Where do government agencies get their guns?

[Ivy Mike]

Yesterday at work, I pulled a Park Ranger's Chevy Tahoe into one of our service bays (I work at a tire shop and attend college) To be clear, this is a Natl. Park Service vehicle.

When I got in, I saw two long guns resting in the rack between the front seats. The one next to the passenger seat was a black, pump action shotgun (Mossberg I think) and the other was a Colt M16A1. I was surprised to see a full auto (it had the switch) M16 sitting in a park service vehicle. I mentioned it to another gun owner I work with and he was perplexed as well. I don't really care what rifles they carry, but the fact that it was an M16 instead of an AR15 caught my eye.

Why would a park ranger need a full auto rifle?
Did the park service buy it new from Colt or get it as a mil-surp/trade/etc from the military?
Is it full auto anymore?
Wasn't the M16A1 only issued in Vietnam and if so, wouldn't it make that rifle over 30 years old?

Just a little curious.
BTW, he had a Sig (couldn't tell which model) on his hip. Don't know if that is issued or his own weapon.

 

[DMK]

Not sure where or how they get them (probably through some GSA channel), but a lot of law enforcement agencies get surplus M16A1s direct from the government for very afforable rates. It's not uncommon at all to see M16A1s in police cruisers across the nation.

Why would they need full auto? Well if they don't need it, that little switch can go to semi-auto also. Better to have and not need than need and not have...

And yes, these would be very old. The A1s are mostly phased out of frontline military service. A2s are even starting to be phased out now by A4s and M4 carbines.

The only concern I would have is why these weapons weren't secured elsewhere if the vehicle was left unattended for service. If so, I'd hope that they were at least locked to their mounts.

 

[Dbl0Kevin]

I would say a Ranger might find need for full auto more than most law enforcement. They can find themselves out in the middle of nowhere all by themselves and quite possibly come up on multiple aggressors. It sounds strange but a lot of people will purposely shoot at a game warden or ranger as opposed to a police officer. Big temptation being out in the middle of nowhere when it comes to going to prison.

 

[El Tejon]

They get them from the taxpayers.

 

[Cortland]

Virginia Game Wardens can have M4s if they go through training. They keep them locked in a box in the top of their Suburbans. I know because a fellow let me shoot his a couple years back

The Game Warden that this fellow took over for quit because he had been shot at (or at least towards) so many times.

 

[Ivy Mike]

Thanks for the answers fellas (and ladies if ye be present)

Yes, both weapons were locked down although the M16 had a magazine in. I don't know if they roll with them loaded or not (I'd assume they do) The weapon was on safe and I know "da switch" gives them the option of single or spray and pray.

Maybe I should go be a park ranger. Getting in shoot outs in the wilderness sounds like a lot of fun!

 

[jefnvk]

Remember, game wardens have the most dangerous job. Pretty much everyone they encounter is armed.