Facts about 1911's...

W

woo57

Inactive
I am an LEO, and have a problem perhaps some of you can help me with. I am trying to get my department to re-shape their policy on personally owned sidearms. We are allowed to carry personally owned firearms off-duty, with one exception. We are not allowed to carry any single-action automatics, therefore my beloved 1911 sits lonely in the safe. I'm looking for facts to provide my admin with as to why the 1911 is perfectly safe for carry, ignorance on their part not-withstanding. If any of you have facts on the 1911, or know where I can come up with some, help would be appreciated. Also, if you know of any (LE) agencies that permit their carry, either on, or off, duty, please let me know, that'll impress my chief. Thanks again for the help.

Eric
 
The Mifflin County (Pennsylvania) Regional Police force allows its officers to carry 1911s on duty.

I used to shoot with a number of them before I moved to Virignia. Good group of people.
 
City of Plano, TX ( a good-sized, well-to-do suburb of Dallas) permits 1911s and condition one carry - or so I assume from the officer walking around with his 1911 cocked.
 
Pierce County (Washington) Sheriffs are allowed, and many apparently do. Texas Rangers have been carrying 1911's since day two, if not day one.
 
This is why Para Ordinance built the LDA...
My your departments rules - the LDA should past muster with no question.
You could gather a list of all departments that do allow the 1911 in original Single Action form...
FBI is one of them...
 
I believe the Austin (TX) PD modifed policy to allow officers to carry the 1911 two to three years ago (there was a run on 1911s at the local gun stores). (I believe the only place they got a little flaky was requiring an ambidextrous safety.)
 
Lassen Sheriff, CA use to allow 1911s. Not sure since I haven't been back in a couple of years. Marin County, CA Marshal's Office use to too.
 
Which ever FBI team it is (saints preserve us), they carry a Springfield Custom which is analogus to the Colt series 70 (i.e. no firing pin block)!
 
The police department policy against condition one carry is almost purely a public relations matter. When a soccer mom sees an officer carrying a gun with "that clicker thing sticking up", irate calls to the chief and the local press bring lots of heat and a change in policy.

It is like the .38 Special +P+ ammunition. It is as hot as .357 Magnum, and is to be fired only in .357 revolvers, but when some BG's head gets splattered all over the street, the department PR guy can say that the nice local officer friendly types are only carrying the "old .38 Special, as we have done for many years."

One must, after all, be Politically Correct.

Jim
 
Denver, Co. does, IIRC. South Florida's Hollywood PD(350+ sworn) alowed 1911s until the late 90's when they went to the Smith 4506 as issue. Before Metro-Dade(now Miami-Dade) county permitted on-duty 9mms, they allowed off-duty and UC carry of 1911s.
 
If none of the facts help your case and your state has ccw, then get a ccw and carry whatever you want to carry when not on duty. From your description off duty carry is an option and not mandatory. So, if the have a ccw, then you carry your gun as a citizen. If you can't get a ccw, then I suppose you have to follow their rules because then you would be carrying as an off duty officer and being an officer is the only way that you can be allowed to carry.
 
Your agency is looking out for you. The 1911 is a wonderful handgun. It was designed for military use and it has never been an ideal law enforcement pistol. Any single action pistol, and most double to single pistols, will require the officer to do more than he needs to be doing in the instance of a shooting situation. Even the newer DA 1911-variants have drawbacks.

Assuming you are a uniformed officer, take a look at the Beretta 96D Brigadier in 40S&W. It comes as close to being the perfect LE pistol as any you could find. My former agency bought over 20,000 of them and even the most revolver-oriented officers love them. It's almost too large to carry concealed, but for a uniformed officer, it is absolutely ideal.

Just my two cents worth...
 
Austin ALSO required series-80, I believe (was talking to an LEO about this when I saw one carrying a Les Baer TR Special).

I think they also had to have the hammer strap.
 
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