...
I can see the guys sitting in the back:
"Let's see, how can we take advantage of ObamaDemoMania?"
"I've got it. We'll say we had an 'overrun' of HST, and sell it to the public for triple the price we get from LEO."
There is NO magic bullet, at least not in service calibers...
Shadi Khalil
New member
HST is every where in VA. I like the HST cause its cheap and easy to come by...find a new dealer.
It isn't a matter of the law. Federal wants it that way, and apparently the dealer is abiding by their wishes. Dealers that sell it to the public might end up being admonished by Federal. Possibly cut off.
Federal does appear to be cracking down. Rumor has it that they'll be selling to the public before long in the more expensive 20rd. "Premium" version.
In the mean time, there's lots of it in the hands of dealers who are selling to the public, if you know where to look, or are willing to Google around.
Federal does appear to be cracking down. Rumor has it that they'll be selling to the public before long in the more expensive 20rd. "Premium" version.
In the mean time, there's lots of it in the hands of dealers who are selling to the public, if you know where to look, or are willing to Google around.
My understanding is that LE labeling is done for two reasons. HSTs are labeled LE only as part of a long standing political/PR decision by ATK to restrict their most effective self defense ammunition to law enforcement. Rumor has it that ATK has begun enforcing this rule buy ceasing all LE packaged/priced shipments to distributors and limiting all such shipments to direct ATK to agency sales. LE boxes (HST or Hydra-Shok) are usually 50rd boxes and sold for less than half the cost charged to the peasantry, oops I mean public for non-LE Hydra-Shoks. That includes any markup that distributors were charging. I'm sure the direct price is much less. It's so cheap that many agencies use it as cheap practice fodder.
The second reason is that non-LE ammo is subject to an 11% tax that is not applied to LE ammo. That's an 11% tax on the wholesale price.
Basically if the rumors are true then you can blame ATK (Federal and Speer) for any gouging as customers scramble for dwindling supplies that may or may not ever be replenished. If true then the only choice becomes an inferior $1-1.25/rd civilian version in 20rd bend-the-public-over boxes. Only time will tell if the rumors are true.
The second reason is that non-LE ammo is subject to an 11% tax that is not applied to LE ammo. That's an 11% tax on the wholesale price.
Basically if the rumors are true then you can blame ATK (Federal and Speer) for any gouging as customers scramble for dwindling supplies that may or may not ever be replenished. If true then the only choice becomes an inferior $1-1.25/rd civilian version in 20rd bend-the-public-over boxes. Only time will tell if the rumors are true.
Double Naught Spy
New member
LE Only marketing has been going on long before Obama. There is no reason to turn this into a political party-based discussion.
Shadi Khalil
New member
The guns and ammo warehouse in Manassas has .9mm, I'm not really sure about the .40 stock. The .9mm price is nice too, under 30 for 50.
It is definitely Hydra-Shok, not the other. Go to www.cheaperthandirt.com, and pull up the Federal Hydra-Shok in the 9mm variety, and they very clearly state that it is for law enforcement sale only.
That may or may not be true. Either way, my local store regularly receives newly manufactured ammunition from various manufacturers alternately marked "Law Enforcement" and "Law Enforcement Only." Regardless, the OP's question not about supply chain intricacies or pricing scemes, but, rather, availability. The facts remain that some manufacturers mark some ammunition "Law Enforcement" and/or "Law Enforcement Only;" and some retailers sell the boxes marked thus to the public at large, while others don't.
Federal does still list Hydra-Shok loads in it's Premium LE line. As a matter of fact, they make up the largest selection of loads in the line. Federal markets four bullet styles in their Premium Tactical (pistol) line: Bonded, EMFJ, HST, and Hydra-Shok. All these bear the words "Law Enforcement Ammunition" on the box.
Cheaper Than Dirt is one of the retailers that restricts sales of some Hydra-Shok loads to LEOs only. So much so, that they put that restriction on some from the older "Premium" line that bears no LEO markings of any kind:
.38 Special +P
9mm 147 gr.
9mm 124 gr.
9mm 124 gr. +P+(Tactical)
.40 S&W 155 gr.
.45 ACP 185 gr. +P
There are at least three different types of Hydrashoks. Personal Defense has a thinner jacket than the regular hydrashok and neither are restricted by Federal. The LE version, with a tougher jacket than the other two, is the one that is restricted--which means that you may be able to find it, or you may not.
A while back there was a bunch of Speer 124 +P 9mm that a large LE contract backed out on and there was a surplus of ammo. It was sold in 250 rd. boxes, and 50 rd, also. LE only .357 Sig was also being sold in 250 rd. boxes.
For one reason or another, it was labeled "not for LE use", which lead to speculation and debate that the ammo was inferior. It was not, but apparently that designation cleared the way for it to be sold on the civilian market. I don't know all the politics involved, but there seems to be confusion about sales to non LE folks like us.
A while back there was a bunch of Speer 124 +P 9mm that a large LE contract backed out on and there was a surplus of ammo. It was sold in 250 rd. boxes, and 50 rd, also. LE only .357 Sig was also being sold in 250 rd. boxes.
For one reason or another, it was labeled "not for LE use", which lead to speculation and debate that the ammo was inferior. It was not, but apparently that designation cleared the way for it to be sold on the civilian market. I don't know all the politics involved, but there seems to be confusion about sales to non LE folks like us.
The Federal LE agencies buy huge amounts of ammo. Every lot of purchased ammo is tested by agency represenatives for velocity, mean accuracy, damages, etc. Lots not meeting specification can be, and often are, returned to the manufacturers. The manufacturers may release it to wholesalers, remanufacture it, sell it to town/city/county/state agencies or nations that do not test their ammunition for qualification, use it for other purposes, etc.
It may be some of this 'rejected' [but still good] ammunition.
It may be some of this 'rejected' [but still good] ammunition.