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 | BIOMETRIC FINGERPRINT KEYLESS LOCK SAFE GUN PISTOL HOME |  |  | US $169.90 | 12d 4h 28m |
 | PRO HOME BIOMETRIC FINGERPRINT KEY LESS LOCK SAFE GUN PISTOL HOME | | | US $186.95 | 1h 8m |
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 | Cannon Door Panel Gun Safe Pistol Kit Storage System Accessory | | | US $84.99 | 28d 1h 10m |
 | Security Electronic Digital Pistol Drawer Safe Box Blk. | | | US $107.10 | 1d 5h 32m |
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Safe Pistol
How safe is your neck during an airsoft game?
PLaying CQB with 350 - 500 fps Aegs, pistols, snipers, etc with no neck protection. Is this Safe? Whats the worst That Could Happen?
I was looking around online and found this might be what you're looking for:
http://www.airsplat.com/Items/AC-APP-UHC-MK01.htm
Out of all the sites I've compared, I think www.Airsplat.com has the best prices for most of the airsoft stuff out there. I've ordered from them a few times already, and they're really good with shipping and getting things to me on time quickly
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| BIOMETRIC FINGERPRINT KEYLESS LOCK SAFE GUN PISTOL HOME | | | US $169.90 | 12d 4h 28m |
| PRO HOME BIOMETRIC FINGERPRINT KEY LESS LOCK SAFE GUN PISTOL HOME | | | US $186.95 | 1h 8m |
| 29 Fingerprint Portable Gun Safe Biobox Cable Biometrics Pistol Travel Car Hotel | | | US $120.95 | 5h 53m |
| SMALL Digital Home Safe Box Gun Safes Pistol Safety NEW | | | US $55.95 | 26d 20h 35m |
| Electronic Pistol Handgun Valuables Money Jewelry Safe Lockbox Locker w/ Key Pad | | | US $49.95 | 25d 14h 47m |
| HOMAK HS10036683 Electronic Access Pistol Box Safe 100% FREE SHIPPING!!! | | | US $47.23 | 16d 15h 50m |
| Digital Home Safe Box Gun Safes Pistol Safety Security Firearm Case Box Security | | 0 Bid | US $59.95 | 20h 40m |
| Electronic-Lock Pistol Safe Handgun Sturdy Security Firearms-Paragon Lock & Safe | | | US $69.95 | 1d 1h 50m |
| Portable 12X9 Keypad Safe Hand Gun Pistol Drawer Keyless Digital Electronic Lock | | | US $60.95 | 1d 5h 52m |
| Keyless Biometric Fingerprint Gun Pistol Safe biobox | | | US $99.99 | 22d 7h 47m |
 | Larger biobox Keyless Biometric Fingerprint Gun Pistol Safe Home Portable Travel | | | US $119.97 | 7d 9h 18m |
 | 279 V-Line Safes Compact Home Office Security Pistol Gun Safe Keyless Access | | | US $162.98 | 29d 21h 54m |
 | 29-Entry Fingerprint Keyless Gun Cash Pistol Car Safe Biometrics Home Jewelry | | | US $109.90 | 28d 4h 39m |
 | Electronic Access Small Pistol Box Handgun Safe Vault Home Security BLACK NEW | | | US $55.99 | 22d 4h 55m |
 | Portable Keyless Keypad Safe Gun Pistol Digital Electronic Lock Car RV Cash Box | | | US $54.90 | 28d 3h 47m |
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| Cannon Door Panel Gun Safe Pistol Kit Storage System Accessory | | | US $84.99 | 28d 1h 10m |
| Security Electronic Digital Pistol Drawer Safe Box Blk. | | | US $107.10 | 1d 5h 32m |
| Security Electronic Digital Pistol Drawer Safe Box Blk | | | US $115.00 | 1d 5h 32m |
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 | Mountable Electronic Key Pad Pistol Gun Safe Lock Box | | 0 Bid | US $44.95 | 21h 12m |
 | Pistol Handgun Gun Safe Wall Or Floor Mountable w/ Removable Shelf Fast Ship NEW | | 0 Bid | US $44.95 | 22h 53m |
 | Gunvault Nano Vault 300 Gun Pistol Safe Combination NV300 | | | US $32.67 | 25d 2h 4m |
 | New! GunVault Nano Vault 300 TSA Combination Lock Steel Gun Pistol Safe! NV300 | | | US $32.67 | 14d 17m |
 | NEW Gunvault Nano Vault 200 Gun Pistol Safe NV200 | | | US $23.99 | 25d 2h 4m |
 | New! GunVault MVB500 MicroVault Biometric Keypad Portable Steel Pistol Gun Safe | | | US $159.99 | 21d 4h 31m |
 | FINGERPRINT BIOMETRIC CAR GUN PISTOL JEWELRY SAFE BOX | | | US $99.99 | 21d 4h 3m |
 | Gunvault GV1000S Standard Mini Gun Pistol Safe | | 1 Bid | US $99.99 | 2d 23h 41m |
 | Pistol Gun Vault Handgun Biometric Fingerprint Safe Box | | | US $99.99 | 18d 6h 44m |
 | GunVault GV 1000 Micro Vault Pistol Safe Gun Vault Minivault - NEW IN BOX!! | | | US $84.99 | 12d 18h 3m |
 | SECURE VAULT TOP LOADING ELECTRONIC PISTOL HANDGUN FIREARM SAFE 33018 | | | US $89.95 | 12d 16h 21m |
 | New Bulldog Car Vault Pistol Safe Lock + Cable & Mounting Hardware BD1100 | | | US $22.99 | 20d 21h 42m |
 | Beretta Quick Defense Pistol Vault Gun Safe LB1000 New | | | US $149.99 | 28d 1h 56m |
 | NEW Gunvault MV500 MicroVault Standard Gun Pistol Safe | | | US $89.39 | 25d 2h 2m |
 | GUNVAULT GV2000-DLX DELUXE MULTIVAULT GUN SAFE PISTOL VAULT GV2000C-DLX GV2000 | | | US $150.99 | 1d 23h 36m |
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| | Biometric Pistol Safe Biometric Pistol Safe $289.99 16 gauge steel housing Foam lined interior Tamper-proof spring-loaded door Mounting gear included Interior courtesy light Power connection jack for external AC power supply Audio and led low battery warning Conveniently located keypad Features bio fingerprint sensor for fast & codeless access Mfg: Gunvault SPECS: 10.1" x 7.8" x 14" 15lbs. |
| | Nanovault Pistol Safes Nanovault 100 Pistol Safe $19.99 Interior top and bottom lined with 1/2" thick memory-fitting foam 20-gauge steel construction Easy to operate key lock system Supplied w/ 1500 lb test security cable Cases meet TSA airline firearm guidelines Mfg: Gunvault SPECS : NV100 - 1.14 oz. 8.25" x 6" x 1.75". |
| | Nanovault Pistol Safes Nanovault 200 Pistol Safe $22.99 Interior top and bottom lined with 1.25" thick memory-fitting foam 21-gauge steel construction Easy to operate key lock system (Model 100 & 200) Three-digit combination lock (Model 300) Supplied w/ 1500 lb test security cable Cases meet TSA airline firearm guidelines Mfg: Gunvault SPECS : NV100 - 1.14 oz. 8.25" x 6" x 1.75". 1.14 lbs. NV200 - 9.5" x 6.5" x 1.75". 2.12 lbs. NV300 - 9.5" x 6.5" x 1.75". 2.12 lbs. |
| | Nanovault Pistol Safes Nanovault 300 Pistol Safe $29.99 Interior top and bottom lined with 1.25" thick memory-fitting foam 21-gauge steel construction Easy to operate key lock system (Model 100 & 200) Three-digit combination lock (Model 300) Supplied w/ 1500 lb test security cable Cases meet TSA airline firearm guidelines Mfg: Gunvault SPECS : NV100 - 1.14 oz. 8.25" x 6" x 1.75". 1.14 lbs. NV200 - 9.5" x 6.5" x 1.75". 2.12 lbs. NV300 - 9.5" x 6.5" x 1.75". 2.12 lbs. |
| | Cannon Safe PISTOLKIT Door Panel Pistol Kit $114.08 Keep your handgun collection organized and safely hidden away with this door panel pistol kit. This kit is for safes without compatible door panels or for those wanting to protect the interior material on their door panel. One size fits all. Can securely hold up to six pistols. |
| | Gunvault MV500STD Microvault Pistol Gun Safe Black $132.73 Gunvault pistol safes are truly premium products that set the standard for the rest of the industry. patented NoEyes Keypad and Biometric pad provide lightingquick access even in the dark. Choose the Micro Mini Multi or Bio Vault when you need quick access storage for your handgun. We know that security and reliability are prevaling priorities when you need products and that s why gunVault pistol safes have the features you want: Improved high strength lock mechanism. Precise fittings virtually impossible to pry open with hand tools. Over 12 million user selectable access codes available. Audio feedback instantly confirms correct keypad entries. Audio disable feature allows stealth mode operation. Battery power for maximum security and easy portability. Tamper indicator notes invalid entry attempts. Built in computer blocks access after repeated invalid keypad entries. GunVault Biometric Technology: GunVault Bio uses biometrics specifically fingerprint recognition to access the safe contents. A highperformance algorithm is used to achieve speedy identification of enrolled fingerprints; and at the same time has a very low False Reject rate (FRR) for a given False Accept Rate (FAR). This selflearning algorithm of the GunVault Bio adds new minutiae to the fingerprint templates each time a user touches the finger print sensor which decreases the likelihood of FRR updates slight changes that might occur over time to an enrolled fingerprint as well as to help distinguish variations. System can handle a maximum of thirty fingerprint templates between the enrolled fingerprint. The outside of the Microvault is constructed of heavygauge steel with soft foam on the inside to protect the pistol. Highstrength lock mechanism performs reliably time after time. Precise fittings are virtually impossible to pry open with hand tools. Builtin computer blocks access after repeated invalid keypad entries. Conveniently located keypad is easy to use. Mounts almost anywhere. Four pre |
| | GunVault MVB500 Microvault Biometric Pistol Gun Safe $280.68 Microvault Biometric. Manufacture ID: MVB500. The unique notebookstyle design allows you to take your handgun or vaulables with you. Incredibly compact and lightweight this safe will fit nside a briefcase or daypack and can be quickly accessed with GunVaultamp;rsquo;s Biometric technology (Uses fingerprint recognition to access safe contents). Specifications:. Weight: 5 lbs. External Dimensions (W x H x D): 11 x 8 1/2 x 2 1/4 . Internald Dimesions (Wx H x D): 10 3/4 x 6 1/2 x 2 . Features:. Outside is constructed of heavygauge steel. Soft foam on the inside to protect the pistol. Highstrength lock mechanism performs reliably time after time. Precise fittings are virtually impossible to pry open with hand tools. Builtin computer blocks access after repeated invalid keypad entries. Conveniently located keypad is easy to use. Unique NoEyes Keypad allows for quick access. Compatible with the Security Cable (Includes 4 ft. cable). Mounts almost anywhere. Four predrilled holes on bottom of vault |
| | Gunvault MVB500 Microvault Biometric Pistol Gun Safe Black $280.68 Constructed of heavy gauge steel. The inside of the pistol safe has soft foam to protect the pistol or valuables inside. This gun safe has a highstrength lock mechanism that performs reliably every time time after time. Precise fittings are virtually impossible to pry open with hand tools. This gun safe has a builtin computer that blocks access after repeated invalid keypad entries. Easy to use unique noeyes fingerprint kepad is easy to use. Includes a 4 security cable for extra security when needed (hotels office etc.). This pistol safe mounts nearly anywhere and includes 4 predrilled mounting holes on the bottom of the safe. External Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 2.25 . Internal Dimensions: 10.75 x 6.5 x 2 . Color: Black. |
| | GunVault MV500STD Microvault Pistol Gun Safe $132.73 Microvault Standard. Manufacture ID: MV500STD. The unique notebookstyle design allows you to take your handgun or vaulables with you. Incredibly compact and lightweight this safe will fit nside a briefcase or daypack and can be quickly accessed with GunVaultamp;rsquo;s NoEyes keypad. Specifications:. Weight: 5 lbs. External Dimensions (W x H x D): 11 x 8 1/2 x 2 1/4 . Internald Dimesions (Wx H x D): 10 3/4 x 6 1/2 x 2 . Features:. Outside is constructed of heavygauge steel. Soft foam on the inside to protect the pistol. Highstrength lock mechanism performs reliably time after time. Precise fittings are virtually impossible to pry open with hand tools. Builtin computer blocks access after repeated invalid keypad entries. Conveniently located keypad is easy to use. Unique NoEyes Keypad allows for quick access. Compatible with the Security Cable (Includes 4 ft. cable). Mounts almost anywhere. Four predrilled holes on bottom of vault |
| | Standard Digital Pistol Safes Microvault Standard Digital Pistol Safe $99.99 Soft foam on the inside to protect items High-strength lock mechanism Heavy gauge steel construction Precise fitting are virtually impossible to pry open with hand tools Built in computer blocks access after repeated invalid keypad entries Audio and led low battery warning Conveniently located keypad is easy to use unique no eyes keypad allows for quick access Spring activated door Mounts almost anywhere in any direction Mfg: Gunvault SPECS: Minivault - 8.1" x 4.9" x 12". 10 lbs. Microvault - 11.3" x 8.7" x 3.3". 5 lbs. |
| | Standard Digital Pistol Safes Minivault Standard Digital Pistol Safe $99.99 Soft foam on the inside to protect items High-strength lock mechanism Heavy gauge steel construction Precise fitting are virtually impossible to pry open with hand tools Built in computer blocks access after repeated invalid keypad entries Audio and led low battery warning Conveniently located keypad is easy to use unique no eyes keypad allows for quick access Spring activated door Mounts almost anywhere in any direction Mfg: Gunvault SPECS: Minivault - 8.1" x 4.9" x 12". 10 lbs. Microvault - 11.3" x 8.7" x 3.3". 5 lbs. |
| | VLine 279S Compact Handgun Pistol Safe Black $189.54 Five button mechanical lock for quick access with 1081 possible combinations. Top opening security case with classic slim design. 3/8 Thick steel lock block welded to cover guides and adds strength to the lock bolt. Elongated hole in the back allows a cable or pad lock to be used to secure the case to most any surface enabling the case to be transportable. Foam lining on top and bottom. Sturdy fabricated steel construction with pry resistant clamshell design. Available in textured semigloss black powder coated finish. Continuous hinge is welded on one end to prevent pin removal. Accented with gold tone pinstripe and logo. Outer Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.25 x 2 . Inner Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.5 x 1.5 . |
| | Horizon 6004 4 Pistol Rack $36.42 There are four pistols from the largest S and W 500 Magnum revolver with a single stack pistol pocket small. Less likely than any gun lying on the shelf is safe. Soft PVC coating over steel wire rack. Satisfaction ensured. Manufactured to the highest quality available. |
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Combat Pistol Press Check
Revolver versus Pistol
There has been a lot of emotional debates and some very unusual mis-information being bandied about lately regarding whether or not Victoria Police should convert to semi-automatic pistols.
This article is not going to attempt to justify whether or not Victoria Police should make the change, as the fact of the matter is that Victoria Police WILL convert to Pistols. Hopefully the change will not be delayed any longer than it has to be to affect an appropriate training curriculum, and the selection of the appropriate pistol.
In this article, my comparison of the pistol will mainly focus on the Glock, as it is currently the sidearm used by police in AFP, NSW, NT, QLD, TAS, WA, Australian Customs Service, and even some sections within Victoria Police already. There are other versions of pistols in service with Australian Government organisations, but the largest number by far is the Glock.
Although I may refer to comments made by CC Nixon, this is not a direct criticism of her, as a lot of her comments are based on common misconceptions about pistols. This is simply a comparison of the two weapons systems as it relates to frontline Law Enforcement.
My experience? I have trained with and used both revolvers and pistols since 1991. I have carried a sidearm nearly every day since 1997, and have participated in numerous advanced training courses with sidearms.
I’m not an “expert”, but I do have relevant experience and qualifications with both these weapon systems.
History
Revolver: The technology behind the revolver is sometimes claimed to have been developed in the 1500’s. This is not quite accurate. The “revolver” developed at that time was a single shot weapon only, which was also sometimes referred to as a “pistol”.
The revolver design of today, with a revolving cylinder containing ammunition firing through only one barrel, has been attributed to Samuel Colt in 1836, which was when the patent was granted to him for the design.
Pistol: Hiram Stevens Maxim, (the inventor of the mousetrap), invented the recoil mechanism used by today’s pistols sometime between 1883 and 1885. Although he concentrated on developing the Vickers Machine Gun, his technology is the foundation for today’s pistol. Perhaps one of the most well-known pistols today, the Colt 1911, was created by John Browning in the late 1890’s with Maxim’s technology and the exact same pistol technology is still used successfully by Police and Military to this day.
Both the revolver and pistol were developed from the original one-shot design of the 1500’s, and the creation of both weapons was less than 50 years apart in the 1800’s. When one considers the historical instances of technological advancement prior to the 1900’s, a 50 year gap is insignificant.
Technology
Which is less likely to jam? Which is safer for the user? A revolver or pistol? Let’s look at how they operate.
Revolver: The revolver is a basic design, there is no doubting that. The precise alignment of firing pin, bullet, and barrel, is all controlled by the trigger. When you place pressure on the trigger, springs and levers pull the hammer back whilst a pawl pushes on a ratchet to rotate the cylinder containing the ammunition into place between the firing pin and barrel. As long as the levers and springs do their job, then everything works perfectly. The problem is, due to the movement of the cylinder, there needs to be a certain amount of space between the frame of the revolver and the cylinder. It is relatively easy for dirt and grit to get into that space which could affect the precise alignment required to fire a round. Additionally, the trigger does not need to be depressed to action the revolver. The hammer itself can be pulled back, either intentionally or by snagging on clothing etc when holstering, allowing objects to fall into the gap. This could possibly prevent the hammer from hitting the firing pin, causing a faulty weapon.
Pistol: As stated previously, I will concentrate on the Glock pistol for this discussion. The Glock has no hammer. All workings of the pistol are internal, and as such makes the system more protected from the elements. The training of Australian Police using the Glock system is to have the weapon loaded when carrying it. This means there is no action required to fire the weapon apart from simply applying finger pressure to the trigger. The trigger itself has an integral safety lever, meaning that nothing will activate the firing pin until the “trigger safety” has pressure applied to it.
The cycling of the action is caused by the weapon firing. The recoil forces the slide of the pistol straight back, which ejects the spent casing, and inserts the next round into the chamber. It is a straight line action, utilising one spring and the recoil of the weapon. This design has been used by a number of weapon systems since the 1890’s, with some of those weapons still being used today by western Militaries and Police.
The main difference in simply firing a first shot between a revolver and Glock pistol is that the pressure required to fire the revolver is more than required for the Glock, due to the pressure required to rotate the cylinder into place. This makes correct and continuous sight alignment much easier with the Glock than the pistol, especially on that important first shot.
There have been statements made that suggest that the Glock will fire when dropped onto the ground. Well, Glock themselves have conducted thousands of “drop-tests” over the years, and not once has a Glock fired simply from being dropped onto the ground. A search on the internet also fails to find any single proven incident of this happening. The internal safety mechanism of the Glock, combined with no hammer, makes it physically impossible for a functioning Glock to fire until the trigger safety is depressed.
Revolvers on the other hand, are more susceptible to fire if dropped, due to the fact that the hammer can be activated separately to the trigger, and no safety mechanism blocks the hammer from hitting the firing pin.
There have been incidents of Police shooting themselves accidently when holstering the Glock. That is a fact. The reason for this is having your finger inside the trigger guard when holstering the pistol. That is not a fault of the pistol, but of the training regime provided to the Officer involved. The exact same incident can happen to a person holstering the Victoria Police Smith & Wesson revolver, as it has no safety catch. Regardless of what the weapon is....if you pull the trigger, it will fire.
However, one important aspect that needs to be recognised by users and trainers of the pistol is that stoppages WILL occur with the pistol if the shooter does not keep a firm grip and straight wrist whilst firing. I have seen even experienced shooters having stoppages every single shot, due to poor grip and loose wrists. This is not a “fault” of pistols, but merely a very simple technique that needs to be recognised.
Motor Skills
A very quick explanation of “motor skills”:
Gross Motor skills – Large muscle groups: Walking, running, etc.
Fine motor skills – Can be defined as requiring use of fingers: Shooting.
Complex Motor skills – Multiple muscle groups and hand-eye coordination: writing etc.
It is a simple fact that the stress of being shot at or attacked by someone showing lethal intent will cause deterioration in complex motor skills first. If the stress increases, then your fine motor skills will deteriorate next, and lastly your gross motor skills.
Revolver: Fine motor skills required to fire the weapon, (drawing from the holster and pulling the trigger). Complex motor skills required to reload, (opening cylinder, rotating forearm and hitting ejection rod, looking at cylinder, inserting speedloader into cylinder and twisting, closing cylinder). This also requires removing your master hand from the weapon, which is not a preferred thing to do when being shot at. Note that you HAVE to take your eyes off the threat to reload.
The immediate action of the revolver not firing is simply pulling the trigger.
If you are not able to count your shots, which is normal during combat, there is no indication that the revolver is empty, meaning you can waste valuable seconds conducting the immediate action drill with no bullets.
Pistol: Fine motor skills required to fire the weapon, (drawing from the holster and pulling the trigger). Fine motor skills required to reload, (master hand stays on weapon whilst thumb hits magazine release, weak hand rips mag out and drops, grabs new magazine and inserts, then rack slide). No complex motor skills involved, and the master hand stays on the weapon. With adequate training, the entire reload drill can be completed without looking at the weapon.
The immediate action of the pistol misfiring is hitting the base of the magazine, racking the slide, and then pulling the trigger, (if necessary).
If you are not able to count your shots, which is normal in combat, you know the pistol is empty when the slide locks to the rear, saving valuable time assessing your weapon’s status.
The main points here is that whilst the reloading of the revolver requires removing the master hand from the weapon, taking your eyes off of the threat, and the use of complex motor skills, the pistol does not. Whilst the immediate action of the revolver is simpler than the pistol, the reloading problem, (and recognition), with the revolver far outweighs the benefit of the IA drill.
Tactical reload
The tactical reload is what I describe as needing to replace expended ammunition with fresh ammunition, without having fired all your rounds. Think of having fired a few rounds at a threat, and then taking cover. You still have rounds in your weapon, but the threat is still not yet neutralised.
Revolver: The only way of successfully doing this in a lethal threat environment is by conducting a full reload, which we have already shown requires the use of complex motor skills, removing your master hand from the weapon, and taking your eyes off the threat.
Pistol: The tactical reload for a pistol is again, exactly the same as a normal reload, which only requires fine motor skills, keeping your master hand on the weapon, and eyes on the threat. There is also a round still in the chamber, and the weapon can still be fired even if you have not had the time to load a magazine.
Ammunition Capacity
Revolver: The current weapon used by Victoria Police holds 6 shots, with extra ammunition carried in speedloaders of 6 shots each.
Pistol: Dependant on the type of Glock chosen. AFP, Tasmania and Australian Customs Service use 9mm Glocks that come with 17-round magazines. The Glocks used by NSW, NT, QLD, & WA are .40 calibre weapons, that come with 15-round magazines. Both systems enable a full magazine to be inserted, the weapon to be actioned / loaded, and the magazine then “topped up” with one more round, meaning ammunition capacities of 18 rounds and 16 rounds respectively.
The issue at hand should not be whether or not a Police Force can be justified in carrying 18 / 16 rounds in their weapons. The issue should be whether the frontline staff require a better weapon system than currently in use. If the answer to that is yes, then the ammunition capacity can be discussed afterwards.
However, current thinking of some Police Managers is that Police do not need that much ammunition, and that is a reason not to consider a pistol. I disagree. Even with current firearms laws in Australia, there have been incidents this year alone of criminals firing up to 40 shots at houses etc. If the criminals have access to semi-automatic weapons, they then have the ability to place a large number of rounds downrange at Police.
But do the Police need to fire a large number of rounds in return?
On August 3rd, 1998, Rod Ansell shot at two colleagues of mine, being Sgt Glen Huitson and Senior Constable Jamie O’Brien. Ansell was hiding behind a concrete pipe. After Ansell shot a member of the public, and fatally shot Sgt Huitson, S/C O’Brien returned fire with his Remington 870 shotgun. He emptied the shotgun in Ansell’s direction which had the effect of keeping Ansell’s head down until S/C O’Brien could position himself in a better position of fire. He then used his Glock to shoot Ansell once he was in a position of advantage.
I would bet vital parts of my anatomy that there will come a time in the near future when a Victoria Police Officer will be required to fire at a threat simply to prevent the threat firing back. This is called “cover fire”. Providing cover fire with a 6-shot revolver is like throwing a pebble at a moving truck in an effort to stop it. It is not an effective method.
In 1995, two NSW Police Officers, being Senior Constables Addison and Spears, were ambushed and killed. The Coroner recommended “that the suitability of the present Police Service weapon be looked at and that urgent attention be given to the supply and issue of a self-loading weapon with a magazine.”
On the 19th of November 1995, the Honourable Elaine NILE quoted the NSW Police News of August 1995 in the NSW Parliament stating,
In the article Geoff Beresford put forward the argument against the Smith and Wesson revolver:
Some experts argued that semi-automatics should not be made general issue as they jammed and the average police officer will not maintain them. They also said that semi-auto's should only be available to specialist police, such as S.P.G. What they failed to tell us was that the semi-automatic pistol they used failed once after firing over two thousand rounds without cleaning. Clearly their arguments were not based on objective facts.
On the 18th of April 1996, Mr Paul Whelan, the NSW Minister for Police, stated, “Reloading the old revolver is a clumsy process that has too often proved fatal.”
What about Walsh Street in 1988? Victoria Police Officers Constable Tynan and Probationary Constable Eyre were murdered by up to 6 criminals intent on killing them. Or 10 years later when Victoria Police Officers Sergeant Silk and Senior Constable Miller were murdered by 2 criminals? It is a proven fact that Victoria Police Officers do not only encounter single criminals. When an Officer is faced with up to 6 criminals trying to kill him, do 6 shots really seem to be enough?
Then we have the situation on 13th of May this year when Senior Constable David McHenry and Constable Adam McKenzie faced a criminal armed with a semi-automatic pistol in Melbourne. Fortunately both those Officers survived.
So, does Victoria Police require a weapon that can fire 16 or 18 shots before needing to be reloaded? I hope not. But as the saying goes, “It is better to have something and not need it, than need it and not have it.”
Converting the sidearms used by Victoria Police to semi-automatic pistols cannot happen overnight. The selection process for the appropriate weapon unfortunately takes time. The creation of an appropriate training curriculum also takes time. Most of this can happen concurrently however, and should be done so, so as to reduce the time taken to equip the frontline of Victoria’s Thin Blue Line with a much more effective OSTT tool.
Keep pushing for the conversion, but use logic, not emotion. Use the system, do not fight it.
Stay safe.
Doug Nicholson
About the Author
Doug Nicholson served for over 9 years with the Northern Territory Police Force, during which time he worked in remote Aboriginal Communities, was a General Duties Shift Supervisor at the busiest Station in the jurisdiction and became a qualified Workplace Assessor and Trainer. He has travelled to the US for advanced training, as well as worked in both Afghanistan and Iraq as a Security contractor, and is now studying for a degree in Security, Terrorism, and Counter-Terrorism. He is the editor for Response Australia eMagazine, an online publication for Policing in Australia.
Doug can be contacted at editor@responseaustralia.net
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