Weekly Wrap: Seized Iranian Ammo Headed to Ukraine

Welcome to a weekly series here on Pew Pew Tactical dedicated to the gun news you need to know.

So, keep reading for this week’s notable news headlines…

Seized Iranian Ammunition Bound for Ukraine

The U.S. military announced this week that the U.S. sent 1.1 million rounds of seized Iranian ammunition to Ukraine.

Seized 7.62 ammo comes from intercepted shipments headed to Iran-backed Yemen fighters. The Iran-bound ammo is usually transported via fishing vessels and has been the target of U.S. naval forces over the years.  

U.S. officials say though Iran has not been directly involved in the Yemen civil war, proxy networks have shipped firearms and munitions to Houthi rebels. These rebels are currently waging war against the Yemeni government, which considers the U.S., France, and Britain allies.

Central Command issued a statement about the ammo shipment, emphasizing its commitment to working with allies to prevent destabilization.

"The U.S. is committed to working with our allies and partners to counter the flow of Iranian lethal aid in the region by all lawful means including U.S. and U.N. sanctions and through interdictions," a U.S. Central Command statement said.

“Iran’s support for armed groups threatens international and regional security, our forces, diplomatic personnel, and citizens in the region, as well as those of our partners. We will continue to do whatever we can to shed light on and stop Iran’s destabilizing activities.”

Ammo seized in December 2022 will help Ukrainian soldiers on the frontlines. This comes after Congress did not include new money to the country in a stopgap spending bill passed over the weekend.

More than 2,100 AK-47s on a fishing boat were intercepted in January by the Navy. No word if any of those firearms are also headed to Ukraine.

Geissele Nabs $29M SOCOM Contract

A $29 million contract now belongs to Geissele as the Pennsylvania company nabbed the 10-year award from U.S. Special Operations Command.

The award is for a new sniper rifle as part of the Mid-Range Gas Gun (Sniper) program used mainly by Naval Special Warfare and described as “a new sniper support weapon, designated marksman, rifle taking advantage of advances in ammunition and weapons technology to improve the intermediate range sniper rifle lethality, reliability and performance when suppressed during 50-1,500-meter engagements."

On the hunt for a suppressed 6.5 Creedmoor with a 20-inch barrel, SOCOM wanted MOA accuracy and a fully adjustable stock, and Geissele delivered.

Announcing the gun in a livestream in August, the company said the gun would be classified as the Mark 1 Mod 0 rifle.

It’s a 20-inch cold-hammer-forged barrel made from CRMOV steel and chrome lined. It hits that 6.5 Creedmoor mark but also offers an interchangeable barrel in 7.62x51mm.

Bill Geissele, Founder and President, said the rifle underwent a slew of testing at the Navy’s hands.

“They shot over 25,000 rounds through our guns,” said Geissele. Three guns got 6,400 through each one – over 19,000 rounds. They were going to stop at 5,000 rounds. They were looking for barrel life. This continued to 6,400 rounds, and at 6,400 the groups were 0.97, 0.76, and 0.49 average on a piece of paper."

For those that want the military vibe at home, Geissele is releasing a civilian version which will come with a standard SSA-E two-stage trigger, 20-inch CRMOV barrel, Magpul PRS Lite Stock, and a fully ambidextrous receiver colored in “Desert Dirt.”

But get ready to pony up a pretty penny, as the Geissele MRGG will set you back $6,500.

TSA on Pace for Record Number of Guns Found at Checkpoints

The Transportation Security Administration revealed it found over 5,000 firearms at security checkpoints in airports nationwide in the first three quarters of 2023.

Q3 for the TSA saw 1,820 recovered firearms at checkpoints, an average of 19.8 guns per day. The TSA said more than 94% of those were loaded.

Last year, the TSA found 6,542 guns at security checkpoints, and the organization already expects 2023 to surpass those figures.

“Passengers may travel with a firearm, but it must be in their checked baggage,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a statement.

“Firearms are only permitted in checked baggage, unloaded in a locked hard-sided case and must be declared to the airline when checking the bag at the ticket counter. Firearms are prohibited at security checkpoints, in the secure area of an airport or in the passenger cabin of an aircraft even if a passenger has a concealed carry permit or is in a constitutional carry jurisdiction.” 

If a firearm is found at a TSA checkpoint, officials will call local law enforcement to unload and take the gun. It is up to law enforcement whether to cite or arrest passengers with guns.

TSA can impose fines of up to almost $15,000, and any passenger found with a gun will lose TSA PreCheck eligibility for five years.

Interested in learning more about flying with guns? We have an article dedicated to taking to the skies with your firearms.

Sources

• TSA
• Daily Defense
• Geissele
• US Central Command
• Stars & Stripes