Your Issued Firearm (Military and LE)

[Rexster]

LE here.

1. None and none. AR15 and Mini-14 are the authorized rifles, Remington 870 and Benelli M1 and M2 are the authorized shotguns, and seven models of double-stack .40 autos are the authorized primary duty handguns. We buy our own. Most LEOs in the USA buy their own firearms!

2. Not really; the choices are adequate. The mandated rifle training and quals can be difficult to schedule, making it problematic to keep up one's certification.

I am prohibited from discussing these subjects in social media, while being identifiable as a member of my PD.

 

[skoro]

First Question: What was your issued service rifle (LEOs can add/substitute their shotgun) and pistol?

rifle: M16a1

pistol: M1911a1

Second Question: Was there a different gun(s) you would have preferred to carry if you had been a choice?

I was OK with the M16, but would have preferred the M14.

 

[Al Thompson]

Started my military (Army) career with an M16E1 built by GM Hydra-matic. Ran fine. Second was an M60 LMG. Issued 1911s, M16A1s, M203s, transitioned to M16A2s, carried a M9 in Iraq and had access to M4s when we went out of the wire.

For specific instances, I would have rather carried something else, but generally everything worked OK. What I did see was that as weapons wore slap out, the Army was slow to replace them. I. E., in Germany in the late '80's, our M60s were starting to pop rivets and break. Go to the range, lose an M60 on average. Talking to the 4th ID guys in Baghdad, looked like the SAWs were wearing out as well. When we first got them (1986), the SAW ran like a sewing machine.

As for 1911s, again in the late '80's, they were having accuracy problems. Got to remember, the last time the Army purchased 1911A1s was in 1945.

 

[EmGeeGeorge]

In Navy...

M9, M500, M-16 and variants, M60, M203, M2...

Post-Navy...

was issued a Sig 229 in .40... x 26 taser, spray...

 

[wishin]

Army. Initially it was the M-1 Garand. Then I became a tanker and we were issued .45 submachine guns and personal .45 1911's. later, as an officer in Vietnam the .45 pistol, although we were also issued M16's. Somewhere in between, the M-14 was issued, but I never actually carried one. We were required to qualify with them all in one of our line units though.

 

[Furncliff]

Basic training USAF, qualified with the M1 Carbine. That's the last time I even saw a weapon that wasn't attached to an aircraft.

 

[Hanzerik]

USAF 1988-Present
M-16A1
M-15
M-60
M-203
M-9
M-16A2
GAU/GUU-5
M-4

 

[wideym]

M16A1 and M60 in basic. Carried an M3 Greasegun and 1911 for the first six months after basic, then went to M16A2, sometimes with M203, M249, although my primary weapon was the TOW II anti tank missle system.

Several years later my unit at Ft. Campbell tansitioned to M4s, M2 .50cals, and MK19s, and lastly in the Nat.Guard I was a M240B gunner.

I prefered the 240B, because nothing beats a belt fed weapon.

 

[thralldad]

Last deployment:

M4 and Beretta

We were able to get some M-14 EBRs which rocked in Afghanistan!

 

[MedWheeler]

It was quite a while back, so these are rarely carried by memebers of the profession.
Hired by a police department in December of 1987. Issue sidearm was the Smith and Wesson Model 67, which is a stainless revolver in 38 S&W Special. Duty load was the Winchester 95-grain STHP in +P. I thought, as did others, that this way way too light a bullet. The department did not issue a BU/OD weapon, but permitted them by way of not having any regulations against them. I bought (the day I was hired) a Charter Arms Undercover 38 from the uniform shop I was taken to for fitting for such carry.
In June of 1990, I went to a bigger agency in a neighboring city. This department issued the Ruger P-85, a DA/SA semi-automatic pistol in 9x19mm caliber. Duty ammunition was the Federal 115-grain JHP load. Backup carry was permitted, and off-duty carry was required when inside the city. My Undercover 38 was not among the guns on the "approved" list, so I bought a Walther PPK/S for such carry. I do not remember the load I carried.

Oh, the shotguns: There was one in each car (we were not issued either shotguns or vehicles.) The first department had the Mossberg 500 with a seven-round magazine, and five more on a buttstock sleeve. Three of the sleeve rounds were slugs; the remaining were 00 buck. The second agency used the Remington 870 with five rounds of 00 buck. There were no spare rounds offered.

 

[MudPuppy]

Issued an M16A1 in the mid 80s, was enamored at the time with AKs. Having a troublesome rifle in basic didn't help.

I didn't really have a problem with the rifles issued after boot camp, but was happy to have the 203.

We also generally thought our 1911s were rattletraps and the M9s were so sexy, but not yet available to our division (I think Marines and maybe the 82nd had them, along with the A2s).

Interestingly, we thought about the same of the M60 and wanted those new slick SAWs.

It's interesting that there's so many with the ARs, M9s, and SAWs that yearn for the old "junk" we were saddled with--the grass is always greener I guess.

(For the record, I know personally have and AR and 1911--but no M60 at the moment!)

 

[fragout]

U.S. Army Infantry 1988 to present

Just about everything issued in that time frame, along with a few that were not exactly issued.

I personally like the M4 as the general issued weapon it is today....Army wide.

It is light, compact, and handy for use by most of the Army, and serves the purpose of having something for self defense. Most of the personnel in an Army are comprised of combat support, and combat service support type of units......and their primary function is to keep the "beans and bullets" flowing in an orderly fashion. Without the hard work these types of units provide, the end results of any combat operations would resemble that of a huge cluster "mess"...so to speak. This ...combined with various types of combat support units who generally focus on using other types of crew served weapons systems, make a weapon such as the M4 a very decent "have on you at all times" kinda weapon from my experience.

With that being said, I personally prefer 7.62x51mm rifles, and the M14 to be more specific. The list of the reasons as to why I prefer it would be rather long. My choice is based on past deployments, and to some extent, the deployment I am on currently.

11B

 

[Fleet]

1911A1, Mossberg 500, M16A2 and 19" or 21" torpedo tubes. The tubes were the most useful.

 

[vetts1911]

Navy 1984 to 2004

1984 to 1996 M1911 and M14

1996 to 2004 Sig228 and M14

 

[JShirley]

Doru,

Where were/are you that you were issued a 1911, but allowed to carry a Glock? Usually those items would be reversed...

As infantry, I trained on an FN M16A4 in basic, late '01. Many malfunctions, especially when crawling in sand. I hated that rifle. I named her Emily.

On post at Fort Lewis, as a mortar gunner, I was issued an M9 until we had enough M4s. When I was reactivated and sent to Afghanistan, I also used an M4.

I like M4s, and a 16" short-stocked AR15 carbine is besides my bed now.

John

 

[waterhouse]

When I was in Border Patrol we were issued an HK P2000 in .40.

Austin PD we are required to buy our own, and it must be a S&W M&P .40.

 

[MisterMike]

I can't give you precise models, but I was issued at various times: S&W 38 revolver, Beretta M9, M-16A1, GAU-5, M60, M79 and M203.

 

[janedoedad]

U.S. Navy:

Shipboard: 1911 and 2 magazines with 5 rounds each, not inserted in weapon.
Remington 870 SG with 5 or 10 rounds not inserted in magazine
M-14M (Semi-Automatic) 2 magazines 20 rounds each, not inserted in weapon.

Shore Duty: Generic .38 revolver with empty chamber under hammer and 2 speedloaders.

It has been a few years. . . .

I would have happily traded the revolver for a 1911

 

[unterlegend]

1. M16A4 w/ Trijicon ACOG and PEQ-16
M1014 Benelli (civilian M4 supra I think) for breaching
Barretta M9 pistol (we left them in the armory for most of the deployment)
2. I would have liked to have an M4 or an M16A2 (weight issues carrying an extra weapon, ammo, and detonation materials) and I would have liked iron sights.
I liked my M1014 (the only problem was our DoD breaching rounds couldn't cycle right)

I am USMC infantry and on deployment I was a breacher.

 

[TexasBill]

When I was in Border Patrol we were issued an HK P2000 in .40.

Austin PD we are required to buy our own, and it must be a S&W M&P .40.

Bummer! Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, Austin PD used to issue some sweet weapons, like the 3.5-inch-barreled S&W Model 27 in nickel with .38 Special Super Vel 110-grain JHPs. Heaven help you if you got caught with the .357 Magnum Super Vels - we used to reload privately purchased SV .38s with the Magnum powder load. Issue gear also included Jordan-style holsters made by Cowboy Ellis.

Of course, this was some years ago back when they also had Winchester Model 12 shotguns and a few 1928 Thompsons.

Travis County used S&W Model 28s with the 4-inch barrel. You furnished your own rig.

OD and plain-clothes had whatever they qualified with. Mostly .38s and .357s (Model 19s with the 2.5-inch barrel were popular). At TCSO, there were some .45s but APD was mostly wheelguns. Back then, your choices in a double-action pistol were the S&W M39 or a Walther P-38 or one of the little .380s.

Also had Mace and a 24-inch baton.

I had a nice Done Hume rig with Jordan-style holster (still my favorite). I later switched to a Colt Python.

 

[cliffjr]

When I first entered the Navy I carried an M-14, 870, and 1911 .45. I ended with an M-16, 500 and an M-9. I was much happier with the early years.

 

[postalnut25]

Active Duty USMC- was issued an M9. I was aircrew, what was I supposed to do with a rifle? So I didn't have one.

Currently deployed National Guard- M9. I have an M16A4 with me, but it's of no use. It's been locked up in a connex since I got here. I get a FN303 occasionally inside work. It's fun, too.

I would perfer a smaller frame pistol. The M9 is fine, but it's a little on the large size for small hands. A M&P, Glock or the like would be nice. No use for a Sig, they are still too big and I think they are over rated. Not a big 1911 fan either.

 

[bogie]

I was issued a Harrington & Richardson...

 

[SmokeySam81]

USMC Infantry, Iraq.

at various times I carried: M16a4, m16a4 w/203, m249, m4, and the m9.
Most of the time I spent with the M16a4, with an ARCOG on top, and various other gizmos. I only carried an m9 for a few months, they don't feel grunts deserve them very often.

Wanted: m14 or ar10 variant, preferably with piston instead of gas impingement. I like accuracy and power. For a pistol I would have loved an HK usp in .45, or a 1911, for mostly the same reasons as the rifles.

 

[41magsnub]

Army 94-97

M16A2 (mix of colt and FN) sometimes with an M203

Carried an M9 once on a special detail to the field to train reservists in a classroom setting and in the field. Had to carry a weapon but talked the armorer into taking pity on me.

Was an M60 gunner for a year but transitioned to a M249 halfway through

The mechanics had M3 grease guns but were replaced with M9's in 1996.