How do police officers carry their sidearms?
- Thread starter JB-man
- Start date
Blue Duck357
New member
Well I'm not a police officer, but I'm a parole officer who works out of offices in one sheriffs department and one PD. Both organizations have a very liberal policy for officer's choosing thier weapons so they have a good mix of Glocks, Sigs, Berretas and Ruger autos( even one para-ordinace .45).
All the officers I know carry double action autos chambers loaded hammer down, Single action autos cocked and locked (chamber loaded), and Glocks chamber loaded (Highway Patrol carries thier Glock 22's same way). I've never heard of any individual officer or Department anywhere (millitary excluded) that did not carry with chamber loaded by the way.
Regards, Blueduck
All the officers I know carry double action autos chambers loaded hammer down, Single action autos cocked and locked (chamber loaded), and Glocks chamber loaded (Highway Patrol carries thier Glock 22's same way). I've never heard of any individual officer or Department anywhere (millitary excluded) that did not carry with chamber loaded by the way.
Regards, Blueduck
Johnny Guest
Moderator in Memoriam
Everyone I know who carries a single action auto carries cocked and locked.
I don't currently know anyone who carries an auto pistol with the chamber empty.
I know ONE peace officer who carries a DA revolver, a Colt Detective Special, with first chamber up empty--That is, not under the hammer.
I only know a couple of guys who carry autos with "carry options," like the CZ75 and clones, and the big Taurii, but none of them carry cocked and locked.
Those who carry conventional DA autos MOSTLY carry with safety off, but some have safety on.
My acquaintences and colleagues are a pretty conventional bunch, really, except - - -
I know one retired officer who often carries single action revolvers a lot, always with chamber under hammer empty. He is one of the few I consider competent to do this. I have been on the range when he did the law enforcement qualification with the SA, including the rapid reloads.
Best,
Johnny
I don't currently know anyone who carries an auto pistol with the chamber empty.
I know ONE peace officer who carries a DA revolver, a Colt Detective Special, with first chamber up empty--That is, not under the hammer.
I only know a couple of guys who carry autos with "carry options," like the CZ75 and clones, and the big Taurii, but none of them carry cocked and locked.
Those who carry conventional DA autos MOSTLY carry with safety off, but some have safety on.
My acquaintences and colleagues are a pretty conventional bunch, really, except - - -
I know one retired officer who often carries single action revolvers a lot, always with chamber under hammer empty. He is one of the few I consider competent to do this. I have been on the range when he did the law enforcement qualification with the SA, including the rapid reloads.
Best,
Johnny
about the Glocks
For those who carry the Glock chambered.... Since it doesn't have a trigger safety so to speak (well, it does in a way...)
Does that make the carrier any uneasy, as it can easily be fired?
I do notice that there is about 1/2 inch of play in the trigger in my Glock 22, but my Taurus pt99 AF has almost no play, and will go off very easily with my safety off......
I, personally, haven't needed to carry, but am curious as to police, who rely on them (when they use the Glock) every day in their duties....
For those who carry the Glock chambered.... Since it doesn't have a trigger safety so to speak (well, it does in a way...)
Does that make the carrier any uneasy, as it can easily be fired?
I do notice that there is about 1/2 inch of play in the trigger in my Glock 22, but my Taurus pt99 AF has almost no play, and will go off very easily with my safety off......
I, personally, haven't needed to carry, but am curious as to police, who rely on them (when they use the Glock) every day in their duties....
Our PD has a variety of sidearms in service at the moment:
A few old dinosaurs
D) are rolling around with S&W .38 spls. They carry six in the cylinder.
The most of the rest of us carry some version of DA semiauto, either the S&W 4506 (the vast majority of our force) or some other S&W auto chambered in either 9mm or .45. We carry with one in the chamber, hammer down, safety off.
SWAT and other tactical high-speed/low-drag types carry H&K USPs, which I assume is also chambered, hammer down and safety off. Not sure.
As to carrying glocks chambered, if you keep your finger off of the trigger, they won't go off. End of story.
Mike
A few old dinosaurs
D) are rolling around with S&W .38 spls. They carry six in the cylinder.The most of the rest of us carry some version of DA semiauto, either the S&W 4506 (the vast majority of our force) or some other S&W auto chambered in either 9mm or .45. We carry with one in the chamber, hammer down, safety off.
SWAT and other tactical high-speed/low-drag types carry H&K USPs, which I assume is also chambered, hammer down and safety off. Not sure.
As to carrying glocks chambered, if you keep your finger off of the trigger, they won't go off. End of story.
Mike
Everyone I know (cops or not) carries thier defensive sidearm with the chamber loaded. We all subscribe to the range rule - a holstered gun is a safe gun. I see no reason to worry about "one in the pipe." (unless it is an older SA without modern transfer bar safety)
Cops are a good example of how good this rule is - there are some really BAD gunhandlers out there, but not many instances of anyone shooting themselves in the leg unless in the process of reholstering or unholstering. And the exceptions to the rule, I'll bet, weren't just standing there when the gun went off while holstered.
I've never heard of a firearm going off while inside a holser unless of some exceptional outside forces bering applied to the outside...
Cops are a good example of how good this rule is - there are some really BAD gunhandlers out there, but not many instances of anyone shooting themselves in the leg unless in the process of reholstering or unholstering. And the exceptions to the rule, I'll bet, weren't just standing there when the gun went off while holstered.
I've never heard of a firearm going off while inside a holser unless of some exceptional outside forces bering applied to the outside...
George Helser
New member
Johnny Guest,
You said: “Everyone I know who carries a single action auto carries cocked and locked.”
How do you define Glock users? I consider a round in my Glock as “a single action cocked and unlocked”.
Regards,
George
In sunny Arizona
You said: “Everyone I know who carries a single action auto carries cocked and locked.”
How do you define Glock users? I consider a round in my Glock as “a single action cocked and unlocked”.
Regards,
George
In sunny Arizona
My experience is as Johnny Guest's. I don't know a single cop who carries his pistol in any condition but fully-loaded. Everyone I know who carries a DA revolver carries it fully-loaded.
I've never met an officer who carried his loaded single-action auto hammer-down, but I would avoid him if I did!
Almost everyone I know with a DA auto with the option of safety on or off, hammer back or down, carries their pistol hammer down. Over half of those carry with safety off.
All Glocksters that I know carry their duty Glock fully loaded. That said, I've known of at least one man to carry his baby Glock with chamber empty.
More esoteric and just as controversial question-- how many 1911 carriers carry 8-rd magazines? How many carry (gasp) mixed-capacity magazines? (i.e., 8+1 in pistol, and an eight and a seven as reloads?)
I've never met an officer who carried his loaded single-action auto hammer-down, but I would avoid him if I did!
Almost everyone I know with a DA auto with the option of safety on or off, hammer back or down, carries their pistol hammer down. Over half of those carry with safety off.
All Glocksters that I know carry their duty Glock fully loaded. That said, I've known of at least one man to carry his baby Glock with chamber empty.
More esoteric and just as controversial question-- how many 1911 carriers carry 8-rd magazines? How many carry (gasp) mixed-capacity magazines? (i.e., 8+1 in pistol, and an eight and a seven as reloads?)
P
PreserveFreedom
Guest
I knew one officer that carried his auto pistol with an empty chamber. He was an old timer and was more comfortable with his 1911. Unfortunately, the department required all to carry a 9x19mm Glock. That being said, IMHO, if you are carrying a SA pistol, it should be carried cocked and locked. DA should be carried hammer down. Either method gives you the opportinuty to fire with a sipe of the safety and a squeeze of the trigger.
Blue Heeler
Moderator
Hey Coronach--go easy on us Dinosaurs.We used to carry our guns in the most comfortable position possible--if you are driving a lot --then it's up front,and high,otherwise,on the waist and toward the front--all you have to do is try the positions--see what works for your shape--shouldn't take more than ten years.
This is all very interesting, coming from many police officers...
Amidst the fog of the anti-gun crowd, shaming us for keeping our guns 'cocked-and-locked'.... wether on our person, or locked up at home...
Our military and police, prove the SAFEST way to carry.
God bless you all!
Amidst the fog of the anti-gun crowd, shaming us for keeping our guns 'cocked-and-locked'.... wether on our person, or locked up at home...
Our military and police, prove the SAFEST way to carry.
God bless you all!
IamNOTaNUT
New member
Blue Heeler -
There is one minor problem with your method. By the time it takes to figure out where it is most comfortable (10 years) the cheesburgers and beer have so radically aletered your once fine physique that you have to start all over again to get a "new" best position.
Single action - cocked and locked
DA/SA - loaded with hammer down safety off
Revolver - fully loaded ready to go to work. I ran across an old-timer years ago that insisted that the first chamber up should be empty so that if the BG gets your gun he can't shoot you with it. I always thought it more prudent to keep it full and keep it away from the BG. I guess his method worked for him . . .
There is one minor problem with your method. By the time it takes to figure out where it is most comfortable (10 years) the cheesburgers and beer have so radically aletered your once fine physique that you have to start all over again to get a "new" best position.
Single action - cocked and locked
DA/SA - loaded with hammer down safety off
Revolver - fully loaded ready to go to work. I ran across an old-timer years ago that insisted that the first chamber up should be empty so that if the BG gets your gun he can't shoot you with it. I always thought it more prudent to keep it full and keep it away from the BG. I guess his method worked for him . . .