I would much prefer to be able to own and carry a handgun or other appropriate weapons here in the UK. I just don't think that they would be helpful in the hands of amateurs in a terrified crowd on the tube. The UK anti-terrorist forces who would have done this shooting train specifically for close quarter fights with terrorists in crowds of civilians.
It's a specialised skill developed to a very high degree by extensive training, involving techniques derived from (mostly) the Sykes-Fairbairn method from WW2, traditional okinawan karate, kodokan judo, lancashire wrestling and unlicenced boxing (one of the guys who developed the approach was the son of someone who'd made a good living in the Welsh fairground boxing booths "he came from the world's most violent family of Taffs" to quote a colleague) to dominate the opponent and control them while bringing a pistol into play.
The pistol is then used according to an evolution of the Grant-Taylor method, developed by the UK's number-one wartime hit-man. http://www.gutterfighting.org/IronHand.html
Rapid fire to the face at close quarters, after your mates dump the guy hard to the ground and immobilise him is classic British counter-insurgency forces CQB technique.
You'll note that the guy was on his back with the shots fired downwards into him. These guys were the professionals.
Yes, there appear to have been and they got the job done.
Thank you for the website, it was interesting and the other handgunnery linked pages are also interesting. I have book marked it for leisure reading.
While I agree that Bullseye target shooting is not combat shooting, here in the States we have a lot of PPC ranges and some indoor ranges with video simulations stages.
As an American, I believe pretty highly in self reliance. In this country, I understand that in a crowded subway many would not know how to handle a firearm, but I also feel that some would. I would prefer that the real professionals do the job, but when they aren't around.... vigilantees can be a force for law and order.