Why did US LEO's go to semis? Do you want wheelguns back?

[Group9]

It's easy to shoot good when no one is shooting back at you.

Everybody likes to think they would be cool, calm, collected, and shoot just as well in a firefight as they do on the range. In reality, few people are able to compensate for the adrenalin dump that is going to hit when you think you are about to die.

Revolvers are great for those first six shots, and if you are in a gun fight where six shots are all it takes, there is no advantage to having a semi-auto. Reloading a revolver though, even with a speed loader, is going to be a lot harder and slower under stress than putting in a new magazine.

Jeff Cooper used to tell people to go hunting, so that they could experience "buck fever" to get a little insight as to what might happen if they were ever involved in a deadly force situation. Having done both, I have to say that Mr. Cooper knows things.

When I started out in law enforcement, I was issued a Smith and Wesson .357 model 13. If I was target shooting, or just shooting for fun, I would much rather have the Smith than the Glock 22 I now carry. If someone is trying to kill me though, there is no doubt I want the Glock.

 

[car541]

DMF: I sort of agree, depending on the nature of your work.

In patrol, most people end up doing a tremendous amount of their work alone, and when a bad situation arises, often the attribute of that situation which makes it really bad is that it is just you and the bad guy (I would rather have the best gun I can find, even if it different than the nearest guy to me, since he is often 10 miles away). when 20 guys are there, the situation often improves (there are of course exceptions).

In a team situation, the uniformity of weapons is very valuable, which is the situation you find yourself in (I think).

As an example of this, a friend of mine carries a glock 20. clearly it is an extremely effective weapon, but it is just too big for my hand. My smaller hands should not (in our patrol situation) prevent him from carrying what he thinks will keep him alive most effectively.

My objection to the common gun theory is that the entire agency ends up with (in many cases) a lowest common denominator weapon, or, in some cases, smaller officers end up with guns they cannot hold well, or effectively shoot, where a Sig P239 or a BHP will provide them a reasonably effective gun that they can shoot well with small hands (and liberal weapons choice policy will in that case still allow the apes with the large frame glocks or USP 45's to tote their cannons)

So I guess I'm a pro choice liberal (about guns)

ISP2506: You da man.

 

[McCall911]

Auto vs. Revolver for LEOs?

Whatever floats your boat, I suppose.
I'm still sold on the .357 Magnum as the LEO round and will be so for the remainder of my days. Why any LEO would prefer one of the big-bore revolvers over a .357 as a duty weapon is beyond me. However, I'm aware that the .40 S&W auto has made a very impressive showing over its relatively short history, and the 9mm and .45 ACP have also proven themselves up to the task.