User Panel
Posted: 12/23/2005 8:59:37 PM EDT
I know my friend that works for Austin PD says that they can qualify for AR-15s but not AKs. I guess the reasoning is that AKs just "look too evil" but that's sucks from the policeman's POV. Seems like a good deal of police shootouts involve shooting perps in cars and 7.62x39 would be better than 5.56 here so are there any other rifles that PDs can use that are larger caliber than 5.56?
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Anyway, some PD's would also have shotgun slugs and maybe something in a 7.62 nato, but it depends and it's never the same. |
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+1 I've seen some strange shit in PD inventories. |
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like the maricopa county sheriffs department's M109 howitzer, how's that for knockdown power? |
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If you can't kill them with a 5.56mm, you need more range time. |
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More info please... |
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part of sheriff Arpaio's "war on drugs"
bottom of the page I love how joe runs his prisons but he's a freaking whackjob |
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Ya, I know, let me rephrase: Are there any PDs that allow officers to carry assault weapons of larger caliber, if so, what assault weapons? As a side note, can't wait for the SCAR-H! Maybe next Christmas... |
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There was an article in a gun mag years ago where a Deputy had an AK as his patrol rifle
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So uh, I certainly hope the breech was torched on that howitzer. I mean seriously, the fucking police have no business running around with live artillary pieces. Police have enough NDs with their handguns.
I mean I could understand an APC, but what in fuck's name do they need self propelled artillary for. Does the DoD give old M113s to the police? |
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That fucker needs to be comitted. then locked up. the right OF THE PEOPLE. not the fricken local sherriff who thinks he's god. There is no fathomable excuse for needing something like that. And the "because i can" excuse is bullshit. flame away. |
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I want to know what they use the howitzer for, breaching bank vaults?
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+2 a couple of PD departments issue AKs in the US besides, the AR platform is better overall for PD work (erogonamics, accuracy, easier familiarity w/ vets, etc) |
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They cannot carry any assault rifles. When their hands magically touch an AR or similar piece, it becomes a "PATROL RIFLE", much less evil than an assault rifle, according to many press reports. |
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AK's are not used just because the look bad. They are also not nearly as accurate as AR's.
Of course they are probably on par with Mini-14s that a lot of depts used to use back in the day. Still the trend over the years is for accuracy save the dept being sued for using a weapon known for its innaccuracy (compared to domestic product). Also a LOT of PD's get USGI AR type weapons as surplus. So when the civy AR market took off there was already some what of a institutional inertia biased towards ARs. Add to that a lot of officers are current or former US service members. Someone making a 1 moa AK that retains AK reliability and cost competive to an AR and you'd seem more depts using that version. But once you do that its not really an AK anymore... |
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"Assault weapon" is a legal term that only exists in a few states.
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Some town south of Tyler, Texas has its officers armed with AKs. I know because one of them bought my VEPR K, and carries it daily in hs cruiser.
There's also a couple of depts. in Oklahomo who carry them. When I go railfanning up there is when I see them. |
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Yeah, it's a Sig 55X or a Valmet then. |
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I heard some Detroit police officer have M1 carbines in thier trunks. I also heard that the Mini-14 was used
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Fixed it for ya! HS1 |
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I think he means it's alot easier to punch through vehicles being used as cover by bad guys, with an AK than a 5.56. 5.56 isn't so good for punching through windshields or car doors, let alone a bumper/trunk. |
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We have a bunch of real M-14's, a whole mess of Barrett 50 cals, full auto shotguns, MP5's in every configuration you can imagine, M4's....and the mighty Ruger Mini14
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Just AR15/M16 and mini-14 here. Oh, and of course, the old 870.
Art in KY |
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You can only carry what's on the approved list, and only after you go thru the carbine course. At the moment the only rifles approved are Colt and Bushie AR's. Rock River may get approved in future if enough officers buy them. I very highly doubt any com-Bloc weapon will ever get approved. You might as well wish for a Kar-98. It has nothing to do with PC, rather, it bears on quality/training. Heck, there are several mainstream pistols out there that are not on the approved list either. Walther P99s for example. It's no different from your pistol. You are allowed three pistols on your roster (on duty/off duty). They must be from the approved list, you must supply them, and you need to keep the qualification current. Mine are a Beretta 92, A Beretta 2000S, and my original S@W 66. BTW: Where do you get this idea tha 5.56mm won't penetrate a car? |
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My personal theory is that there would be a few valid reasons for not approving AK's. First they are imported by several different importers with wildly varying levels of quality, reliability, and accuracy. In addition, the quality and availability of certain AK variants could vary wildly over time, so it would be a nightmare for a PD with strict guidelines on approved weapons to keep up with the ever-changing availabilities and quality levels.
Then of course you have the training argument of most cops being ex-servicemen. And of course the general accuracy issue. Another thought might be that some dept's consider the AR more "patriotic" in that it's a child of American industry and virtually ALL AR's are made here in the USA. Although the huge number of HK and Beretta firearms being carried by police today kinda negates that argument. But... in the case of HK and Beretta quality is NOT an issue, nor is spotty availability, etc... And Yes I know that Berettas are not always imported, but could be domestically produced. Aren't they? |
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OH one more thought. AR's have almost 100% parts interchangeability even between brands... Try just snapping AK parts off one rifle and onto another...
I'm not sure, but I would imagine Romanian parts going into a Chinese rifle might be difficult. |
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Yes, made in Maryland. |
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Nope. But then again I don't consider an AR or AK an "assault rifle" unless they have that magic selector switch that says "auto". |
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So burst is out as an option? You don't see a lot of agencies approving AK-family weapons because a lot of the quality issues, training courses are not geared towards that platform, the relative lack of any quality duty ammo, etc. Its tough enough getting ANY rifle approved, even after Columbine, N Hollywood, etc, in some agencies, let alone an AK type weapon. |
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No rifles here unless you are on SWAT (they have mostly UMPS and a few Bushy ARs). For patrol its just an 870 with 00 Buck.. no slugs for us.
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My friend's dad works for the Montana Highway Patrol. He was saying they were going to let them carry M1A's in their cars soon. Out in the open area's of Montana you're probably gonna need something like that. He really liked my FAL when I showed it to him. He also liked my dog and did not shoot him |
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They do in new jersey and will give you ten years for processing one, THE FUCKING FUCKS! |
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Tell the truth...if YOU were Sheriff and YOU could buy one for "official use" would you? |
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I'd spring for an M60 tank instead |
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Not quite a "patrol weapon" but SWAT snipers/observers usually have .308s. |
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It's been proven over and over to not be a reliable manstopper after going through typical automobile body/glass. Tends to fragment, so while the perp may be wounded, it's not a very deep wound. Or he just gets peppered with fragments. Don't take my word for it; research it yourself. |
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Huh? Where did I say it won't penetrate a car? I said "Seems like a good deal of police shootouts involve shooting perps in cars and 7.62x39 would be better than 5.56" IOW, I'm saying a 7.62 x 39 will do more damage to a person than 5.56 after passing though a barrier like through a car door, firewall, or windshield. 5.56 relies heavily on fragmention inside of soft tissue to do damage, and that's not going to happen if it loses much of its energy to a barrier. |
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The whole car scenario is a relativenon-issue. If the vehicle is moving, most agencies aren't going to let the officer shoot at it except in a most extreme case. If its a baricaded subject inside a stationary vehicle, the SRT guys with their bolt .308s should do just fine.
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I know of one county sheriff who built himself a blackpowder howitzer and started towing it behind his truck to calls for the intimidation value. He's never once considered firing it at a suspect, but he did get some bank robbers to surrender when he started bringing the cannon into position.
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That... is... amazing. |
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He is talking about shooting through cover/barricade. Something the 5.56 is piss poor at, and 7.62 variants do well. |
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