Troy Defense’s new pump action sporting rifle reminds me of the Remington 7615P patrol rifle, that was marketed to law enforcement as an easily transitioned rifle that was identical in workings to a police 870 shotgun. The Troy model is obviously more AR-15 than pump shotty, but you get the idea.
Troy Defense says their sporting rifle “is complaint in areas where legal ownership of standard semi-automatic rifles have been legislatively limited.”
I don’t see this as something that is a replacement for the standard semi-auto AR-15’s used by law enforcement, in fact, if you can think of a reason a department should buy them for duty use, leave a comment. I would be interested to see if a justification can be dreamed up.
In the video below, the rifle’s recoil looks about the same as either a direct impingement or gas piston system.
MSRP is $1,099 for fixed or folding stock in black.
Randall
As Troy Defense states, it is a sporting rifle which may allow citizens in restricted states to purchase some variation of an AR-15. It might have some utility as a self-defense rifle if the shooter does not want the recoil of a shotgun or if extended range engagements are anticipated. As you suggest, however, I don’t see it replacing standard AR-15’s in cruiser trunks and racks.
This wouldn’t replace an AR platform for me… However for simplicity of use and ease of transition from a shotgun, this may have a place as an agency tool.
Sad to say, many officers don’t subscribe to the notion that firearms skills are perishable. When all of an agency’s vehicles are equipped with long guns, there is no incentive for officers who don’t own their own rifles to get out and train. A pump action centerfire fill that need.
Please note that I don’t condone a lack of practice- But as someone much smarter than I once said: “You can’t shine a sneaker.”
This wouldn’t replace an AR platform for me… However for simplicity of use and ease of transition from a shotgun, this may have a place as an agency tool.
Sad to say, many officers don’t subscribe to the notion that firearms skills are perishable. When all of an agency’s vehicles are equipped with long guns, there is no incentive for officers who don’t own their own rifles to get out and train. A pump action centerfire might fill that need.
Please note that I don’t condone a lack of practice- But as someone much smarter than I once said: “You can’t shine a sneaker.”
I totally agree with you, Ben, about the perishability of skills. An AR takes some skill to run well, therefore practice. The pump rifle is a dumbed down version of the platform for sure.
Randall
Hi all, i am an Aussie, so maybe my opinion will be very different from the USA version of AR’s as a result of cultural marketing.
Firstly the Remington 7615P was not supposed to look like an assault weapon like the AR does thus it was supposed to appeal to politically correct bean counters and as less intense training requirement for officers to transition over to from the pumps such as the 870.
This Troy looks like an assault weapon to the general public so i have no idea why a law enforcement officer would give up a semi auto for a pump, with the exception of some officer who knows they will rarely get into a gun fight but might have a need of a often carried but rarely used rifle, such as for putting down injuried animals or whatever in a very safe zone. But seriously law enforcement officers should not be going to work thinking nothing bad is going to happen to them, LEO’s should go to work ‘prepared’ for “war”; and be ‘thankful’ for the “peace” they provide.
But to me i will always take a pump rifle over a semi auto, i am a civilian and do not have the luxury of a lot of range time. Plus the AR is simply a terrible terrible weapon…
It came about “accidently” since the Air Force could not get ‘real guns’ to their air field defense guards, the AF bought these guns untested and they were available when the USA entered into jungle warfare.
Thus the Military got a second rate weapon and tried to make it better and this has carried over into the civilian and law enforcement sectors. Simply put the AR is like a “trophy-wife” all good and ‘pretty’ while you pamper it and spend lots of attention and money on it; but when it is not cared for exactly as it demands, it leaves you hanging…
The AR is an awesome weapon as long as you do not ask it to do much without a lot of care, for my money i would like a simplier gun that will work without me have to spend hours making sure my AR will function reliably; and that is why a pump is superior…
Thank you for your thoughts, Greg. I appreciate you posting a reply here. I guess if I had to go to a battlefield in adverse conditions, I may favor an AK-47 or variant. For average LEO use here in the States, an AR-15 does just fine. As far as a pump rifle for the police, it has a niche market in agencies who want either easy cross-over training or a less aggressive look…
Randall