Winchester Ammunition
8/21/2009
Winchester® Ammunition was recently awarded a contract by the Immigration, Customs and Enforcement (ICE) division of the Department of Homeland Security to supply a maximum of 200 million, 40 cal. rounds over the next five years.
“Winchester has a proud tradition of providing high quality ammunition to our nation’s law enforcement agencies,” said Dick Hammett, president, Winchester Ammunition. “No matter if they’re protecting our block, our city or our borders, each special agent is an invaluable resource and we are committed to giving them the best products available.”
The load selected for this contract is a 135-grain, hollow point designed for the office of Field Operations of Customs and Border Protection. It will fall under the Winchester® Ranger® line of products.
For more information about Winchester Ammunition and its complete line of products visit www.winchester.com.
Dr Roberts do you have any information on this new load, and why they decided to go with such a light bullet?
“Dr Roberts do you have any information on this new load, and why they decided to go with such a light bullet?”
I would hope ICE adopted it because it was the load that best met their agency’s performance requirements as developed based on analysis of past shooting incidents and potential future lethal force engagement scenarios.
Not sure this ammo is for ICE. ICE NFTTU procures all ammunition and weapons for the Department of Homeland Security. This article mentions that the bullet was designed for Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations. These are the blue uniformed people at the airport and land and sea ports-of-entry. NOT ICE, and NOT the Border Patrol.
This may be the answer to my question. Port police operate in densely populated areas. This may have dictated the light bullet design to reduce the risk of overpenetration, and risk to innocent bystanders. Border Patrol tend to operate in far more sparsely populated areas, and may need to fire into vehicles, thus they are probably far better served with a heavier bonded bullet.
DHS is currently using 155gr. .40S&W loaded to the old INS specification. Which if my memory is correct was in the 1240fps range. The Remington load was pretty hot. During reduced light shooting it really illuminates the range and the load was brutal on Beretta frames. We would see frame failures (cracking) after 4,000 rounds. I have had .45 shooters stop shooting on a private indoor range to see what I was shooting; these 155’s through a HK P2000SK, loud and illuminating. The 155 has been an effective man stopper in BP shootings, I like it and carry it as a duty load and in my POW. I hope whatever they pick to replace it is as effective.
About 8-9 years ago one of the gun mags did an article about the INS NFTTU development/selection of the current 155gr. load. If anyone has a copy or can point me to an online version, I’d appreciate it.
I can verify that Border Patrol issues it. A buddy just graduated their academy, and 1500 rounds of the 155 grainers really wore in his P2000. Still works every time, though.
A 135gr load was part of the original ICE/DHS specification and testing protocol for new pistols in '04. At the time, its intended use was in short-barreled guns (P239 & P2000SK).
Found 'em. Both from Guns & Tactics for Law Enforcement and both written by Cpl. Ed Sanow. From Apr.'00 - Protecting American Borders (How the US Border Patrol came to select the .40S&W cartridge as its service caliber) and from July’00 - “Magic Bullets” For Law Enforcement? (How the INS’s National Firearms Unit established a protocol for selecting a duty load for the US Border Patrol).
PM me an address and you can have them. I’ve torn them out of the original magazine years ago but all the pages are present and in good shape.
IIRC DHS contracted for about 25 million rounds of 135g HST for use in subcompact guns about 5 yrs ago. Nominal was 1220 fps from a 4 inch bbl, about 1185 from P239/P2000SK IIRC. Did about 9 inches in bare gel.
Info on other DHS 9/40/357 ammo from about June 04 here:
That will be a nice change… My understanding is that there is a few Authorized rounds that each port can purchase under contract. The last I saw, the issued round for Customs & Border Protection, which includes the Border Patrol, is the FEDERAL Hollow Point, 155gr. - I’ll double check on the exact round though.
Good call, bad choice of words… I should have said procure it…lol
The Winchester Ranger Ammo I believe was still on the list prior to this contract. At least that is what was explained to me by an instructor of the CBP Firearms Div.
Winchester says the new load (Q4368) is a 135g conventional JHP at 1200 fps. IOW, similar to the 135g HST they used before that was intended for use in subcompact guns.