Since I'll be in Australia for a while, I thought I'd try searching for one of those elusive Glock G17S's that seem to pop up on the rumor mill from time to time. I made contact with a constable in the Tasmania Police Service's Highway Patrol unit, and received the following info:
Prior to the Port Arthur affair, all members of the service were issued a 2" S&W M36 .38 Special. Ammo was generally lowbid lead hollowpoints at standard velocity, but Micky managed to get ahold of a few +P rounds.
In the aftermath, the decision was made to reequip the force with semiauto pistols. The G17 was picked for uniform use, with the 19 and 26 used by plainclothes constables.
Unless a test prototype was involved, the "G17S" is a myth (aftermarket modifications notwithstanding). Current issue are stock Third Generation pistols with tritium sights. The only "special" feature is the serial number prefix "TAS". Uniforms are issued the Safariland 295 breakfront holster, with the plainclothes folks using that same firm's 6281 SLS rotating hood rig. A single magazine is typically carried, and some officers use the first aid pouch to carry loose rounds.
And to think, if the story had been real I could've made a killin' over at GlockTalk. Shattered dreams...
Prior to the Port Arthur affair, all members of the service were issued a 2" S&W M36 .38 Special. Ammo was generally lowbid lead hollowpoints at standard velocity, but Micky managed to get ahold of a few +P rounds.
In the aftermath, the decision was made to reequip the force with semiauto pistols. The G17 was picked for uniform use, with the 19 and 26 used by plainclothes constables.
Unless a test prototype was involved, the "G17S" is a myth (aftermarket modifications notwithstanding). Current issue are stock Third Generation pistols with tritium sights. The only "special" feature is the serial number prefix "TAS". Uniforms are issued the Safariland 295 breakfront holster, with the plainclothes folks using that same firm's 6281 SLS rotating hood rig. A single magazine is typically carried, and some officers use the first aid pouch to carry loose rounds.
And to think, if the story had been real I could've made a killin' over at GlockTalk. Shattered dreams...
