Hope they secure them in their vehicles better than the FBI does.

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/ts_more.php?id=60670_0_10_0_C

Game Wardens to use M-16 rifles donated by government
By LAURA B. MARTINEZ
The Brownsville Herald

August 19, 2004 — Texas Game Wardens will soon carry military rifles donated by the federal government.

The military had a surplus of M-16 rifles and decided to donate them to law enforcement agencies across the country, said Col. James Stinebaugh, director of TPWD’s Law Enforcement Division in Austin.

The weapons will especially help Game Wardens stationed along the coast who come in contact with individuals who are better armed, or are aiding other law enforcement agencies involved in operations in the area.

“A lot of the people that are involved in these illegal activities are extremely well armed with AK-47s. … What the department is trying to do is trying to make sure the state game wardens are well armed as well,” said Capt. Ken Baker, head of the Brownsville office of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Baker, who has been with TPWD for 30 years, said Game Wardens along the border are more prone to encounter individuals engaged in illegal activity such as drug smuggling because of the proximity to the Mexican border.

One of the duties of game wardens is to ensure that boaters are following state laws such as the water safety act and boat registrations.

“People that are involved in a lot of the illegal activities are utilizing vessels as a way to carry on their activities,” Baker said.

There are more than 400 TPWD Game Wardens in the state and all are expected to be issued the weapons within the next few weeks. About 17 of those are from the Rio Grande Valley.

“It’s just a continuation of what we have already been doing. They are just getting a different kind of semi-automatic weapon,” said Tom Harvey, TPWD spokesman in Austin.

The M-16 rifles will replace mini M-14 rifles Game Wardens are using.

“The only difference is it has selector on it, which would allow it to be fired full automatic instead of semi-automatic,” Stinebaugh said.

They are better weatherproof as well.

The only thing the state will have to pay for is training the Game Wardens on weapon usage. The exact cost of the weapons was not immediately known.

“All it is costing us at this time is the money and time it’s taking to train. … The rifles we’ve issued now for a number of years are around $400 each and these would probably be even more,” Stinebaugh said.

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I'd sure like to have one of their used M-14s.  Hell I'd even pay a couple hundred for one.

Quoted: I'd sure like to have one of their used M-14s.  Hell I'd even pay a couple hundred for one.

Dude, those are mini 14's, not M 14.  You know, Ruger mini 14.  You would pay a couple of hundred for a used one?  You would be getting what you paid for.

I'm gonna if I read ONE MORE F*CK*NG STORY ABOUT BAD GUYS BEING ARMED WITH AK-47'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!