Good beginning police gun?

A

andrewgollup

Moderator
Hi there. This is a question for the cops out there. I am applying to police academies and doing a criminal justice degree, and I am wondering what you have used and what you like, and why. Looks like the academies I am applying to mostly suggest a 9mm, .40cal or .45cal, semiautomatic double-action.

Thanks for the input.
 
The majority of police officers carry Glocks for duty sidearms. I'm not sure if the Smith & Wesson M&P or the Springfield XD is catching on with police agencies. Anyway, I suggest a full size service Glock like the 17, 21, or 22. I know the LAPD used to issue Beretta 92s, but I think they've since switched to Glocks.
 
Varies depending on your region

Around here 50% carry GLOCKs, some carry Sigs and some carry Smith M+Ps. I'd go with a GLOCK, the worst thing that happens is you get on an agency that carries something else and you 1- Have a nice off duty weapon or 2- Sell the GLOCK and buy something compatible. Good luck!!!
 
smith M&P or glock would be my first choice. then of course XD sig HK beretta ruger

it all depends on what features you like, what fits your hand and what style trigger you like
 
I am not sure about police academies in that sense. Usually the procedure is to apply to a police department or LE agency and once you are accepted you attend their academy or training school. (Which do not much resemble the "Police Academy" movies.) Often a state runs one academy for all officers in the state, but some counties or cities have their own. It sounds like the academy you are talking about is some kind of independent organization, which might not be approved.

While there are small departments where officers can pick their own guns, most large departments have an issue weapon, or sometimes a choice of two or three. The caliber and type of ammo is department standard and issue both so an officer can supply another officer and to reduce or prevent lawsuits caused by officers using some unapproved "evil" gun or ammo.

If an officer carries an unapproved gun or ammo and gets in trouble, he will have been violating orders and may not be defended by the jurisdiction. That means he can face a multi-million dollar lawsuit with only his own resources.

Jim
 
Thanks, Jim. I will definitely consider that, but for now I am looking for something to get me by for the academy. I know that I will either go with a standard-issue or upgrade when I get a job.

...And yes, I know it's not like the movies.
 
Some academies allow "self pay" students to attend before being hired by an agency. I graduated from the Alaska Law Enforcement Training Academy in Sitka in 2006. Out of 31 who graduated, 11 were state troopers, 18 were municipal officers, and 2 were self pay who paid for the course in hopes of being hired afterwards. As far as handguns, I would also recommend the Glock 22. Probably the most common LE handgun today.
 
Along the lines of what Mr Jim Keenan said...
It would seem logical to contact the academy(ies) you intend to apply to and ask them. Then, you'll likely have a list to work from.
 
A different mind set

As most Police Dept,s issue your firearms, picking a weapon to have, that could be a real good off duty carry, if you are hired, a Glock 19 would be my choice, and 9mm is a fine round for self defense/duty, and a lot cheaper than .40S&W for practice.

Any holster or magazine pouch you purchased for the G19, would take the Glock in the self same combination, but in .40S&W calibre.
 
Our officers pay for their own pistols even though we have over 150 sworn officers. You chose whatever you want within some parameters. It's always been that way.

By far the most popular pistol is the Glock, especially the model 22 .40 S&W.

There are many 1911's, Sigs, and lately XD's. There are also a few HK's, Brownings, and Beretta's.

My recommendation for you is the Glock 22. But give it a try if you can before you buy one.
 
You cant go wrong with a S&W M&P, Springfield XD or Glock. They are all just as reliable as the next. It all comes down to which one feels better in your hand. A little higher up in the price range is a Sig Sauer P226 or P229. Once again a very reliable gun.

As far as caliber goes that is going to have to be a personal choice. The 9mm will have the least amount of recoil making follow-up shots easier, with less practice. The 40 and 45 are about the same in the recoil department; the 45 has a "mushier" recoil due to its low psi while the 40 has a very unique, snappy recoil due to its high psi. I carry a 1911 as my CCW in 45 so I like the 45, but I wouldnt recommend it as a duty caliber due to it poor ability to defeat tactical barriers; too slow and too wide of cross section. If you can shoot a 40 well two handed as well as one handed, it is a great duty load. If you cant shoot it well one handed then go with a 9mm as it is still plenty of caliber for duty use.
 
Most likely your department or police chief or Sheriff will dicatate what you can carry and use.

If you hire on with a department that accepts Jeff Cooper's Big Boy Rule (IE You are a big boy, if you can qualify with it, you can carry it) I would recommend a .45 or a 9mm.

The .45 has a good track record for stopping power and the 9mm rules the roost for magazine capacity.
In my area, the .40 has a dismal record for stopping power. It has more recoil and muzzle blast than a 9mm and less stopping power than a .45. And usually less mag capacity than a 9....
As far as guns go, I prefer the 1911 and the S&W 4566 guns in .45 acp, but the XD in .45 is a good shooter too.
In 9mm I like the Beretta 92 and the 39/59 series S&Ws.
 
I would suggest that you wait until you actually attend the academy. For starters, they'll probably provide handguns for you to train with if you don't own your own. Plus, as a cadet, you may be able to purchase your firearm through them at a reduced price.

When I became an officer (long enough ago that I'm retired now) our department carried officer owned guns. Without getting into brands, I found that with certification that I was a police officer, I could purchase either of the two approved brands from the manufacturers for a fixed price that was considerably lower than dealer cost! That even included delivery through a dealer who normally stocked the product line.

BTW, since Glocks have been mentioned, they probably have the most aggressive police purchase program around. The last price I saw on them (about three months ago) was right at $300 new. That's about 2 bills cheaper than a good retail price from a dealer. So if you're close to going to an academy soon you might want to hold off for a little bit and see if you can save some money.

And for everyone out there wondering how to participate in the program, you can't! If you can, somebody in the agency you work for has probably already told you about it. To the best of my knowledge, none of the companies even offer their programs to retired officers. :( The only reason I even know anything about the Glock program is that a childhood friend of mine administers the program for Glock in a large part of the United States. And even though I could tell you when, where and with whom he lost his virginity, I still can't participate in the program. (Maybe if I offered to share that last bit of information with his wife... :eek: But I doubt it!)
 
For just something to get you through the academy I would suggest a Glock. You can find them NIB for $500. That's a really good gun for the money. I would suggest to go with a full size, but not extended barrel or anything. A Glock 17 (9mm), 22 (.40 S&W), or 21 (.45 ACP) should do just fine. I don't know of any police departments and/or academies that don't allow Glocks. Many are restrictive on what caliber or brand though. I would first find out what the restrictions, if any, are for the agencies/academies you might be attending. Make a list of the handguns that are accepted by all and then go get a feel of each one and decide which would be best for your own personal use. After Glock I would recommend Beretta, XD, S&W, and FN. (in no particular order). Don't be afraid to shop around. Any name brand gun would be a great one, I just suggested Glock because of the popularity, options, and simplicity. Good luck! :D
 
After you get accepted to one of the academies that you have applied to,find out what firearms THAT place procribes.Then and only then buy what feels best to you from their list of approved firearms.Sure sucks to buy an ABC pistol and practice a bunch only to find out the place you will be working uses XYZs.Don't ask how I know.YMMV.tom.
 
How much money have you got? That always makes a difference, plus, if your putting yourself through the academy, keep in mind that when you get hired there's good probability that you'll be issued a weapon and who knows what that'll be. Different depts issue different stuff. If you want a good quality handgun to practice with and cost is an issue check www.budsgunshop.com, they've got some department trade-ins that are in great shape and very reasonably priced right now.
 
Long-time LE and firearms instructor here. The type of academy you will attend is dictated by your state's POST Commission.

When I started in this business, you attended a state or major PD academy, period. You were paid by your sponsoring agency while attending- but the academy owned you, and made sure you knew it. It was a boot camp environment at least for the first 6-8 weeks and the washout rate crowded 30%. Maybe half of those were due to injuries.

Some states like MO have gone to a 'coin op' academy where POST simply sets the curriculum and private institutions (often community colleges) provide the instruction; it is a 'college' environment w/o all the hell-raising. Washout rate hangs in the low single-digits at most of these. Most people attend on a student loan or grant, which pays their tuition and some of their living expenses while they attend.

In both cases, the academy will either furnish guns or stipulate approved weapons. You may not need to buy a pistol at this point; the tone of your post leads me to believe that you want to buy one. It's a lead pipe cinch that you will be shooting a Glock at some point in your career, and the best advice for someone in your shoes is to just get a Glock 22. You'll see more of those than everything else put together.

I recently took a staff position with a small dept. that issues GL22's with the 8 pound trigger. As the outfit firearms instructor, I feel obligated to shoot what the outfit issues. I'm an old '1911 man' and accuracy buff, but this was not quite the 'jump' I thought it would be. The trigger don't bother me except for one-hand bullseye shooting at 25 yards, and I'm finding I can even 'adapt around' most of that.

I also find your average GL22 to be capable of substantially tighter groups than the Springfield XD- and I shot three of the latter extensively, over three years. The newer Glock grip frames have ridges on the front that alleviate the gun's propensity to 'point high'.

I also note that we are seeing far less of the 'explosive disassembly' events which tarnished Glocks LE reputation in the early days. Glock has made an art of quietly correcting design faults in their product, without admitting anything was ever wrong with it. The end result is that you get a better gun over time, and for that reason I'd recommend that you get a new or factory recondo gun.

I can't remember the last time I saw a Glock jam during a training exercise- and I see an awful lot of them. They aren't pretty, cool or classic; they appeal to me about as much as a Black & Decker drill. They are soulless pieces of plastic and steel that will keep you alive.

Good luck with your career choice. I am always glad to see 'gunnies' and 2A supporters enter the field.
 
I recently shot a couple different SIGs 9mm and 45acp as well as my Glock 23 (40S&W). I like the SIGs better due to ergonomics and features. The SIGs were a neighbor's who was a former LEO. He prefers 9mm and it is sweet shooting. That being said I asked him his favorite pistol and it was his service Beretta from the army.
 
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