police academy

[Persuader]

i start the police academy in january and was considering useing the glock 23 for my fireamrs qulification. i was wonder what you guys would recomend as a starting hand gun for me to use.

[KenpoTex]

Something in 9mm (glock 17 or 19, S&W M&P 9, etc.)...it'll be easier to shoot, and a lot cheaper if you have to buy your own ammo.

[KLRANGL]

If you plan on using a Glock 23 for qualification, then I suggest you start with a Glock 23...
And then practice practice practice (live and dry fire). Get some professional instruction if possible.
January is not far off...

[LordTio3]

Buy a Glock 23. Then spend about $100 and buy a 9mm barrel from Lone Wolf; you can get them online no problem. Get some Glock 19 magazines and practice with 9mm. Get good. Switch back to .40. Get better. Qualify.

In that order.

~LT

[Erik]

"If you plan on using a Glock 23 for qualification, then I suggest you start with a Glock 23... And then practice practice practice (live and dry fire). Get some professional instruction if possible."

This.

Decide on another pistol? The same.

[Madcap_Magician]

Did you see whether or not you need to bring your own gun or use the academy's guns? Or if there are any brand/caliber/type restrictions?

[kraigwy]

Real Cops carry revolvers.

[Erik]

You meant "carried," right? ;-)

[kx592]

I see your in another state than I am but, the director of the academy I will be attending has instructed us not to practice excessively before going it. Reason, as he puts it, is because recruits tend to practice "bad habits". He says it is harder to correct a habit than to train from scratch.

Also you may want to buy whatever model your state uses, search or ask around your local PD's and see if they have options or a service model everyone has to use, you may want to get what there using now. If you have a choice than go with what you like.

[ChileVerde1]

Find out what your Department's approved carry list is and pick from there. Also, some departments have issue weapons that they issue to you to carry and then have approved lists so that you can buy and personally own your service weapon. I would go with whatever they issue or whatever is on their approved list.

It's a lot easier when you own or have a weapon that matches all the gear they issue to you i.e. holsters, etc... Years ago my agency issued Smith and Wesson 686 but you could carry Glock 22, Sig 226, and Beretta 96D's if you bought them out of pocket. Trouble was, they only issued holsters, etc... for the 686 so anything else you were out of pocket for. I would also see what caliber service weapons they issue before I chose any specific caliber based on its merits. I bet .40SW is a safe bet 95% of the time though. Every where's different but I hope this helps. It's been a while since any academies for me!

Also, as a current USBP firearms instructor, KX592's advise to "not to practice excessively before going" is very wise. You will have to unlearn bad habits. I was a self-taught pistol shooter and had a heck of a time becoming more than a mediocre shot because of all the recreational practice shooting I had done and the subsequent bad habits I had formed. It really took a lot of undoing and repetitions with good habits to finally shoot distinguished expert. Not so with the rifle as I had been formally trained.

It's always easier as an FI to teach good marksmanship to a person who has no shooting experience than a person who has done a lot of informal shooting or who has had inadequate training.

[raimius]

If you take a basic pistol class, you should be OK. Sight alignment and trigger squeeze stay consistent throughout most shooting programs. If you don't know what techniques your department uses, you may not want to pursue any advanced material.

[Glenn Dee]

lol KRAIGWAY...

I'm sure that the Police academy will have a list of authorized pistols. If you have been hired by a department, use what they use. If not I'd find the most common issue/authorized pistol in your area and go with that gun/caliber.

As far as practice... The firearms instructors in the police academy will take you from pure greenie, to quaified professional if you relax and pay attention. Besides... In my own experience... Nothing tweaks off a law enforcement instructor more than you coming in and hitting the bull's eye consistantly, while doing it all wrong. lol Despite what some may say... I dont believe there is a wrong way to be accurate. In fact there are many paths to the same place. Firearms instructors are responsible for the lives, and safety of everyone in the class, and all the instructors. They have developed technique that can work for 99% of people. Keeping in mind that most of your class will not share your enthusiasm for firearms. Some may bairly qualify... and not have a problem with that. You become the problem child... even if you shoot in the high 90's every time.

Just a few thoughts, and ramblings from an old (real) cop

Glenn Dee

P/S good luck in the academy. Listen to your instructors... They know what they are talking about.