After reading several recommendations for Federal HST as carry ammo, I decided I wanted to buy a few boxes and try it out. I had a hard time finding an online retailer that didn't have a disclaimer stating that the 50 round boxes of 9mm 124gr were reserved for authorized/LEO buyers only (I am neither). Several sites required credentials for purchase. I managed to find a dealer that didn't (ironically, one local to me), and bought two boxes. Their price was $29/box, ~50% more than the lowest price on AmmoSeek, but about what Cabela's advertises for the 20-rd box.

A few of the sites stated it's a manufacturer's requirement for the 50 round boxes, and that the 20 round boxes are intended for purchase by the general public. Obviously, not all sellers follow the requirement, but most of my usual sources do. For those buying 50-rd HST boxes online, where do you shop?

Target Sports USA has it.

https://www.targetsportsusa.co...c-51.aspx#Ma38|Ge12|

SGAmmo also:

https://www.sgammo.com/product...ow-point-le-ammo-p9h

Edit: I think Lucky Gunner is GTG also.

Get it now, while you can. Federal is cracking down hard on commercial sales of 50 round "law enforcement" boxes of HST.

Hence the ID requirements popping up recently at most retailers.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Get it now, while you can. Federal is cracking down hard on commercial sales of 50 round "law enforcement" boxes of HST.

Hence the ID requirements popping up recently at most retailers.

Silly stuff even if true (which I doubt). I'm a retired LEO and this ammo is an excellent choice for ANYONE to carry as a defensive round. If such a "crackdown" exists, its only because the retailers can charge more for the 20 round boxes of HST than 50 for some reason. I've never had any difficulty purchasing quantities of 50 or even 500 rounds at a time. Bone Frog Gun Club is my "Go To" source among a few others already mentioned here.

https://www.bonefroggunclub.co...tical-hst-jhp-p9hst2

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Get it now, while you can. Federal is cracking down hard on commercial sales of 50 round "law enforcement" boxes of HST.

Hence the ID requirements popping up recently at most retailers.

And they obviously know it. SGAmmo is out of stock, and Lucky Gunner wants $43/box. Target Sports still has it for $30/box.

quote:

Originally posted by pulicords:

Silly stuff even if true (which I doubt). I'm a retired LEO and this ammo is an excellent choice for ANYONE to carry as a defensive round. If such a "crackdown" exists, its only because the retailers can charge more for the 20 round boxes of HST than 50 for some reason. I've never had any difficulty purchasing quantities of 50 or even 500 rounds at a time. Bone Frog Gun Club is my "Go To" source among a few others already mentioned here.

Bone Frog was at the top of the AmmoSeek list and had the best price, but this is directly from their product webpage:

**Per manufacturer requirements, this product (50 round boxes of P9HST2) is available for purchase by LE and Qualified Customers Only. If you would like to register your credentials with us to purchase this product, please fill out this form.

I have no doubt that it's because they charge as much for a 20-rd box of consumer ammo as they do for a 50-rd box of "LE-only" ammo.

In September I purchased 124gr JHP 50rd boxes from Outdoor Ltd. for 18.50 per.
I checked them yesterday after reading these posts. They are out of stock currently and I did ask if they would continue to sell to me non LEO. They said yes.

quote:

Originally posted by pulicords:

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Get it now, while you can. Federal is cracking down hard on commercial sales of 50 round "law enforcement" boxes of HST.

Hence the ID requirements popping up recently at most retailers.

Silly stuff even if true (which I doubt). I'm a retired LEO and this ammo is an excellent choice for ANYONE to carry as a defensive round. If such a "crackdown" exists, its only because the retailers can charge more for the 20 round boxes of HST than 50 for some reason. I've never had any difficulty purchasing quantities of 50 or even 500 rounds at a time. Bone Frog Gun Club is my "Go To" source among a few others already mentioned here.

https://www.bonefroggunclub.co...tical-hst-jhp-p9hst2

It appears you don't believe me, so perhaps you'll believe it when it comes directly from your "go to source".

Here's a direct quote from an email that Bone Frog sent out about a week ago:

quote:

Hollow Point Ammunition (LE Restrictions)
50 round boxes of LE marketed ammunition has always been intended for Law Enforcement; 20 round boxes are available for standard retail purchasers. The manufacturers are getting stricter on these guidelines as it pertains to online sales, thus we have been asked to abide by indicating this on these product pages and asking customers to register with us in order to purchase these products.

Bone Frog is among the retailers that, under pressure from Federal, have started restricting sales of 50 round HST boxes to verified LE only. You now have to register with them and provide a copy of a LE ID to order 50 round boxes of HST, including the load to which you linked.

Note the new addition to that product description at the link you provided, which states: **Per manufacturer requirements, this product (50 round boxes of P9HST2) is available for purchase by LE and Qualified Customers Only.

Why is Federal limiting the sales?

quote:

Originally posted by JAFO:
And they obviously know it. SGAmmo is out of stock,...

Weird. I just ordered 6 boxes.

If HST is no longer available at 40 cents per round, I will just switch to something that is. less money for federal out of MY pockets, and more money for Remington or Hornady or someone else.

I would suggest letting Vista Outdoor (Federal's parent company) know that you are not pleased with this BS policy. I did so myself and reminded them that there ARE other options. Likely won't make any difference to them but you never know.

This is nothing new. LEO Ammo has a Federal Excise Tax exemption. About every 4 to 7 years for decades the government has cracked down on non FET ammo sales. When the boxes say "Law Enforcement use only", There was no FET payed on that ammo. Hence some of the cheaper price. You know those blue box glocks same thing. There has been around a 10% to 11% FET in the past on all guns and ammo except LEO and some Government.

Thanks for the 411, Jelly. Explains why Federal won't sell the 50rd boxes to us but will sell us all of the 10 box cases of 20rd boxes that we can use from here til next Tuesday. And here I thought that the steep prices of the 20 rounders was solely due to how PROUD Federal was of those chintzy plastic boxes that no one can open without first consulting YouTube.

I still have quite a bit of Federal HST left on hand. I'll see how prices are going when I need to buy more, but there are other high quality ammo choices available. I'll look for deals in other brands if needed.

And just like that... HST prices went up almost 50%. Ugh.

It's wonderful isn't it?

No more Federal for me unless/until this silly BS ends.

quote:

Originally posted by pulicords:
Silly stuff even if true (which I doubt).

https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...0601935/m/1670047844

SGAmmo is out of HST 124 standard pressure but still has some 124+P
and HST 147.
$29.95


ETA: Sgt Gold's link to Target Sports also shows they have the Federal Tactical bonded 135+P in stock.
I have about 5 or 6 boxes of that and my G17 & 34 shoots it very well.

quote:

Originally posted by highroundcount:
It's wonderful isn't it?

No more Federal for me unless/until this silly BS ends.

I'm right there with you!