Um, .223Sniper, I'm pretty sure that Rob has access to AR's if he wants them. What the man wants is a handy, low-profile,
high-powered semi-auto rifle. While AR's can be terrifically accurate and very sturdy, they're not .30-'06's. Also, a personal rifle pressed into police use invites it to be somewhat abused (note trunk-wear), and an AR at least doubles the price of a 7400. Extended rapid fire is unlikely. Short-term rapid-fire, however, is possible in police work.
I'm VERY much in favor of HP rifles in every patrol car, and training given to every officer on how to use it. That foolishness in LA a couple of years ago would have easily been stopped by ONE man with a '94 .30-30, had he taken his time and minded his trigger squeeze. All the better had it been a rifle like Rob's new one, that seems to exemplify his need to
qualify rather than
quantify, in life!
Rob--
are you and I the ONLY ones who aren't crazy about gun-mounted flashes? I guess they're okay if you have a second flash as well, but then we're getting unnecessarily bulky. I've seen more 870's set up with that super-bright halogen on the fore-end and thought, "but now your hands are completely full of weapon, all the time!" With the pressure-sensitive switch, one has to turn out the light to open the door!
I don't dispute going to a shorter barrel length (heck, my gunsmith will cut and recrown for under $30!), but I'd stick with 18", in a tiny effort to get that blast a
little further from my face. It's... um, LOUD! You'll be surprised at the good you'll get by losing 4"... (What am I doing talking measurements to a man who doesn't go by measure, but rather "by feel?"
)...and you can always hack off the last 2", should you really want to. It's easy to take some off, but it's hell getting those inches back on...!
L.P.