Jeanne Assam: A Beretta girl
Dec 12, 6:17 PM EST
Colorado Springs may allow guards to carry semiautomatics
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) -- A proposal allowing security guards to carry semiautomatic weapons in Colorado Springs is getting increased attention after a volunteer church guard shot a gunman during a fatal shooting rampage.
The current ordinance limits security guards to revolvers. The City Council is expected to consider an ordinance next month that would be expanded to include semiautomatics.
Some semiautomatic handguns are capable of carrying more cartridges than revolvers, and some people find semiautomatics easier to reload.
The proposal has been in the works for months but gained new relevance after a member of New Life Church's volunteer security detail shot and wounded a gunman on Sunday. The gunman, Matthew Murray, 24, of Englewood, then shot and killed himself.
Murray had killed two people at New Life, 12 hours after he killed two others at Youth With a Mission, a missionary school in the Denver suburb of Arvada.
The security guard, Jeanne Assam, shot Murray with a Beretta 9mm semiautomatic handgun, authorities said. Assam was licensed to carry a gun, but it wasn't immediately known whether she was exempt from the restriction on semiautomatics. Colorado Springs police did not immediately return a call Wednesday.
Michael Briggs, president of Konquest Security in Colorado Springs, said the New Life shootings argue for allowing security guards to be more heavily armed.
"Here's a guy who went into a church with enough ammo to kill half the people in it," Briggs said. "If they continue to knock us down to carrying nothing but a six-shooter," a guard's ability to diffuse dangerous situations is diminished."
c 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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quote:"Here's a guy who went into a church with enough ammo to kill half the people in it," Briggs said. "If they continue to knock us down to carrying nothing but a six-shooter," a guard's ability to diffuse dangerous situations is diminished."
They get to carry a revolver, there is nothing that says it has to be a 6 shot revolver. It amazes me at the shop, a guy will come in and see someone looking at a S&W TRR-8 and say something like, "not for me, I like to have more firepower", then he'll start looking at a single stack 1911, Hello? they both carry 8 rounds....0 -
With a speed loader I can load a revolver as quickly as a semi auto. Even without one, it takes me maybe 6, 7 seconds to reload.
A semi auto is no more or less deadly than a revolver.
Let them carry whatever they are comfortable with.0 -
quote:Originally posted by jonk
With a speed loader I can load a revolver as quickly as a semi auto. Even without one, it takes me maybe 6, 7 seconds to reload.
A semi auto is no more or less deadly than a revolver.
Let them carry whatever they are comfortable with.
you obviously never been on a timer, and before someone pulls up the Jerry Miculek video he is the exception, i can reload in .60 seconds with a semi, and 1.2 with a speedloaders0 -
You'd think actually hitting the bad guy would be more important than how fast you can reload. You could have a full Beta-C mag for an AR-15 and it wouldn't matter for squat if you DON'T hit.
Use what you can hit with - if your priority is reloading, you're doing too much spraying and too much praying.0 -
What absolute nonsense! Why limit security guards to revolvers? Does a CCW override this, or are private citizens in Colorado Springs better armed than security guards? I believe Assam was acting in the role of a congegation member who volunteered for security work, rather than a security guard. 0 -
EMM, you da man.
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quote:Originally posted by ElMuertoMonkey
You'd think actually hitting the bad guy would be more important than how fast you can reload. You could have a full Beta-C mag for an AR-15 and it wouldn't matter for squat if you DON'T hit.
Use what you can hit with - if your priority is reloading, you're doing too much spraying and too much praying.
Yeah but 100 rounds coming your way would pretty much scare anyone to death[:D]. Can you get sued for scaring someone to death?0 -
any of you ever hear of "cover fire", revolver won't help much with that, and i hit what i aim for whether it is moving or distance 0 -
As most of these lunatic mall shooters won't be operating at platoon strength, it's safe to say that you will not need to keep his head down while your squad mates flank him and catch him in a cross fire.
And in a crowded public situation, do you really want to engage in cover fire? Every bullet you shoot that does not hit the bad guy is a probable lawsuit.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Mk 19
quote:"Here's a guy who went into a church with enough ammo to kill half the people in it," Briggs said. "If they continue to knock us down to carrying nothing but a six-shooter," a guard's ability to diffuse dangerous situations is diminished."
They get to carry a revolver, there is nothing that says it has to be a 6 shot revolver. It amazes me at the shop, a guy will come in and see someone looking at a S&W TRR-8 and say something like, "not for me, I like to have more firepower", then he'll start looking at a single stack 1911, Hello? they both carry 8 rounds....
I'll take the TRR8, thanks for the giveaway...
Seriously, though, as I haven't shot the trr8 I wouldn't know the accuracy of it, but I'd guess it's pretty good. I'll take a 627 or my GP100 (that I have sighted in for milk jugs at 80 yds) and you (in a general sense, not Mk19) take the 1911. Let's pace off 75 yds and see who's dead first. Or if you prefer, who is on target. And my friends wonder why .357 is my favorite caliber.0
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