From: Jonathan Spencer, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>The average police firearms officer in
>the UK is better off with a carbine or short rifle, especially
>out of doors where ranges are likely to be greater.
>Jerry
>--
>I don't agree, not when the target is generally only ten yards
>away.
And what when you are suddenly confronted with a target 25 yards away,
e.g. you stumble across an armed robbery or are fired upon? It happens.
>West Midlands Police had a robbery sting going on
a *planned* operation, note
>If long distance shots are needed
what's a long distance, 20 yards, 50 yards?
>You don't need a carbine to hit something ten yards away
>(maximum)
So, when George Knights first opened fire on the plods in the Land-
Rover, a pistol would have done the trick? He wasn't too far from the
Land-Rover, 10 to 15 yards. Maybe at that point a *good* pistol shot
could have nailed him, but I doubt it. And as for when he opened up
with the converted AR15, that was how far, 50 to 100 yards? A pistol
would have been *useless* at such ranges, even in the hands of an
expert. Sure that was an exceptional incident. But the police carry
guns for just these exceptional incidents, and they are occurring more
often.
I would far sooner carry the MP5 than *any* pistol for the simple reason
that it can do everything the pistol can do and a lot more besides.
--Jonathan Spencer, firearms examiner
"Justice is open to everybody in the same way as the Ritz Hotel."
Judge Sturgess, 22 July 1928
--
Knights wasn't even confronted by armed officers until he took
the family hostage so it isn't a valid comparison.
Of course unusual things can happen, but on that basis we would
arm the police with M60E3s fitted with 40mm grenade launchers
"just in case".
ACPO tell us that police shootings take place at ranges of
ten yards or less. You don't need an MP5 at those ranges.
(Or do the police have as much faith in ACPO as us?)
Perhaps have a long gun in the back of the ARV if they need
it, but there is no need for AFOs to generally be armed with
MP5s.
I think the police are in fact leaning this way, as all the
pictures in the papers of the AFOs manning checkpoints in
Birmingham the other day showed they were carrying holstered
Berettas only.
Also, you aren't an AFO - take the average AFO and get him
to shoot his MP5 at 100 yards and see how well he does with
it!
Steve.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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