New Police Range/Plymouth, MA

[JonJ]

It's only temporary but in this state, in this day and age...
Chief Botieri has only been at the helm for about year yet he's made some sweeping changes that are all for the better.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/plymouth...e-propose-temporary-Camelot-Park-firing-range

Police propose temporary Camelot Park firing range
Officers to be trained with new weapons
By Rich Harbert
GateHouse News Service
Posted Oct 06, 2009 @ 08:09 PM
PLYMOUTH —

The Police Department wants to open a temporary firing range on town-owned land in Camelot Industrial Park.

Chief Michael Botieri said the range would be used to train officers in the use of new duty weapons and would be located behind the town’s wastewater treatment facility. The property is in the extreme end of the industrial park and is bounded by a 40- to 50-foot hill of sand.

The town’s public works department would construct an additional sand berm in front of the hill to absorb the live rounds from the training exercises. Town employees would later sift the sand to remove all traces of lead.

Botieri said he has applied for a zoning approval for the proposal and has already cleared the project with town officials and state Department of Environmental Protection officials. The department will hold a public forum at police headquarters next week to discuss any concerns or issues about the proposal.

The Police Department wants to open the range to train officers in the use of new .45 caliber Smith and Wesson duty weapons recently purchased for the department’s 100 officers.

The .45s replace .40 caliber Smith and Wessons that are 14 years old. Botieri secured capital outlay funds last spring to replace the weapons.

The older weapons had begun jamming on the practice range and some needed costly repairs. The new weapons carry more firepower yet their bullets are less apt to pass through a target and strike an unintended target.

The training would last approximately 12 weeks. It would start in mid October and would take place weekdays during the day and early evening. The department said training would not occur after 8 p.m.

Botieri wants to open the range so officers can be trained in small groups, in lieu of regular weekday work shifts, so the department will not have to pay overtime.

Certified instructors would monitor the training and qualify officers in use of the weapons. Officers normally qualify in use of their weapons at yearly training sessions with the municipal training council at ranges in Hanover and Brockton.

Monday’s forum will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. in the first floor training room of the police headquarters on Long Pond Road.

 

[C-pher]

Good for you guys! I hope that goes forward!!

 

[icyclefar]

Will you be allowed to bring guests?

Perhaps host an NES shoot!

 

[exo]

So what are the guns they are replacing? Do they get sold to the public, sent back to the manufacturer, sold to the officers, destroyed? Are they even worth getting excited about?

 

[JonJ]

Will you be allowed to bring guests?

Perhaps host an NES shoot!

Sorry, no. This range is only temporary.

When they built the new station, a major selling point to the citizens was that it was to include a "state of the art" indoor range. Once funds were approved for the station they cut the indoor range out.

So what are the guns they are replacing? Do they get sold to the public, sent back to the manufacturer, sold to the officers, destroyed? Are they even worth getting excited about?

The current pistol is the S&W 4043 and they are being traded in. The new pistol is the S&W M&P45.
I imagine that the trade ins will hit the market here in this state.

 

[terraformer]

The town’s public works department would construct an additional sand berm in front of the hill to absorb the live rounds from the training exercises. Town employees would later sift the sand to remove all traces of lead.

Sifting the sand will not "remove all traces of lead" if rounds hit each other or other hard objects in the sand they will pulverize. I don't see how this saves the town any money. It would be far cheaper to go to a local club and not take the risk associated with lead in that sand which is then redistributed. Once redistributed, all sorts of arduous enviro rules come into play that can be avoided if the lead stays inside a shooting range.

JonJ, he may be making good decisions elsewhere, but this isn't one of them from the perspective of the town.

 

[JRyan]

Sounds like a fine idea to me. Do you guys ever train at PR&G?

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Sifting the sand will not "remove all traces of lead" if rounds hit each other or other hard objects in the sand they will pulverize. I don't see how this saves the town any money. It would be far cheaper to go to a local club and not take the risk associated with lead in that sand which is then redistributed. Once redistributed, all sorts of arduous enviro rules come into play that can be avoided if the lead stays inside a shooting range.

JonJ, he may be making good decisions elsewhere, but this isn't one of them from the perspective of the town.

I agree, the whole thing is a solution looking for a problem.

If they think that the lead is such a non issue, why does the state bust the balls of ranges everywhere?

That sand will likely end up being mixed with salt and spread on the streets this winter or next. Great plan Plymouth!!!

 

[GLOCK.Perfection]

wow you guys got the 45's? sweeeet.

 

[JonJ]

Sounds like a fine idea to me. Do you guys ever train at PR&G?

No. Years ago the MCJTC used it for in-service quals but it was short lived after a round went over a berm and hit a trailer some distance away. It was never determined if it happened during the quals or when a member was using the range.

wow you guys got the 45's? sweeeet.

Ya, they are.

 

[T3andme]

Cool! Good for you guys

 

[exo]

So do the new 45's they're getting come with MA triggers?

 

[Len-2A Training]

So do the new 45's they're getting come with MA triggers?

The stock triggers are bad enough (OOB) without the Mass triggers!!

No PDs and LEOs can (and do) get Free America triggers.

 

[terraformer]

PDs and LEOs can (and do) get Free America triggers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0bf31SULqs

 

[mac1911]

Kingston Ma wants this also. I do believe Hanson Ma has its own little range. Well I can hear them sundays when shooting trap @ HRGC.
The 4000 series guns IMHO are better than the M&P. my 4013tsw is about the same age
eats everything includeing semi wad cutters. I have not seen any full wad cutters to try

I did not know Plymouth town workers where qualified for lead removal.

Curious to see what happens when a round goes off range?
I would love to get my hands on some of those old guns, really how many rounds do you think they have seen. Not the best guns for long target sessions.
As stated sifting for the lead is going to be a PITA, I used to do this s a kid to get lead to make slugs for shotgun. Aint much left of them boolits, you would have to get a fairly fine mesh.

OK so do they buy directly from S&W? I see these guns used for about 400+
do they pay Retail or get a discount.

good luck guys, aim small

also wonder why these are not covered under S&W warrenty? they have a fast turn around for LEO/PDs good back to 1989 i believe

 

[JRyan]

No. Years ago the MCJTC used it for in-service quals but it was short lived after a round went over a berm and hit a trailer some distance away. It was never determined if it happened during the quals or when a member was using the range.


Ya, they are.

I heard about that during orientation. There was no blame placed at all, but it was stressed very heavily that it happened and almost permanently closed the rifle range and told to us as a means of explanation as to why the range is at an angle.