Jenrick
Member
So I've been doing some pondering and wonder what everyone's opinion on the issue.
What is the role of the patrol rifle? (yeah it's broad, that's the point How exactly should it be set up for its intended mission?
The rifle has traditionally been an instrument of precision long ranged fire. The AR platform of late has been co-opted as the primary weapon of close quarters battle (CQB) in both military and LE circles.
With two totally divergent roles, that the department minimally trains me for, what is my AR good for? Liability mitigation for the department?
My personal view of the role the AR plays, is that it provides a range extension to the officers on scene, and a limited anti-armor capacity. The AR as a distance rifle is not the best choice, but it's not a bad one either. It's an easy to shoot, easy to teach weapon, with a very flat trajectory in the ranges LE uses it. The AR provides officers on scene the ability to return fire out to the practical range we can be taken under fire from. Sure a subject with a scoped .308 and the know how can out shoot us, but he can stay even with SWAT too. A crazed subject with their own AR, is still just even with us rather then having the advantage in range and lethality. Also as noted an AR provides a round that has additional penetration ability if the subject is wearing armor over a handgun or a shotgun.
As already mentioned however, the AR has been co-opted into the role of a CQB weapon in LE for a variety of reasons. First is cost, it's far to expensive for a large agency to issues officers both rifles for distance work, and submachine guns for CQB work (the traditional first choice for CQB work). Secondly a 16" AR is fairly handy, and works pretty danged well for CQB work. Lastly, it's what all the cool spec-ops and big city teams us.
A full length shotgun can be made to work in CQB and in LE has been used for such for decades. Most will agree that something more compact and handier works better. Much like the patrol shotgun, a patrol AR however faces some trade offs being used in a CQB environment. Most units, military and civilian, that focus extensively on CQB use NFA length AR's, 14" and shorter for the increased maneuverability. The velocity/effectiveness lost on the round is minimal due to the extremely short engagement ranges. A 16" AR isn't that much heavier or less maneuverable, but it's a compromise between a rifle that can provide precision out to the maximum range most LE situations will occur in (200 yds or so), and the need for a maneuverable indoor rifle.
However the bells and whistles you start to stick on a rifle for CQB work directly interfere with the bells and whistles that go on one for distance shooting, even assuming the same barrel length. CQB requires a light source on the weapon (don't tell me you're going to try and hold your SL-20 and the rifle at the same time), and a good tac sling of some kind in case you need to immediately transition to your sidearm. A red dot/holosight is a very nice addition as well. An adjustable stock, or at least a short stock so it can ride well when you're wearing your vest is also a great option. Conversely a precision rifle is normally going to have either a bipod, or a shooting sling (probably a cuff style) attached to it. A scope of moderate power will be a necessity. Normally a longer stock is used as the shooting will be done from the prone position most of the time. Which set of accessories goes on the rifle?
I'm going to be specific to my department, as a lot of the training and equipment issues we face are going to dictate how we view the rifle and what to do with it, set it up etc.
At my department we aren't allowed to take them inside unless there is exigent circumstance, or you've been to the dynamic entry school (which is not normally open to patrol officers). However if we've got an active shooter I've now got to take my rifle into a building and conduct CQB with it. On top of all of this an officer has to be sent to AR school, which is not held to often. Most shifts only have 1-2 rifle's out of 9-14 officers. The option for those other officers is to grab the fixed stock 870 out of their cars, and go to war with reduced recoil buckshot. Tactically a shotgun with a good red dot/holo sight, pistol grip, correct length stock, and loaded with slugs or full power buck isn't a bad choice. A shotgun with reduced power buck and poorly regulated iron sights (at least there not bead sights), is not a great one.
My AR is a RRA 16” fixed A1 stock, with their 2 stage trigger, and a flat top with a fixed front sight. For CQB work the “ideal” setup for me is my EOTech on a RRA Dominator mount (gives me fixed always deployed BUIS), with a Surefire TLR-1 mounted on the addon under barrel rail, and a 3 point sling. The weapon is handy, quick on target, and the sling provides as much control slung as I can hope for. The “ideal” setup for perimeter work is a 4x ACOG, a Harris bipod on the under barrel rail, and a Quick Cuff sling ready to get snapped together if need be. So basically going from one to the other requires me to completely swap what’s on the gun.
Obviously I can’t just pull my EOTech off and slap my ACOG on and expect to be able to make the hostage shot if need be. The rest of the stuff is swappable without any major issues, but it takes time. The most time sensitive situation will most likely be an active shooter, leaning towards leaving the rifle setup for CQB. However there is the chance that I’ll be called to make the long shot with a minimum of prep time. An magnifier for the EOTech offers an additional option, as I don’t have to worry about needing separate sighting system for CQB and distance work.
So with all that said, what have I come up with? Currently the EOTech sits on the dominator mount. I don’t’ own a magnifier yet, but I’ll be getting one soon on a QD mount. The under barrel rail has the bipod on it, and the sling is the three point. I can shoot the rifle well in close and still deploy it in the field for distance work. I do dislike not having a light on the weapon, and I’m currently looking for a solution that lets me have both the light and the bipod. I’d like to a QD mount for the bipod so I can ditch the extra weight easily if I know I wont need it. The light will stay on the rifle at all times.
So what are your thoughts on the role of the patrol rifle? How you setup one up?
-Jenrick
What is the role of the patrol rifle? (yeah it's broad, that's the point How exactly should it be set up for its intended mission?
The rifle has traditionally been an instrument of precision long ranged fire. The AR platform of late has been co-opted as the primary weapon of close quarters battle (CQB) in both military and LE circles.
With two totally divergent roles, that the department minimally trains me for, what is my AR good for? Liability mitigation for the department?
My personal view of the role the AR plays, is that it provides a range extension to the officers on scene, and a limited anti-armor capacity. The AR as a distance rifle is not the best choice, but it's not a bad one either. It's an easy to shoot, easy to teach weapon, with a very flat trajectory in the ranges LE uses it. The AR provides officers on scene the ability to return fire out to the practical range we can be taken under fire from. Sure a subject with a scoped .308 and the know how can out shoot us, but he can stay even with SWAT too. A crazed subject with their own AR, is still just even with us rather then having the advantage in range and lethality. Also as noted an AR provides a round that has additional penetration ability if the subject is wearing armor over a handgun or a shotgun.
As already mentioned however, the AR has been co-opted into the role of a CQB weapon in LE for a variety of reasons. First is cost, it's far to expensive for a large agency to issues officers both rifles for distance work, and submachine guns for CQB work (the traditional first choice for CQB work). Secondly a 16" AR is fairly handy, and works pretty danged well for CQB work. Lastly, it's what all the cool spec-ops and big city teams us.
A full length shotgun can be made to work in CQB and in LE has been used for such for decades. Most will agree that something more compact and handier works better. Much like the patrol shotgun, a patrol AR however faces some trade offs being used in a CQB environment. Most units, military and civilian, that focus extensively on CQB use NFA length AR's, 14" and shorter for the increased maneuverability. The velocity/effectiveness lost on the round is minimal due to the extremely short engagement ranges. A 16" AR isn't that much heavier or less maneuverable, but it's a compromise between a rifle that can provide precision out to the maximum range most LE situations will occur in (200 yds or so), and the need for a maneuverable indoor rifle.
However the bells and whistles you start to stick on a rifle for CQB work directly interfere with the bells and whistles that go on one for distance shooting, even assuming the same barrel length. CQB requires a light source on the weapon (don't tell me you're going to try and hold your SL-20 and the rifle at the same time), and a good tac sling of some kind in case you need to immediately transition to your sidearm. A red dot/holosight is a very nice addition as well. An adjustable stock, or at least a short stock so it can ride well when you're wearing your vest is also a great option. Conversely a precision rifle is normally going to have either a bipod, or a shooting sling (probably a cuff style) attached to it. A scope of moderate power will be a necessity. Normally a longer stock is used as the shooting will be done from the prone position most of the time. Which set of accessories goes on the rifle?
I'm going to be specific to my department, as a lot of the training and equipment issues we face are going to dictate how we view the rifle and what to do with it, set it up etc.
At my department we aren't allowed to take them inside unless there is exigent circumstance, or you've been to the dynamic entry school (which is not normally open to patrol officers). However if we've got an active shooter I've now got to take my rifle into a building and conduct CQB with it. On top of all of this an officer has to be sent to AR school, which is not held to often. Most shifts only have 1-2 rifle's out of 9-14 officers. The option for those other officers is to grab the fixed stock 870 out of their cars, and go to war with reduced recoil buckshot. Tactically a shotgun with a good red dot/holo sight, pistol grip, correct length stock, and loaded with slugs or full power buck isn't a bad choice. A shotgun with reduced power buck and poorly regulated iron sights (at least there not bead sights), is not a great one.
My AR is a RRA 16” fixed A1 stock, with their 2 stage trigger, and a flat top with a fixed front sight. For CQB work the “ideal” setup for me is my EOTech on a RRA Dominator mount (gives me fixed always deployed BUIS), with a Surefire TLR-1 mounted on the addon under barrel rail, and a 3 point sling. The weapon is handy, quick on target, and the sling provides as much control slung as I can hope for. The “ideal” setup for perimeter work is a 4x ACOG, a Harris bipod on the under barrel rail, and a Quick Cuff sling ready to get snapped together if need be. So basically going from one to the other requires me to completely swap what’s on the gun.
Obviously I can’t just pull my EOTech off and slap my ACOG on and expect to be able to make the hostage shot if need be. The rest of the stuff is swappable without any major issues, but it takes time. The most time sensitive situation will most likely be an active shooter, leaning towards leaving the rifle setup for CQB. However there is the chance that I’ll be called to make the long shot with a minimum of prep time. An magnifier for the EOTech offers an additional option, as I don’t have to worry about needing separate sighting system for CQB and distance work.
So with all that said, what have I come up with? Currently the EOTech sits on the dominator mount. I don’t’ own a magnifier yet, but I’ll be getting one soon on a QD mount. The under barrel rail has the bipod on it, and the sling is the three point. I can shoot the rifle well in close and still deploy it in the field for distance work. I do dislike not having a light on the weapon, and I’m currently looking for a solution that lets me have both the light and the bipod. I’d like to a QD mount for the bipod so I can ditch the extra weight easily if I know I wont need it. The light will stay on the rifle at all times.
So what are your thoughts on the role of the patrol rifle? How you setup one up?
-Jenrick
