Houston LEOs I got ?'s

[dozerboy]

What is the standard issue pistol? And from my understanding a LEO can switch to a piston of there choice, what requirment are there to do this?

Thanks

[Mac Truck]

HPD or County?

[dozerboy]

HPD

Thanks

[kdmill_1]

HPD's current policy (except those grandfathered in under the old policy) requires individual purchase, .40 cal, with decocker.
(as per my 20 yr. veteran HPD Sgt. brother whom I just got off the phone with)

[rbraughn]

KDmill 1,

So they can't carry Glocks? (no decocker), or are they considered Double action and allowed.....seems like a strange policy if I'm understanding you correctly.

[Mac Truck]

Now, Please allow me to preface this post by saying that I may be speaking straight from where the sun don't shine, but my understanding is that HPD has individual purchase policy, offering LEO discounts on the allowable and approved pistols. The last I heard, those models include the Glock 22 (Glock 23 for female officers if necessary), Sig P229, Beretta, S&W Revolvers in .357, and certain models of the semi-auto S&W. My next door neighbor is an 8yr HPD officer and grandfathered into the rule. He carries a Sig .45 that he has carried since he was a rookie, and off duty carries a Glock 30 or S&W Airweight .38 depending on his attire.

I do a lot of work with the Constable's Office, and their rule the last time I asked, was you can carry pretty much anything 9mm or bigger, with which you are proficient enough to qualify. Pct.4 seems to carry Glocks pretty exclusively from what I've seen.

Of course I'm being fecitious, but I have a habit of id'ing the pistol of every cop that I see, and I can't remember ever seeing a Sheriff's Deputy that wasn't carrying either a 1911 or a S&W Revolver. I don't know their duty-carry rule, but it seems that I've heard its kind of the same as the Constable's, although I could be just making that up.

DPS carry Sig .357 Sigs. Period. I had a 20 minute conversation with a Trooper that was working an extra job at Academy the other night while he was watching the lot, and those boys are SOLD on that gun and that round. The Trooper with whom I was talking had a full-size (don't know the model # of Sigs) on his hip and the compact on his ankle. He was the kind of cop that I think we all think WE would be if we were LEO's. He dead-eyed told me that he carries two on him at all times, even off duty, concealing his duty weapon in an IWB holster and securing the back up on his ankle. I asked if he ever wore shorts but he didn't even chuckle, and replied flatly "no".


General Mac Truck Disclaimer:
MAYBE 31-33% of what comes out of my mouth is actual verifiable fact, so this could all just be info that went into one ear, turned into something else, and then spurted out of my mouth (fingers), morphed into completely different info. Those that know me will argue with that percentage, and will insist that it is WAY TOO HIGH.

[dozerboy]

Thanks I was asked by a friend that wants to join the HDP if I knew, he is a fan of the XD.

[G.C.Montgomery]

I'll ask a friend who is an instructor for HPD for the current list. Here's what I know as of right now...The Glock 22 is specifically allowed by HPD. A recent recommendation for the M&P in .40 was submitted for approval by the chief. Other than that, the Sig P229 is also allowed. The only two other guns I know were allowed by HPD are no longer manufactured...The Beretta Cougar and S&W 4006. I think HPD might have allowed the PX4 since that pistol is mechanically similar to the Cougar in that it features the same rotating barrel system and decocker. The primary difference is the magazine and the slide's profile. The last I heard, the XD is not allowed. That may change but at the time it was being evaluated, SA was having a number of problems with the trigger springs breaking. This tends to turn XD's into boat-anchors because the gun must be disassembled before it can be made to fire again.

HCSO does allow 1911's. I unfortunately had a 25yr vet come to me complaining part of her gun went downrange. She had just recently switched to the 1911 after her "friends" in ERT told her she needed to carry a 1911 and supposedly setup a Springfield 1911 just for her. The long end of her two-piece, full-length guide-rod, had unscrewed itself and was tossed downrange as the slide went back into battery. I ended up replacing the part with a simpler standard guide-rod and plug because she didn't understand the need to use a hex-wrench to disassemble the guide-rod before field stripping. I will not forget her excuse for not knowing anything about her gun, though. She told me over and over, "I don't know anything about guns...I'm not a gun nut"

[Mac Truck]

The Glock 22 is specifically allowed by HPD. A recent recommendation for the M&P in .40 was submitted for approval by the chief. Other than that, the Sig P229 is also allowed. The only two other guns I know were allowed by HPD are no longer manufactured...The Beretta Cougar and S&W 4006. The last I heard, the XD is not allowed. That may change but at the time it was being evaluated, SA was having a number of problems with the trigger springs breaking. This tends to turn XD's into boat-anchors because the gun must be disassembled before it can be made to fire again.

She told me over and over, "I don't know anything about guns...I'm not a gun nut"

That quote absolutely infuriates me. She sounds like some kind of whining lib. Maybe she should replace that 1911 with a pretty flower, and just hand it to the badguys instead of shooting at them. After all, she's not a gun nut, its ONLY HER LIFE that is on the line!

GCM, is this Greg? It has to be! You actually converted my Old Man from being a Glock Nut to being an M&P fanatic! You let him handle yours at TopGun one night, and he bought one at the next gun show. I don't think that he has shot anything else since.

[Mac Truck]

By the way, "Comp-Tac Greg" is one of the best, most patient and informative instructors out there. His match shoots are top notch and his classes will change your view on just about everything that you once thought was safe. Great guy. So is JB, the Comp-Tac GM. These guys REALLY know this business backward and forward.

[G.C.Montgomery]

No, not Gregg...But people get me and "Tinkerbell" confused occasionally. I mean, Gregg's got that little ballerina type body and piercing blue eyes. I'm the 320lb, 6'2" black bear with whom he occasionally associates.

The M&P is a great pistol and Gregg is a huge fan of the design. I'm warming up to it myself but I'm not quite as sold on it as Gregg. Of course, Gregg has put a several thousand rounds downrange through that system where as I've put just a couple hundred through it at best. I am a little more enthusiastic about the .45ACP version but it's hard to get excited about new guns the older I get.

[Liberty]

HCSO does allow 1911's. I unfortunately had a 25yr vet come to me complaining part of her gun went downrange. She had just recently switched to the 1911 after her "friends" in ERT told her she needed to carry a 1911 and supposedly setup a Springfield 1911 just for her. The long end of her two-piece, full-length guide-rod, had unscrewed itself and was tossed downrange as the slide went back into battery. I ended up replacing the part with a simpler standard guide-rod and plug because she didn't understand the need to use a hex-wrench to disassemble the guide-rod before field stripping. I will not forget her excuse for not knowing anything about her gun, though. She told me over and over, "I don't know anything about guns...I'm not a gun nut"

I don't know much about various versions of 1911s, but it is a good idea to have as a service weapon or carry gun anything that requires tools to fieldstrip?

[gregthehand]

[quote="G.C.Montgomery"]
HCSO does allow 1911's. quote]

I know a good amount of deputys that carry them.. Is this new?

[Skiprr]

No, not Gregg...But people get me and "Tinkerbell" confused occasionally.

"Tinkerbell." Priceless.

[G.C.Montgomery]

HCSO does allow 1911's. quote]

I know a good amount of deputys that carry them.. Is this new?

Nothing new to my knowledge...They've been able to carry them for as long as I can remember. I just don't see many younger deputies carry them.