LEO's: How did you department decide on the firearm and ammunition you carry?

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

 

[JR133]

Our department had the firearms instructors pick three gun to test. We had several different shooters shoot them. From our best to our worst. We also had the bigger shooters and the smaller shooter shoot them. We had everyone vote and the instructors and Chief pick the one gun.

We also took in to consideration all of the after market gear we could get for the guns. ie. Holster, Lights and lasers.

As far as ammo, we had Federal come out and test several different grains and brands. Our test showed that one of the best ammo tested was the Federal 180 gr. HST. We did the drywall, windshield, Ballistics gel, steel, ect..

The gun we went with was the Sig 229 R.

 

[Bovice]

From MikeNice:

One of the big factors in switching guns was the size of the current Sigs. A lot of the females on the force had trouble drawing, disengaging the safety, and firing without shifting their hand position at least twice.

What safety is there to disengage on a typical SIG handgun?

 

[orionengnr]

Judges and attorneys are not idiots.

Would that I had any evidence to support that theory...
In my 55 years on this planet, I have found almost nothing to help me believe that this is true.

Certainly, reading newspapers, watching TV, spending time on the 'net has done nothing to sway my opinion...actually, my experience leads me to believe the exact opposite.

Let me clarify...not idiots. More accurately, idealistic zealots, which is far worse...an idiot will only get it wrong half of the time.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

I have worked for several agencies, but the one that was the most fun was a small town in NW Colorado. At the time, they had four officers. The chief and the other two officers were packing S&W 19, S&W 28, and S&W 15 respectively. Since we pretty much operated alone, and all I had at the time was a Colt Government Series 70 .45, I asked the chief it it would be alright if I carried that. He said I'd have to supply my own carry and practice ammo, and that worked for me. Not too much later, one of my co-workers, a former Army MP, was packing a Colt Commander. Before that officer joined me packing an auto, though, the other officer was initially miffed at me, and told me that he thought I should be carrying a .38. I asked him why, and he stated that, in the event of a firefight, we could exchange ammo if one of us "ran out". I chuckled, and told him that if he missed 18 times and I rolled on the scene, he should just keep behind cover, and I'd handle it.....that I wasn't going to give any of MY rounds to someone who missed 18 times, and that if he planned on shooting more than that, he should pack more ammo. That officer left a year or so later, and the new guy also packed a .45. We three officers kicked in that year in a four way split with the chief's wife, and bought the chief a brand new Colt '70 Government Model .45 (about $65 apiece at the time). The department supplied .45 ammo for practice and duty after that, so we thought it was a very wise "investment".

 

[MikeNice]

What safety is there to disengage on a typical SIG handgun?

I was wrong with my statement. I misunderstood the wording from our armorer. They were having trouble disengaging from the retention holster while drawing and getting their hand in position to shoot. The grip was too large for them to draw with their hand in the firing position.

They would have to grab it one way to disengage the strap over the rear, shift position to maintain proper angle to disengage from the holster, then shift in to a firing grip.

 

[cor_man257]

I don't get your meaning. 180gr or 124gr+P Federal HST rounds are not cheap. They are less powerfull than an M-16 but they are much easier to carry and use at social distances.

Social Distances... Sorry that one really had me goin. Thinking about putting it in the signature.

 

[Prosser]

"In my 55 years on this planet, I have found almost nothing to help me believe that this is true.

Certainly, reading newspapers, watching TV, spending time on the 'net has done nothing to sway my opinion...actually, my experience leads me to believe the exact opposite.

Let me clarify...not idiots. More accurately, idealistic zealots, which is far worse...an idiot will only get it wrong half of the time.
orionengnr"

First year torts class. EVERY CASE reported in the local newspapers turned out to have huge, slanted, bias towards the liberal folks that buy their newspapers.
Everytime we took positions in class on anything, it turned out to be wrong, since the newspapers take no time to verify facts. They win by getting the story out quick, then posting factual retractions in mini type, on the 3rd to last page. I have little doubt that this situation has been accelerated by the internet. Now guys are booked, charged, tried, convicted and sentenced in less then a day on the internet. Joe Paterno was fired after 35 years for reporting something to proper authorities, in less then a day, on what I suspect will turn out to be a mentally unstable person's quest for 15 minutes of fame, and now, fortune.

Now, idealistic zealots? I think you kind of have to be to get through law school, on to the bench, and, I think you can add unbalanced, and undeveloped, due the obsession required to get through law school. Most humans aren't wired for that kind of obsessive addiction, for that period of time.

The good news is some of those zealots actually believe in the Constitution they are sworn to uphold. However, worse are the ones that believe it should be as they read it, after starting with their preconceived prejudices.

Certainly one of the inherent problems with the judicial system is when you are constantly trying murder cases, it's hard to believe that it's the people doing the crime, and not blame the tools. Also, one becomes concerned when you see the kind of people that exist in that/this world, and the stark
reality that the only thing keeping you alive, from them killing you, is superior force, position, or luck.

Only the best can believe, and protect the Second Amendment, knowing that it increases the likelyhood of their own demise.