New US Coastguard Pistol

[jimgriff]

The US Coastguard is part of the US military.
The US Coastguard have recently adopted a new pistol to replace the "issued" 9mm Barretta.
It is the Sig Sauer S226 in .40 caliber.
They are also adopting a new round with either "soft point or hollow point bullets".
Forgive me for being picky, but I thought that such "types" of bullets were against the Geneva Convention.

Im not worried that much as any shots fired at you by the mil must mean that one is up to no good and such bullets might put one down instead of punching straight through. But hollow points in use by the mil?????:bored:

[diginagain]

It rather looks as if USCG are planning on going up against non-signatories to the Convention.

[green granite]

I tought the convention aplied to countries fighting wars, not coast guards fighting criminals.

[The Helpful Stacker]

The US Coastguard is part of the US military.
The US Coastguard have recently adopted a new pistol to replace the "issued" 9mm Barretta.
It is the Sig Sauer S226 in .40 caliber.
They are also adopting a new round with either "soft point or hollow point bullets".
Forgive me for being picky, but I thought that such "types" of bullets were against the Geneva Convention.
Im not worried that much as any shots fired at you by the mil must mean that one is up to no good and such bullets might put one down instead of punching straight through. But hollow points in use by the mil?????:bored:

Hollow points are against the Geneva Convention but the US Coast Guard, although part of the US Military, also has a major civil policing role. In the US civil police it is common to use hollow points to stop 'through and through' shots, a common occurrence with FMJ's. As long as they are not using hollow points in a military role they do not fall foul of the convention.

[OFBSLF]

To put a fine point on it, many armies use hollow-point bullets in limited applications. Specifically, the match grade ammunition used by snipers is usually a hollow-point boat-tail. In this instance, the hollow-point is not designed for expansion, but rather for accuracy. For example, see the bullets used in the Federal Gold Match .308.

[Iron City]

Just a small point of legal pickiness I suppose, but the U.S. Coast Guard is part of the Department of Homeland Security. It used to be part ofthe Transportation Department and before that was part of Commerce, Treasury and I don't know who else. In time of war the USCG can be activated and become part of the Navy the same was the Federal Aviation Administration can become part of the Air Force.

They are organized on military lines and have partly a law enforcement function, partly environmental, partly SAR and partly other safety for the navaigable waters of the U.S. and partly every other thing that happens on aor in the water. And good luck to them regardless of the type of weapon they carry, with their budget I'm suprised it isn't cutlasses and Navy Colt revolvers.

[Cambridge Crash]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the US Coast Guard is now part of the Department for Homeland Defense, and not the DOD. Accordingly, they can use what weapons they like...

[Sven Sixtoo]

Errr...
Its the Hague Convention
and its not completely prescriptive
See
http://www.thegunzone.com/hague.html
Sven

[Lazer-Hound]

And good luck to them regardless of the type of weapon they carry, with their budget I'm suprised it isn't cutlasses and Navy Colt revolvers.

Just to put this into some kind of perspective, the USCG is now actually larger than the RN in terms of personnel at least (43,000 vs 38,000, IIRC). Plus the USCG is undergoing the major 'Deepwater' recapitalisation programme, including the provision of Bell 'EagleEye' tiltrotor and Global Hawk UAV's, systems the RN can only dream of.

[SASless]

For you Whinging Poms that have nothing else to worry about except what kind of pistol bullet the USCG uses....consider this fact. They also use Barrett .50 caliber rifles too. Along with Browning M-2 .50 Caliber machine guns, and five inch guns on Cutters. I would also assume their boarding parties carry automatic weapons and knives along with Stun Grenades and Frags. Horrors yet....they may even carry 12 Gauge Shotguns with Buckshot or Flechette rounds.

When was the last time the Geneva Convention really mattered to the Terrorists and Drug Smugglers out there? Ever watch a video of a terrorist beheading a hostage?

They can also call in Air Force and Navy attack aircraft if need be....what's a pistol bullet compared to a 2,000 pound JDAM?

Get a life guys!

[diginagain]

When was the last time the Geneva Convention really mattered to the Terrorists and Drug Smugglers out there?


My point, precisely. Succinct as ever, SASless. :ok:

[The Helpful Stacker]

For you Whinging Poms that have nothing else to worry about except what kind of pistol bullet the USCG uses....consider this fact. They also use Barrett .50 caliber rifles too. Along with Browning M-2 .50 Caliber machine guns, and five inch guns on Cutters. I would also assume their boarding parties carry automatic weapons and knives along with Stun Grenades and Frags. Horrors yet....they may even carry 12 Gauge Shotguns with Buckshot or Flechette rounds.
When was the last time the Geneva Convention really mattered to the Terrorists and Drug Smugglers out there? Ever watch a video of a terrorist beheading a hostage?
They can also call in Air Force and Navy attack aircraft if need be....what's a pistol bullet compared to a 2,000 pound JDAM?
Get a life guys!

That whizzing noise is most of the thread sailing over your head SASless. Once again you jump to defending the US without actually reading what many have put.:rolleyes:

In fact on this thread there is perhaps only one person who could possibly be described as 'whinging' (although they were just asking a question of legality, not bemoaning a round they might get hit with were they to do something that required it), everybody else as far as I can tell is purely answering the question in one form or the other.

Now step away from the keyboard and take a nice big breath.:ok:

[jimgriff]

I personally would rather take out some scum using a .40 JHP that a FMJ 9mm any day.
I just asked the question.

BTW the Barratt .50 cal sniper weapon is a great bit of kit. Yes, I have fired one on many occasions.

:ugh:

[diginagain]

BTW the Barratt .50 cal sniper weapon is a great bit of kit. Yes, I have fired one on many occasions.
:ugh:

Whilst I've only done dry drills on the Barratt, I have seen the consequences at the target end, so I suppose your definition of 'great' really depends on your perspective.

[Iron City]

Yes, Deepwater sounds nice, but it is a program name that has been around 15 years or so and seldom gets the funding it is supposed to. The only good thing about the homeland security paranoia gripping the Congress has been the Coasties finally getting some decent gear to use... but at the same time they have V-22s, UAVs, tethered aerostats, and other unsupportable stuff of marginal mission utility thrust their way.

[Could be the last?]

One of the civilian CP/BG guys in B'Dad lost his mag in the ac; when it was subsequently found, the rounds in it did not comply with any convention!!!!!

Pity the local who caught one.:eek:

[OFBSLF]

Pity the local who caught one.As opposed to the other locals who are only shot with the "gentle" FMJ rounds:confused:

Deadly force is deadly force.