Big City Police Officer?

Here in Switzerland, most LEAs have their members carry SIGs of
differing variety, the 226, 228 and 229 all have their followers. All
of them work.

The Basle police, however, carries HK USP Compacts in 9mm.

I have had Kahrs, SIGs and HKs and all of them are reliable and
precise. My Glock results are less precise. All of the afore-mentioned
guns are reliable.
 
Glock 20.

Why?

16 rounds of 175 gr 10mm Silver Tip.

(And Glocks meet every Dept's definition of Double Action that I am familiar with.)

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-Essayons
 
although glocks have more in common with an SA gun than a DA gun many people consider them DAO and that does have the letters DA in it so maybe it would be ok. :-) i bet many departments that allow DA would also allow a glock.

with that said i would choose a Glock 19. Normally it would be a toss up between a glock and beretta but it has to be for off duty carry also.

I like the .357sig round also but i don't think its much of an improvment over the 9mm and i like the 9 for many reasons.

most reasons why i would choose the G19 have been stated already but i'll list some more:

1. firepower. 15+1 rounds of 9mm 124gr+P Speer Gold-Dots.

2. concealability. the G19 is big enough for duty carry (many people do it including NYPD) but can be easily concealed. it is much lighter than other compact guns like the sig 228 and also is slimmer and easier to hide. also it just barely reaches the barrel limit but is over 4".

3. reliability. glocks IMNSHO are the most reliable pistols made (maybe berettas tie with them for first). my G19 has proven 100% reliable since i bought it. there is no pistol i trust more than my G19.

4. Accuracy. many people say glocks are inaccurate but that is from a benchrest. sure sigs and other guns will outshoot glocks from a benchrest but LEOs don't shoot from that position. Glocks are more than enough combat accurate and i can shoot mine more accurately than i can shoot a sig or beretta.

5. Feel. part of why they are so accurate for me is their feel. the G19 fits my hand very well and points naturally for me. i can get it on target much faster than other guns.

6. trigger. i love glock triggers. they are so much easier to shoot than DA or DAO guns. the first day i bought my G19 i outshot by berettas with it. that was because of the trigger. the first DA shot on my beretta 92 always was a problem for me and the first shot is the most important. i really need every shot to count and i can do that with a glock.

7. easy to use design. i don't want to have to fumble around with safeties when i need my gun for defense. i want to be able to draw and fire it as fast as possible and with as few steps as possible. i can do this fastest with a glock than anything else.

8. durability. not that big a concern but most LEOs have their guns for quite some time and i want it to last a while. One of my friends bought a sig 226 from an LEO who had it a while. the gun does not function properly now and jams all the time since its too old and worn out.

9. I really like my G19!
 
What good is a high cap mag that you purchase while on the force under a letterhead? If you leave, the mag will be remanded back to the PD.

Many will say placement is paramount over power. I say in stress-fire scenarios where conditions are less than perfect, you must have PLACEMENT AND POWER. The Sig 220 will give you that marriage. If the perp has Kevlar, a close range round from the .45ACP will at least knock him down if not out in most cases.

Why fret about keeping high caps or what ammo to select. Eliminate stress and go with a proven performer.

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"When guns are outlawed;I will be an outlaw."
 
Glock 21 .45acp, because 14 rounds of .45acp beats 8, plus the Glock is light years ahead in terms of durability and rust resistance. Especially in comparison to any alloy framed handgun. Over 65 percent of cops in this country carry Glocks. At my agency 90 percent carry Glocks and we have a very liberal policy on what we can carry. We have to buy our own weapons and the vast majority choose Glocks. The Glock shooters also shoot better than those with the traditional double/single action, such as Sig, Beretta, Smith & Wesson.

LEO Firearms Instructor

7th

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SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL POLICE, KEEP THEM INDEPENDENT.
 
I'll give any Glock shooter a run for their money with a Sig or Beretta at any time.

I have never seen a Sig that did not shoot circles around the "mush-action" Glock trigger.

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"When guns are outlawed;I will be an outlaw."
 
Hi, guys,

I am no longer a LEO and not an expert in "big city" ways, but I have been under the impression that the LEO doesn't get a choice. He is issued the department pistol and ammunition and God help any cop caught carrying anything else. If he is involved in a shooting and is not using department issued (or at least approved) gun and ammo, the city attorney will hang him out to dry.

Jim
 
Jim Keenan:

Many Departments will issue a std. weapon but allow the Officers to buy their own as long as it fits within certain guidelines as to make, action and caliber. Ammo is usually determined by the Department. This is a trend that is more prevailent in areas of the country that have not converted to socialism yet. ;)

------------------
"When guns are outlawed;I will be an outlaw."
 
My $.02:
Glock 22 .40 in a Safariland 6280 duty holster. IWI or Trijicon night sights are installed. S&W Centenial .38 in a pocket holster for back-up gun.

Glock 23 in a belt holster w/ a spare 22 mag for off-duty. I like Kramer, Rosen, Bladetech or Pierside.

Reasons: Hi capacities, fits the hand well, easy to shoot, good caliber.

My PD switched a few years ago from the Sig P220, which was (is) an excellent weapon, to the Glock. Hit probability and reliability went up (a lot).

Our duty round is the Federal 180 grain Tactical.

Officers may also carry a Glock .45, Sig 220, S&W K-frame .38 or S&W Model 25 in .45 Colt on duty and any gun off duty .380 or larger, no magnums.

Officers must qualify bi-monthly with on and off duty weapons.

With all due respect, Will, as good as the .45 is, it won't, in all probability, knock down or out a Kevlar wearing felon, no pistol round will. Gotta go to plan B - head, pelvis, legs, whatever is available...

All the guns mentioned by TFL'ers are good, none perfect. The ultimate weapon is the brain. Stay safe.

[This message has been edited by DAVE MOON (edited May 27, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by DAVE MOON (edited May 27, 2000).]
 
Glock 23

Will: bring your Sig's to Florida.
Take them in and out of the air condotioning, then swet on them all day long, and for the final "insult", stick around the beach, next to the salt water for a while, and see what you have.......!
(Marine Patrol)
You can fool some people, but 2 and more million Americans ARE not wrong!
Good day!

Moose
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Moose:
Glock 23

Will: bring your Sig's to Florida.
Take them in and out of the air condotioning, then swet on them all day long, and for the final "insult", stick around the beach, next to the salt water for a while, and see what you have.......!
(Marine Patrol)
You can fool some people, but 2 and more million Americans ARE not wrong!
Good day!

Moose[/quote]

Moose,
With all due respect, ANY gun that is properly taken care of should last a
lifetime!!! :D

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
Erik,

Many depts have Minimum calibers (for instance, the hypothetical one here mandates .38 or larger.. Mine mandates .380 or larger for off-duty or Back up.. etc...), but not very many limit the top end power. The ones that do most likely dictact the specific caliber that an officer may carry as a primary weapon.
(eg- Nashville Metro used to mandate that an officer carry 9mm, but they could choose which one, within limits.)

10mm is not popular, true.. but to say that most depts disallow its use would be a gross exageration.

------------------
-Essayons
 
Sign me up for the Sig P220 in 45ACP, this is any easy choice to make.

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No man is above the law and no man is below it,nor do we ask any mans permission when we require him to obey it.
 
I am not an LEO myself but my Father is a retired LEO and my brother is active duty, both just outside of Chicago so here are my thoughts.

My father carried a Glock 17 toward the end of his career. The high capacity is great, however, I would, myself, sacrafice a few rounds and carry my Glock 22 to get that extra knock down power. (You still get 15 +1) My brother, on the other hand, carries a S&W model 26. Laugh if you will (and they do at the range) but he hits what he shoots at and he can't with an auto. Also, consider that some departments are more restrictive. The city I now live in, in Sierra County New Mexico, issues a 40 caliber Beretta. If you want something else, you can buy it but it has to be 40...no exceptions. Back to the original question though, I would say Glock 22. If you get some mope that's hyped up on some PCP or something he may not even feel a 9mm or 38 Special. 10mm or 357 Magnum is overkill in a residential area as a miss could penetrate a few homes before it stops. The #1 factor has to be, what can you shoot accurately and operate in a stressful situation?
 
I chose a H&K USP40. The variant with double action trigger and cocked and locked override. Then, I'm an old 1911 shooter. Unless the danger were right on me, I'd cock the hammer when drawing the thing and proceed in a cocked and locked mode.

I really don't like the S&W, SIG, Beretta or Ruger control functions. You either decock or move with a cocked an unlocked pistol. I don't like the change of trigger between first and subsequent shots, either. Glocks are okay... good idea for mass purchases and issuance; but I just can't get warm to them.

40 caliber seems to be a good compromise between recoil and stopping power. I like 45, and in fact, the 45 grip on most guns is easier for me than the double stack magazine so popular today.

The H&K also has good sights, fair trigger, and mine has proven to be reliable. It shoots to the sights with WW Ranger SXT 165 ammo.

Price is competitive with the others, other than the Glock. The Glock is not an expensive pistol to manufacture.

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Archie
 
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