Advertisement
Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/.
If we do not hit our goal we will be forced to close the site.

Current status: https://keepboardsalive.com/

Annual subs are best for most impact. If you are still undecided on going Ad Free - you can also donate using the Paypal Donate option. All contribution helps. Thank you.
https://www.boards.ie/group/1878-subscribers-forum

Private Group for paid up members of Boards.ie. Join the club.
Hi all, please see this major site announcement: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058427594/boards-ie-2026

AGSI wants Uzi submachine guns reissued

13

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,818 ✭✭✭donvito99


    On that point, a legitimate question.

    Who's to decide (Government and Garda management obviously, but...) will it be Gardaí themselves who will push this, or the public?

    What does the force as a whole think?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 910 ✭✭✭stop


    Anyone know what unit this is from the Poolbeg exercise today? Ain't seen the shoulder crest before..
    What type of rifle are these guys using?

    frvw8Xe.png
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjPGPjHPYbw#!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭Remmy


    ^^ It is an ar-15 variant of some sort. Not sure on the unit pictured above


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,487 ✭✭✭✭Witcher


    According to the video title it's the Emergency Response Unit. The lead man appears to have a HK416 but it another section they also have AR15's.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,082 ✭✭✭bravestar


    stop wrote: »
    Anyone know what unit this is from the Poolbeg exercise today? Ain't seen the shoulder crest before..
    What type of rifle are these guys using?

    frvw8Xe.png
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjPGPjHPYbw#!

    PSNI, specialist firearms officer (SFO)


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,487 ✭✭✭✭Witcher


    The video description on YT contains the following;
    By land, sea or air - we're ready to deal with a major terrorist attack.

    That's the message from Gardai as members of the Emergency Response Unit showcase their counter-terrorism capabilities.

    It's part of a Europe-wide exercise involving law enforcement officers in nine different countries.

    Seems the ERU are hosting units from several nations so the pictured guy appears to be from the PSNI as Bravestar said.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,333 ✭✭✭Zambia


    I assume the Public was very concerned that someone might capture by force of arms the abandoned ESB Station at Poolberg Towers, they can rest easy now.

    Every time this gets discussed here a response seems to be that there is not enough incidents where firearmed offenders encounter Garda to justify members being armed.

    The police in general are always meant to operate from a position of strength in all dealings with offenders.

    Every situation must be gauged on its own merit but in general.
    • Police should not be boxing on with people toe to toe. If there is one offender there should be 2 police.
    • If the offender is using fists they should expect to be sprayed or tasered etc
    • If the offender has a knife or heavy club, Trolley bar etc anything that could potentially kill or seriously injure the officer or innocent party well then they should expect to see the wrong end of a firearm.

    The police are expected to be fair but they are not expected to engage in fair fights, they are expected to use reasonable force to arrest and detain people for presentation to the courts. If one decides to act like a pork chop during the process one should expect the level of force they encounter to escalate.

    I have the greatest respect for the Garda performing their role unarmed and have always maintained that its their decision if this is to change. I would expect the public to respect their right to decide for themselves if the need was there for them to become an armed force.


  • Posts: 3,251 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Zambia, not sure about being glib about the ERU training, and, while your Rules of Engagement suggestions are that, suggestions, I think going into minutiae of ROE of actual guard tactics could be a breach of charter re operational info.

    Superseding all that though......
    Zambia wrote: »
    I have the greatest respect for the Garda performing their role unarmed and have always maintained that its their decision if this is to change.

    Fully agree. Whatever about our bellyaching for or against an armed police force, it's them that know if/when/where firearms are warranted.

    Going back to what started this thread in the 1st place, guards should have some sort of SMG to replace the Uzi. P90's been suggested, as has HK 5 & 7 IIRC. Anything else?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,442 ✭✭✭Sulla Felix


    Bit of a leftfield suggestion, but why not kit them out with carbine or sub carbine barreled Steyr AUGs? The sub carbine is a pretty compact piece of kit, only 3-4 inches longer than a P90 so not exactly unwieldly.
    Have the army train em up.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,195 ✭✭✭goldie fish


    Bit of a leftfield suggestion, but why not kit them out with carbine or sub carbine barreled Steyr AUGs? The sub carbine is a pretty compact piece of kit, only 3-4 inches longer than a P90 so not exactly unwieldly.
    Have the army train em up.


    Why?

    Apart from wanting to demonstrate your gun fetish.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,442 ✭✭✭Sulla Felix


    Why?

    Apart from wanting to demonstrate your gun fetish.
    Don't have a gun fetish. I just figure as a cost saving excercise, the arms are probably available cheaper given we'd already have periodical contracts running for replacements for the armed forces anyway, and training officers from there could train up the garda training officers.
    Certainly makes more sense than buying a bunch of P90s as others have suggested, but oddly they didn't get personal insinuations made about them. Hmm.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,195 ✭✭✭goldie fish


    Ok, I'll put it another way to mask your obvious sensitivities.
    Why get rid of the H&K 33 to replace it with another weapon of the same generation that offers absolutely no advantage other than minor ergonomics?

    How often do you think AGS, in particular the ERU buys new weapons?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,442 ✭✭✭Sulla Felix


    Ok, I'll put it another way to mask your obvious sensitivities.
    Why get rid of the H&K 33 to replace it with another weapon of the same generation that offers absolutely no advantage other than minor ergonomics?

    How often do you think AGS, in particular the ERU buys new weapons?
    Not to replace the 33, as an alternative suggestion to the p90 suggestion which was mooted instead of the uzi. If the Uzi isn't fit for purpose, which someone did say, and a replacement is needed, the p90 is expensive, the Steyr might be less so.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,358 ✭✭✭source


    Ok, I'll put it another way to mask your obvious sensitivities.
    Why get rid of the H&K 33 to replace it with another weapon of the same generation that offers absolutely no advantage other than minor ergonomics?

    How often do you think AGS, in particular the ERU buys new weapons?

    I think the AUG is being suggested as a replacement for the UZI, which isn't all that bad an idea given that Steyr do a 9mm version for the law enforcement and civilian market.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,195 ✭✭✭goldie fish


    Not to replace the 33, as an alternative suggestion to the p90 suggestion which was mooted instead of the uzi. If the Uzi isn't fit for purpose, which someone did say, and a replacement is needed, the p90 is expensive, the Steyr might be less so.


    The UZI is fit for purpose, but the department decided it was too expensive to keep everyone qualified on it. The P90 suggestion was pretty much derided, you'll find.

    You cannot replace a pistol ammo weapon with a rifle ammo one. There is a reason the interim cartridge is used.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,333 ✭✭✭Zambia


    Couldn't they just buy more MP7s ?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,358 ✭✭✭source


    The UZI is fit for purpose, but the department decided it was too expensive to keep everyone qualified on it. The P90 suggestion was pretty much derided, you'll find.

    You cannot replace a pistol ammo weapon with a rifle ammo one. There is a reason the interim cartridge is used.

    As I already said, Steyr make a version of the AUG that takes 9x19mm parabellum ammunition, the same as the sig and the Uzi.

    I agree arming DDU with a 5.56mm assault rifle would be a bit much. But when a 9mm version exists and there are already instructors trained in the use of the weapon in the employ of the state it makes sense.

    I'm not suggesting for a second it will ever happen, but as an alternative it's certainly a viable one.


  • Subscribers Posts: 4,077 ✭✭✭IRLConor


    Zambia wrote: »
    Couldn't they just buy more MP7s ?

    If they don't have enough money to maintain use of the Uzi then they almost certainly don't have money for new guns.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37,308 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    there's a sizeable chunk of the population that think arming every single guard is a bad idea.
    I'd say there's a sizeable chunk of the population that think every single guard is a waste of money. Until they're needed. And then they'll curse the Gardai for not coming fast enough, rather than curse the TD for closing their local station.
    source wrote: »
    I think the AUG is being suggested as a replacement for the UZI, which isn't all that bad an idea given that Steyr do a 9mm version for the law enforcement and civilian market.
    Was going to say the MP9 or UMP, but the AUG Para looks like it'd be fairly good. Not sure why, but I think the rifle variations should be left with the army and the ERU, and the SMG for the detectives.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭Remmy


    *Major Walt alert. For a real look at what a near limitless budget looks like for a police firearms team have a look at this thread about German SEK.

    http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?84884-The-SEK-Thread


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,207 ✭✭✭EazyD


    Although the UZI would be vastly cheaper on unit cost, it is very old technology for the purpose. NATO recently evaluated the 5.7 round found in the P90 against its current munition choices of 4.6(MP7) and 9mm rounds and found it to be a vastly superior round


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,195 ✭✭✭goldie fish


    EazyD wrote: »
    Although the UZI would be vastly cheaper on unit cost, it is very old technology for the purpose. NATO recently evaluated the 5.7 round found in the P90 against its current munition choices of 4.6(MP7) and 9mm rounds and found it to be a vastly superior round

    That's nice. Now, tell me what exactly do NATO know about policing, in particular armed policing?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 469 ✭✭666irishguy


    That's nice. Now, tell me what exactly do NATO know about policing, in particular armed policing?

    They may not know much about armed policing, bit they know a lot about accuracy. The 9mm round that comes out of the business end of the UZI is pretty inaccurate at any above 50 feet. That's fine if you are indoors but if the situation arises where you are out in the open and have only an UZI, then you are going to be spraying a lot of lead at your target to hit it and run the risk of stray rounds going god knows where. It's that or getting close enough for accuracy which puts you in danger. The newer caliber rounds have better ballistic performance at greater ranges. With criminals becoming better armed with longer range weapons, the 9mm just won't cut it. That said, I don't know why we couldn't just issue them them something like an AK-74 with a short barrel and a folding stock. You'd probably buy five of them for the price of one MP-7 or P90.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,487 ✭✭✭✭Witcher


    They may not know much about armed policing, bit they know a lot about accuracy. The 9mm round that comes out of the business end of the UZI is pretty inaccurate at any above 50 feet. That's fine if you are indoors but if the situation arises where you are out in the open and have only an UZI, then you are going to be spraying a lot of lead at your target to hit it and run the risk of stray rounds going god knows where. It's that or getting close enough for accuracy which puts you in danger. The newer caliber rounds have better ballistic performance at greater ranges. With criminals becoming better armed with longer range weapons, the 9mm just won't cut it. That said, I don't know why we couldn't just issue them them something like an AK-74 with a short barrel and a folding stock. You'd probably buy five of them for the price of one MP-7 or P90.

    A 9mm is inaccurate at 50+ feet? You must be joking?:pac:

    Go and look at some videos of HICKOK45 on YT, the guy rings a gong at 80 yards everytime he has a 9mm out for a video. He even uses an UZI in one video and is hitting the same gong. If anyone has a problem hitting a target at more than 50 feet with a 9mm they're just sh1t plain and simple, neither the round nor the gun is the problem.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,082 ✭✭✭bravestar


    They may not know much about armed policing, bit they know a lot about accuracy. The 9mm round that comes out of the business end of the UZI is pretty inaccurate at any above 50 feet. That's fine if you are indoors but if the situation arises where you are out in the open and have only an UZI, then you are going to be spraying a lot of lead at your target to hit it and run the risk of stray rounds going god knows where. It's that or getting close enough for accuracy which puts you in danger. The newer caliber rounds have better ballistic performance at greater ranges. With criminals becoming better armed with longer range weapons, the 9mm just won't cut it. That said, I don't know why we couldn't just issue them them something like an AK-74 with a short barrel and a folding stock. You'd probably buy five of them for the price of one MP-7 or P90.

    9mm not accurate at 50 feet??? Your having a laugh right! :D

    Seriously, now, whens the last time you fired a 9mm round from any firearm at a target 50 feet away? If you have and you missed, well, go take up knitting.

    75 feet/ 23 meters is perfectly do able for a 9mm pistol! never mind a SMG or something with a longer sight radius.

    Are you getting all your info from TV shows and the internet or real life experience?

    I agree that the 5.7/4.6mm ammo has better ballistic performance than a 9mm but for a pistol that would mean replacing the sig with an FN Five seven.

    Buy AK 47/74s? Are you aware the vast majority of police discharges of firearms happen at VERY close range, as in, a few yards? A 7.62x39 round is almost 100% guaranteed to over penetrate. Absolutely unsuitable cartridge for 99.999999% of Police purposes .


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 469 ✭✭666irishguy


    Blay wrote: »
    A 9mm is inaccurate at 50+ feet? You must be joking?:pac:

    Go and look at some videos of HICKOK45 on YT, the guy rings a gong at 80 yards everytime he has a 9mm out for a video. He even uses an UZI in one video and is hitting the same gong. If anyone has a problem hitting a target at more than 50 feet with a 9mm they're just sh1t plain and simple, neither the round nor the gun is the problem.

    Should have said yards :o:D. Nothing remarkable in those videos. The guy in that video has years of experience handling weapons, would more than likely be an expert shooter who has shot competitively and he is shooting in the controlled environment of a range. I watched him doing a bit of shooting with the UZI and even he is having to fire two rounds to take out some of those targets. The Stopping power of the UZI is also questionable.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 40,291 ✭✭✭✭Gatling


    They may not know much about armed policing, bit they know a lot about accuracy. The 9mm round that comes out of the business end of the UZI is pretty inaccurate at any above 50 feet. That's fine if you are indoors but if the situation arises where you are out in the open and have only an UZI, then you are going to be spraying a lot of lead at your target to hit it and run the risk of stray rounds going god knows where. It's that or getting close enough for accuracy which puts you in danger. The newer caliber rounds have better ballistic performance at greater ranges. With criminals becoming better armed with longer range weapons, the 9mm just won't cut it. That said, I don't know why we couldn't just issue them them something like an AK-74 with a short barrel and a folding stock. You'd probably buy five of them for the price of one MP-7 or P90.

    Still rather a P90 or mp7 or ump 45
    Over and Ak variant


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 469 ✭✭666irishguy


    bravestar wrote: »
    9mm not accurate at 50 feet??? Your having a laugh right! :D

    Seriously, now, whens the last time you fired a 9mm round from any firearm at a target 50 feet away? If you have and you missed, well, go take up knitting.

    75 feet/ 23 meters is perfectly do able for a 9mm pistol! never mind a SMG or something with a longer sight radius.

    Are you getting all your info from TV shows and the internet or real life experience?

    I agree that the 5.7/4.6mm ammo has better ballistic performance than a 9mm but for a pistol that would mean replacing the sig with an FN Five seven.

    Buy AK 47/74s? Are you aware the vast majority of police discharges of firearms happen at VERY close range, as in, a few yards? A 7.62x39 round is almost 100% guaranteed to over penetrate. Absolutely unsuitable cartridge for 99.999999% of Police purposes .

    AS for the AK-74, well if it's cheap they want and guns they want...Doesn't have to be an AK-74, I'm sure there are dozens of weapons in a wide variety of calibers that could be bought in places like Russia or the Czech Republic or even the former Yugoslavian countries. At the end of the day they just need something that will be deadly if it needs to be.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 469 ✭✭666irishguy


    Gatling wrote: »
    Still rather a P90 or mp7 or ump 45
    Over and Ak variant

    Fair enough but if it's a matter of cost which seems to be the case, I'd rather anything at all over nothing at all.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,195 ✭✭✭goldie fish


    Jaysus, all the Call of Duty gun nuts have arrived.

    Has anyone of you had to fire a shot on duty? Better yet, been shot at on duty?


Advertisement