Off Topic Chat. (MOD NOTE post# 3949 and post#5279)

Grizzly 45

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122420922#Comment_122420922

Realistically, you'd have to be stark raving mad IMHO to want this job. You, your entire family and past, present and future become public property for everyone to poke and prod and wipe their noses on and pry open the family closest with the skeletons in them.Every utterance you make will be jumped on by whatever offended lobby has an axe to grind with your policies as a sign of your bias against them. Privacy and family life, out the door…From the moment you declare you are running and are endorsed, there will be an army of crop-headed, unsmiling armed and suited men and women on you and your immediate fam 24/7/365,who WILL have a say on where, when and how you will go about your life

The pay is utterly appaling too for the responsibility of running the world's only hyperpower and having the responsibility too if it ever comes to it of launching Armageddon on humanity. 400k per annum and 230 K PA pension. That chump change to some people who work Wall St or are high-powered lawyers, some who would make excellent presidents, but have more sense not to be such.

Politics aside, things start to go downhill once you are past 80

The average age of the 118th [current]US Congress is 58 and senators is 64 years respectively.

33% of the Senate is past normal retirement age for the rest of the US workforce[about 66] between 60 and 69,30% are between 70-79 and 5% are over 80!

The "elder Statesman" in all honour, but seriously I can see why age term limits in Congress and the Senate are becoming a discussion thing in the US these days.

Feisar

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/two-water-cannon-trucks-arrive-at-garda-headquarters-ahead-of-another-planned-protest-in-coolock/a46369379.html

Regardless of whatever side of the discussion one may be on I think British watercannons looks bad.

JP22

Was watching the rioting on BBC news & Sky news over past few days.

Something was bugging me, finally figured it out.

Over here RTE blurs out the faces of rioters in their news coverage, in the UK neither the BBC or Sky blurred out anyone's face.

It makes one wonder, .......

Cass

This reminds me of the "consultation" process held here by the Minister on the firearms consultative panel. Everything done behind closed doors and the desired goal reached regardless of input.

Manic Moran

Have arrived in Finland for the Brutality match (a 2-gun which involves more running around than i want to do). Have encountered Poles, Slovenian, Swiss and Americans thus far, all of whom have either flown with, or in the US case, pre-shipped their firearms.

I am not expecting to do well, I'm pushing 50, this is my first 2-gun, and I'm configured as a tanker, not a competition shooter or even an infantryman. Oh well. Good contacts too be made here though

Grizzly 45

Go gettim Manic!! Do keep us informed on how this goes for you. I'm 58 and am considering giving this a try as well next year too, finance depending with arthritic creaks and sore joints and all. Hey, if you come in last so what? You got to be the first Irish/US[?] guy there, which is an achievement in itself.

kowloon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122530979#Comment_122530979

Was it much hassle getting the guns into Finland?

Manic Moran

No. Most of the Americans went with a professional US firearms importer/exporter who is also participating. US import/ export laws are annoying. The Europeans just flew with them as checked baggage, so I'm assuming no great hassle

Manic Moran

Some Day 1 photos. I have identified some rookie mistakes I can rectify for Day 2. There will be a full youtube video eventually. The last time I shot a scored competition was Olympic Air Rifle, and this is about as far as it can get.

Short version: Compared to the others here, I suck horribly. Also Army shooting and competition shooting are entirely different.

Manic Moran

Day 2. Actually passed one stage (Double Spinner)

My goal was to not be in the bottom 25%. I failed.

I’ll post my video here when it’s up.

josip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122548569#Comment_122548569

Were you among the oldest there?

Grizzly 45

I see you had a very famous Youtuber watching you in pic 2

Manic Moran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122549887#Comment_122549887

Yeah, I was part of the "Celebrity Squad". (The competition is run as a round robin with ten man squads moving as a group from stage to stage). My colleagues were Polenar Tactical, Ian (Forgotten Weapons), Paigeosity, Landosaurus, Kit Badger, Print Shoot Repeat, Jari (Varusteleka) and Firepower United. All of whom absolutely kicked my ass at shooting, even before the physical bit.

I found two folks older than me, and one the same, but Kit Badger is only three years younger and an absolute machine

otmmyboy2

A sad day, long time guntuber Paul Harrell has passed away.

https://youtu.be/M-gZuFcEu0E

Manic Moran

OK, part 1.

https://youtu.be/g8OiF8zSZvM

dublincc2

Not sure if this is the right forum but the most knowledge about firearms is likely to be found here.

In a hypothetical future scenario that all Gardaí are routinely armed, what would be the most likely sidearm?

I made a FOI request to AGS on this issue, the current firearms they use are:

Sig Sauer P226 DAO

SIG Sauer P226 DA/SA

Walther P99c DAO

Heckler & Koch MP7A1 (ASU/ERU)

Heckler & Koch HK416 (ERU)

All of the above are perfectly good firearms, but the P99 is being discontinued by Walther and the P226 is a quite expensive and bulky firearm, I have fired one before many years ago and it is a very smooth firearms but takes getting used to. The P226 is also a very old platform now.

Is it more likely that if AGS was to be routinely armed they would switch to the Glock 17 like the PSNI?

Grizzly 45

By the time THAT scenario happens, we will be using phased plasma rifles in the 40watt range or rail guns and those guns will be curios and relics like an RIC Bulldog revolver.

freddieot

The Glocks have no external safety, which, as i understand it, is the primary reason the state did not choose them previously.

Apparently, Ireland is better versed in such matters than the multiple agencies around the world that trust Glock.

suvigirl

If it.ever happened(it won't) why would they change from what they currently use? Everything is in place for those firearms, training etc. Wouldnt make any sense to change.

Grizzly 45

I made a FOI request to AGS on this issue, the current firearms they use are:

No Benelli M3 shotguns on this FOIA request…Interesting.

The Glocks have no external safety, which, as I understand it, is the primary reason the state did not choose them previously.

Apparently, Ireland is better versed in such matters than the multiple agencies around the world that trust Glock.

Yeh, it's strange that they are called Glock SAFE ACTION Pistols and have eight different safety features, that are all negated by maybe not training, or NOT being able to train people to keep their booger hooks off the pew switch until they want it to go Pew!😒

dublincc2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122612867#Comment_122612867

I take it you’ve never held a Glock - the safety is on the trigger. Hands down one of the safest handguns available.

I believe the DAO P226 that AGS use doesn’t have an external safety, being a double action only. At least I wasn’t shown it when I was given one, just the slide release etc.

freddieot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122613906#Comment_122613906

You take it incorrectly. I've put thousands of rounds through various Glocks, G17, G22, G19 and more.

The safety you mention is part of their SAP system, not actually considered an external safety.

Not sure you know much about Sig either

freddieot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122613741#Comment_122613741

I thought they only had the M4 Grizz. Did they mention the Walthers on the list ?

dublincc2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122614149#Comment_122614149

They use both the M3 and M4 shotguns, I only quoted the semiautomatic firearms on the FOI.

freddieot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122615059#Comment_122615059

The M4 and the M3 are both pump and semi. Like a lot of answers from the PTB, somewhat inaccurate. To be expected I suppose.

dublincc2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122614144#Comment_122614144

Where am I wrong about the double action only P226?

dublincc2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122615059#Comment_122615059

The Walther P99 has been discontinued so they are not a factor in the future of Garda firearms.

Seems to me the best options are the Glock 17, Sig P226 or something yet to be produced.

freddieot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122615365#Comment_122615365

Where did I say you were wrong ?

freddieot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122612917#Comment_122612917

It would be both a budget and progression decision. They also need to tender and seek submissions if they ever intended to change or renew a major value contract.

My money would be on H&K. The state already has a contract with them for handguns and other firearms with contacts, training and supports already in situ. It would just be an addition or extension of existing cooperation. They are also EU based so there could be some influences there as well (as there could be for other players of course).

Hobby farmer

P226 Dao doesn't have an external safety.