The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

WITH ARMED crime a growing reality in London, Steve Pope visited the Met's high-tech facility in Kent to see the training that specialist firearms officers undertake

Full story....

I knew several of PT19 (as it was then known) personnel and like and trusted MOST of them. Some, however, I would not trust with any firearm.
It must be the same in any job, that one or two bad pennies spoil the reputation of the majority.

Good positive article I thought.

It sounds like they have a fantastic facility, and no doubts, it's exactly what they need. However, I'm going to bitch about the Mets about a story I heard from the horses mouth. Well actually, the "injured party"......

The Mets used to train at Stone Lodge ranges in Dartford. It used to be a cracking range complex with 10 ranges in total. 25 and 50 meter pistol ranges with 10 firing points per range. A 50 meter practical pistol range and a practical pistol/shotgun range of 75 meters and a 270 degree arc of fire. It was run by Dartford Borough Council for 30 years, then they leased it out and a bloke, lets call him "Jon", well, it was his name, took the lease. He ended up with close to 4000 members and open 7 days a week....

Anyway, handgun ban (Ba$tards!) came along and to add insult to injury, the council pulled Jon's lease. It's alright, he had a plan. A disued military range hasd come up forsale and he was finalising it all. The Met wondered where they would then train and perhaps have to do everything at Ash ranges near Pirbright. No worries said Jon, this is what I have planned........

Three weeks later Jon's plan fell through. The new owner of Milton ranges was the Metropolitain Police!!! They stepped in and offered more money. A lot more money......

Don't get me wrong, I'm pleased the boys and girls from the smoke have what they need in a facility to help keep them up to speed to perform the role, but it was dshonourable AND more to the point, I have travel to Bisley on the South bleeding M25 to shoot during the week.......!!

My bitch is purely selfish!

Not selfish at all Sim.
I too used both facilities Stone lodge was a fantastic set up especially being able to use it in the evenings and in all weathers, and Milton Sunday morning shoots were out of this world. A sad loss to our sport on top of the kick in the balls we had from the pistol ban.

I was not aware that Milton had been a civilian range before it was taken over.

It was my understanding that it was part of the Maritime Seaman's training establishment, which still maintains a smaller premises next door.

The Met do not own the Establishment it is privately owned and ran. The Met are the primary users and in deed it has the name of a Met Pol training centre but they have to pay to use all the facilities and have to book the ranges and training areas.
I wonder how the previous owners managed to shoot at weekends, it is my understanding that due to the footpaths and public access, that run past the out door ranges that no shooting can take place at weekends.

It is a good facility but I doubt that it is world leader. In my opinion most of the people who come out with such comments have never been to another range in the UK never mind several throughout the world to be in a position to make such a claim.

Most people hate going to the site due to the grim location, it truly is Grave,

DM

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=51.441 ... &t=h&hl=en

Dangermouse wrote:Most people hate going to the site due to the grim location, it truly is Grave,

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Well, in that case, give it back!!

Apparently, even though one shot can be deadly, there really is something known as ‘excessive force,’ even when you are trained to kill. Yes, there is ‘dead’ and ‘too dead’ when it comes to the law.

Semantics eh - used to be stop the theat. So, professional interest, how ARE these guys trained to kill then - anyone?. Not having a laugh, wondering what sort of techniques the police use to train officers to over-ride the inbuilt " thou shalt not kill" switch....is it same as military training (no remorse, hesitation or feeling etc).

is it same as military training (no remorse, hesitation or feeling etc).

That was never a active part in my training. It was always "aim for centre of the seen mass." If the target continues to fire back then continue shoot until he stops and then move to the next one.

The act of firing, fire and movement etc came from constant training - you shot at a target due to drills, fire control orders, and RoE's. You were always too busy to think about who or what your target was.

If that's "no remorse, hesitation or feeling" then so be it.

Chuck wrote:is it same as military training (no remorse, hesitation or feeling etc).

I read recently that in the US, army psychologists questioned veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan and a huge proportion admitted that when engaging with the enemy, they purposely aimed off so as not to kill........