The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Handguns: General Handgun Forum

View Poll Results: What handgun caliber does your local police department generally use?
.38 1 0.68%
9mm 23 15.65%
.357 2 1.36%
.40 92 62.59%
.45 Colt 1 0.68%
.45 ACP 20 13.61%
.44 Magnum 1 0.68%
Other (please specify) 7 4.76%
Voters: 147. You may not vote on this poll

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old August 4, 2014, 06:18 AM   #26
mfreem08
Member
 
Join Date: October 25, 2012
Posts: 55
Charlotte Police carry Smith .40 (at least last check they did). NCSHP carries .357 Sig. I have been told that's because of better penetration of auto glass..
mfreem08 is offline  
Old August 4, 2014, 11:57 AM   #27
PT-92
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 20, 2007
Location: "Undisclosed Bunker"
Posts: 1,464
Local PD here just switched over from the Beretta 92 to the Glock 17...It was met by critics with the usual concern about the Glock's "safety" or lack thereof but I digress...Nevertheless, all 9mm to be sure.
__________________
NRA Life Member
“A free people ought...to be armed..."
George Washington
PT-92 is offline  
Old August 7, 2014, 01:54 PM   #28
Tom68
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 20, 2011
Location: Alabama
Posts: 349
.40 S&W, 180 grain Speer Gold Dots.
Tom68 is offline  
Old August 7, 2014, 08:37 PM   #29
mrray13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 26, 2008
Location: Missouri
Posts: 911
ISP and one local pd, Cairo, issue G22s. I have seen a few G23s as well. All other departments in the area, Pulaski and Alexander counties, are provide your own, with the majority carrying .40 S&W. There are a few 9mm and .45acp pistols in holsters, and all major players are represented, except Sig. My holster currently cradles an HK USP 40.
mrray13 is offline  
Old August 7, 2014, 08:40 PM   #30
KyJim
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 26, 2005
Location: The Bluegrass
Posts: 9,135
The ones down the hall from me use .40 S&W.
KyJim is offline  
Old August 7, 2014, 08:45 PM   #31
skizzums
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 1, 2013
Location: Douglasville, Ga
Posts: 4,615
I am not sure if all states have this available, but here in Georgia, if your a police officer, fire or medic, you can go to the police glock distributor and get your pick of the standard 9-40-45 for 399$. even though the offer is on the table, I still haven't gotten a glock, maybe someday though
__________________
My head is bloody, but unbowed
skizzums is offline  
Old August 9, 2014, 09:07 PM   #32
Fugit1ve Wizard
Member
 
Join Date: December 26, 2013
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 67
Local Pd mostly carries .40 caliber Glocks but the sergeant carries an M&P .45. Grafton County Sheriffs carry M&P .40s as standard issue. All squad cars I've seen have both a rifle and shotgun also.
__________________
There are many like it, but this one is mine.
Fugit1ve Wizard is offline  
Old August 10, 2014, 03:53 AM   #33
Departed402
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 25, 2009
Location: Midwest
Posts: 884
My agency carries .45, as does the State Patrol. My agency has some off-duty guns that can be checked out chambered in .357SIG. Most agencies in Nebraska seem to carry .40.

I carry a 9mm off-duty.
__________________
Slow is Smooth. Smooth is Fast.
Departed402 is offline  
Old August 10, 2014, 08:10 AM   #34
Hawg
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 8, 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 16,175
Most carry Glock 9 MM but one sheriffs deputy carries a Uberti Cattleman in .45 Colt.
Hawg is offline  
Old August 10, 2014, 10:15 PM   #35
Webleymkv
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 20, 2005
Location: Indiana
Posts: 10,433
City PD uses a .40 S&W Glock, I assume a G22 but I suppose it could be a G23 as I never really paid that close attention. Sheriff's Dept. uses 9mm Sigs, both 226 and 228 are authorized though one deputy told me they were pushing to switch to .357 Sig. Indiana State Police recently decided to switch from 9mm Glock 17's to .45 ACP Sig 227's.

As to the previous poster's disbelief that a cop in this day and age would carry a .44 Magnum, I could believe it if the officer was in a very rural jurisdiction where threats are just as likely, if not more likely, to be four-legged as two.
Webleymkv is offline  
Old August 12, 2014, 05:01 PM   #36
Paul B.
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 28, 1999
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 3,790
Many years back when I lived in Nevada, there was a Highway Patrolman who carried a .44 magnum. He was told that if he could qualify with it it he could carry it. here also used to be a motorcylce cop in San Francisco that worked the Fillmore distrct that packed a .44 magnum. Even made it into the San Francisco newspapers. Guess it was the same type deal, if he could qualify use it. I always wondered if Madame Mayor Feinstein made him quit carrying it? I moved out and never heard.
I think Tucson PG carries .40's of some kind, Sgeriffs I've seen had 1911's and the Game & Fish smokies had SIG 40's. I noticed them more working in the Hunter Ed program.
Paul B.
__________________
COMPROMISE IS NOT AN OPTION!
Paul B. is offline  
Old August 12, 2014, 10:53 PM   #37
ftttu
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 27, 2011
Posts: 226
.40 S&W
ftttu is offline  
Old August 13, 2014, 11:41 PM   #38
jgcoastie
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 15, 2009
Location: Kodiak, Alaska
Posts: 2,118
Local PD: Glock G22 .40 S&W 180gr Federal Hydra Shok
State Troopers: Glock G22 .40 S&W 180gr Winchester Ranger & 180gr Federal Hyrda Shok
USCG: SigSauer P229DAK .40 S&W 180gr Winchester Ranger
__________________
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them." -Richard Henry Lee, Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress, initiator of the Declaration of Independence, and member of the first Senate, which passed the Bill of Rights.
jgcoastie is offline  
Old August 14, 2014, 10:31 AM   #39
grizz223
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 19, 2013
Location: Fl
Posts: 204
Hmm let me look in my holster. Oh it's a Glock 19 in 9mm. But a lot of our Deputies carry Sig's . But it has to be in 9mm for some reason no one can explain to me.
__________________
NRA Life member. Deputy Sheriff.
grizz223 is offline  
Old August 16, 2014, 10:16 PM   #40
5whiskey
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 23, 2005
Location: US
Posts: 3,640
My agency carried P220s in .45 for 14 years until this year... now we have the P227 in .45, but 3 more rounds. Our sister city carries H&K45, the County I live in carries Glock 21s. I know of another agency up the road a bit that carries the P220 also. So with that being said... .45 is the preferred choice around here.
5whiskey is offline  
Old August 17, 2014, 12:01 PM   #41
hlds54
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 3, 2011
Location: Martinsburg WV
Posts: 174
local City PD carries Sig p220 in 45 ACP, and from some pics I've seen, also use ar-15's in 9mm. Sheriff's department carries Glock 22 in .40, state police I believe are S&W DA/SA autos in .45
__________________
"Survival favors the prepared mind."
hlds54 is offline  
Old August 17, 2014, 06:57 PM   #42
5whiskey
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 23, 2005
Location: US
Posts: 3,640
Looking at the poll, I'm really surprised that .357 only has one response. It's beginning to be a popular round.

Quote:
NCSHP carries .357 Sig. I have been told that's because of better penetration of auto glass..
That may have been why they went to the .357 sig, but they keep it because of it's stoppage rate. I spoke with a regional 1stsgt and firearms trainer a few weeks ago and he said that they would likely never switch calibers because of the effectiveness of the round. I put the numbers he told me in the original post but decided to edit... let's just say stoppage rate I was told is extremely good.

The M&Ps that the NCSHP uses? Yeah... that's another story. They're not as proud of them and will likely make a platform change soon.



On another note... .40S&W is seriously winning by that large of a margin? Don't get me wrong, I like the round and I think it is about the perfect compromise between size (for magazine capacity) and performance, but I didn't think it would be that widely used.
5whiskey is offline  
Old August 18, 2014, 01:23 PM   #43
458winshooter
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 16, 2008
Location: Transplanted to Ridgeland,SC
Posts: 606
police carry

I am not sure if they carry personally owned or issued but almost all carry a 40 a few carry 10 mm.I see more Springfields than Glocks though.
458winshooter is offline  
Old August 18, 2014, 01:37 PM   #44
manta49
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 15, 2011
Location: N Ireland. UK.
Posts: 1,809
9 MM like most of the worlds police forces. The .40 and .45 are only popular in America.
manta49 is offline  
Old August 18, 2014, 06:26 PM   #45
sigpro2340
Member
 
Join Date: July 7, 2014
Posts: 61
Glock 22 .40 cal
sigpro2340 is offline  
Old August 18, 2014, 09:12 PM   #46
saleen322
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 8, 2010
Posts: 778
Move to 9mm

I recently attended a LE firearms instructor course and during the breaks several departments mentioned going to 9mms. They stated the main reason was that people of smaller size, female officers, and officers with little firearms experience shot higher qualification scores with the 9mm than the 40 during trials with multiple calibers. That would seem logical that a pistol with less recoil would perform better in accuracy for people who don't shoot a lot.
saleen322 is offline  
Old August 19, 2014, 08:10 AM   #47
hlds54
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 3, 2011
Location: Martinsburg WV
Posts: 174
My father is a police officer ( not locally), has been for 23 years, when he first joined the department in the early 90's, the standard issue gear was West German Sig p226 in 9mm, and Beretta semi auto 12ga shotguns. About five years ago, they switched to gen 3 glock 22 and 23 in .40. He had told me earlier this year, the department was looking to upgrade to gen 4 glocks, and possibly go back to 9mm, well a month or so ago, they finally decided to stick with .40, but go to the gen 4 glocks. TH
__________________
"Survival favors the prepared mind."
hlds54 is offline  
Old August 19, 2014, 08:15 AM   #48
hlds54
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 3, 2011
Location: Martinsburg WV
Posts: 174
My father is a police officer ( not locally), has been for 23 years, when he first joined the department in the early 90's, the standard issue gear was West German Sig p226 in 9mm, and Beretta semi auto 12ga shotguns. About five years ago, they switched to gen 3 glock 22 and 23 in .40. He had told me earlier this year, the department was looking to upgrade to gen 4 glocks, and possibly go back to 9mm, well a month or so ago, they finally decided to stick with .40, but go to the gen 4 glocks, but here's the twist: guys and gals in uniform are going to be issued glock 35 ( the competition oriented model) and plainclothes guys will carry the glock 23. The idea behind the 35 is, as a whole, the departments qualification scores are less-than great, so by issuing the 35 with it's longer sight radius, they believe accuracy will improve. Again, back when he first joined, and for several years after, they issued ruger mini 14 as patrol rifles, then several years back, they upgraded to bushmaster ar-15s.
__________________
"Survival favors the prepared mind."

Last edited by hlds54; August 19, 2014 at 08:33 AM.
hlds54 is offline  
Old August 20, 2014, 10:47 PM   #49
jmay
Member
 
Join Date: July 31, 2013
Location: Dallas Tejas
Posts: 53
Dallas Police carry a Sig in 40 S&W as most other neighboring departments.
jmay is offline  
Old September 14, 2014, 10:33 PM   #50
Jeff #111
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 25, 2001
Location: Idaho
Posts: 1,072
The bulk of the officers with my department carry the GLOCK 21 (45ACP). A handful of us (to include me) carry the GLOCK 19 (9mm). The sheriff department carries the GLOCK 17 (9mm). Our neighboring city carries the GLOCK 21.
Jeff #111 is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:21 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.12043 seconds with 11 queries