What Do Sky Marshals Carry?

I believe Sky Marshalls are carrying Sig P229's in 357Sig.

SMs get the 229 in 357. There is a push to get the 239 approved for easier concealment.

FBI gets a choice of Glock 22 or 23 in 40 cal. Depending on how long the agent has been on there are a substantial number of pistols still on the approved list that are grandfathered in.

DEA I don't have a clue about, but I think I heard they had HK USPs for some of their people.

I thought I read somewhere that they were carrying USPc's in .40

DEA issues the Glock 22, but Agents are allowed some discretion in choice of back up or more concealable duty guns. A colleague's bother is a DEA agent, and I've had a chance to shoot w/him some. Last I knew, they were using Win Ranger ammo. He had a bunch when we were shooting and when I asked him what they used for practice, he said they shoot the Win for both practice and duty, and that he could take as much as he wanted to the range. He also had qual'd for and was issued the Colt SMG, but I assume will be transitioning to the new Rock River AR now.

Some qualified Flight Deck Officers have started carrying HK USP Compact's because of a sweetheart deal HK is offering.

I heard from Dave Vaughan over at Threat Solutions that the Sky marshals have been ordering his UCR for their 229's to aid in their concealment.

What sky marshalls? The Transportation Department has been doing everything it can to discourage armed anyone on a plane. Many of the marshalls recruited have quit already due to the bull. Those who remain are required to wear suits and ties on the planes. They stand out like they have bullseyes on their foreheads.

My friend's father is a pilot for American Airlines, and he was given a USP Compact in .40S&W to carry.

They stand out like they have bullseyes on their foreheads.

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My neighbor is a flight attendant and she says it is almost impossible to pick out the sky marshalls from the regular passengers.

If you think Sky Marshals are not present on major flights, you are being miss-lead. They are on those planes. Mostly they are issued with standard SIG 9mm pistols. Look around on your next flight from or to New York, LA, Chicago, or Washington D.C., and you will spot their watchful eye.

My neighbor is a flight attendant and she says it is almost impossible to pick out the sky marshalls from the regular passengers.

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I think they are pretty easy to identify.

BTW, they are Federal Air Marshalls, not Sky Marshalls.

Just because it is hard for a flight attendent doesn't mean it is hard for someone that knows what to look for. The situational awareness of the average flight attendent is pretty low in my experience.

I watched a group of Air Marshalls...

It's funny, today I watched a group of Air Marshalls exit a classroom of a local range, as I waited for the range. All I could think of was I'd never pick most of them a Air Marshalls. Some looked like high-speed operators, some looked like street thugs, some looked like average Joes.

I know they are Air Marshalls because a while ago (over a year) a range employee let it slip, he got reamed as did the range owner.

I've shot IPSC and IDPA with a couple of the instructors, nice guys who never talk about their job, but I'd never pick either as an Air Marshall.

What I do know, is that they carry Sigs (229s I think), the range is covered with 357 Sig brass when they leave, and ALL their targets are usually one large ragged hole.

They are the most impressive group of government shooters I've seen.


Respectfully,

jdkelly

I think they are pretty easy to identify.

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How do you know?

I mean, think about it for a second. Lets say you peg one as a Marshall. Ok, good job. You got him. You may have missed thirty others, but hey...you got one. They're easy to spot.

Mike

I mean, think about it for a second. Lets say you peg one as a Marshall. Ok, good job. You got him. You may have missed thirty others, but hey...you got one. They're easy to spot.

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Well, that could be true. But since I fly airplanes for a living I have the opportunity to observe the critters in their natural habitat.

And, since I am an Airline Pilot (tm), I also know who the FAMs are, at least when they are on my flight. Usually, I'll see someone who makes me think he or she is a FAM. After watching for a few minutes, it is obvious whether they are or not.

Fly320,
Aren't they required to ID themselves to you on your a/c?

I heard from Dave Vaughan over at Threat Solutions that the Sky marshals have been ordering his UCR for their 229's to aid in their concealment.

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Maybe this is why its been 7 weeks and I have still dont have the holster I ordered through Custom Glock Racing..... but thats ok. I'm carying something else until I can layer better. Texas summers is too durn hot for more than one t-shirt at a time! Or maybe I'm just a wimp.

Okay, I'll admit it - I'm a bit behind the times on the latest & greatest in handgun technology. But as I recall, back in the late 70's & 80's - air marshalls were using Charter Arms .44 Spl Bulldogs. Actually this is a big reason the .44 Spl was given a second lease on life. The logic at the time was a big, heavy bullet, traveling at moderate velosity, lanched from a lightweight & reliable handgun, in close quarters - that would do the job without puncturing 3 rows of passengers in the process - was the most logical choice. As far as I know - no high jacking ever took place on a flight with an air marshall so armed.

I can see the logic in going to a semi auto for the ease of shooting and rapid reload - but Sig .357's and S&W 40's seem a bit much. What's wrong with a lightweight Glock, S&W or Colt in .45 ACP. Better still - how about a stout bar across the cockpit cabin door and a couple of .38 revolvers within reach of the 1st & 2nd officers on the flight deck?

With gate security what it is now days - and general public awareness of potential threats - seems like complicated solutions to simple problems have been concocked.

We're all fine and good with all this security stuff until a sleeper cell gets a pilot or flight officer or flight attendant or Air Marshal on board. Then, like Anwar Saddat getting greased by his own guards, we will have an isolated attack (or coordinated attacks) which will separate the clear-thinking citizens from the goats.

It may be a hunnert' years before they try it, but I'm sure it *will* happen. We just need to decide how much _safer_ we want to be, because no one will ever be totally safe until God rules the world with only the good ones populating it.

Moderator, how about deleting this thread for OpsSec.

Does any one know what ammo they use and if they did any testing on penetration before adopting that round?

They are the most impressive group of government shooters I've seen.

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Someone posted the shooting qualifications they have to go through, and man, they're tough. Anyone who can pass those definitely knows what they're doing.

Last season was my first in indoor PPC. There was one fellow who basically shot one ragged hole in the center of each of his targets, from 7 to 25 yards. After he left, I picked up one of his shells- a .357 Sig. A participating LEO at the match simply said, "sky marshall." I'm impressed.

Chuck