[Endorphin Rush]

I'll start by revealing that our team has 3 M4A1's with the auto-fire selector, the rest are just M4's with three round burst capability. Those weapons issued with the auto-fire selector are assigned to the numbers one-thru-three men on our entry team. As a note, these weapons were obtained via a grant and were not specifically sought out for their auto-fire capability.

The need for auto-fire is practically non-existant. Very little can be accomplished with auto-fire that can't be better accomplished with well-aimed, effeciently-applied doses of single fire. As a matter of fact, we have moved away from training "double taps" or "hammers" and have heavily trained towards "controlled pairs" or controlled multiples of any number combination. Each trigger press required a sight picture, in other words. One trigger press = one critical mass impact.


With that said, auto-fire is not necessarily spray and pray fire. Within very strict parameters, auto-fire can be accurately applied. For example, within 10 meters range, and from a stationary position, I can consistently place a 28 round magazine on an 8 1/2 x 12 inch piece of paper. I can visualize my aimpoint's red dot on the paper the entire time. But, before anyone is confused by that statement and feels the need to ask...I/we have no plan for employing auto-fire in ANY actual call-out. Refer to the above paragraph for my/our philosophy.

As for the "bag guys have auto weapons...police should have auto weapons" argument. I don't buy it for a second. I do believe that quite a few police departments need to acquire more effective/appropriate arms to combat that and other eventualities, but none of that has to do with the ability to deploy auto-fire.