I was at a road closure due to a wild land fire and was B.S. ing to the deputy while waiting for the traffic to clear . He was carrying a 1911 with a 4 mag holster and all of his mags had bumpers on them. I suddenly had the feeling as I drove away he was handy with that 1911.
I’d bet he was proficient with it as well.
I’m always a little jealous when I see a fellow LEO who is either given the option to carry his own 1911 or issued a nice 1911 for carry on duty.
It looks cool!
I carry a G-21 SF on duty with the sheriff’s office (reserve). Yesterday was semi-annual qual day. After shooting 100% with my duty gun, I shot a 100 with my G-19. We do three rounds, so I did my 3rd round with the S&W 1911PD that I carry more often than not off duty. The rangemaster remarked that even though I shot 100’s with all three guns, the group with the 1911 was noticeably tighter, more uniform and perfectly centered.
That’s exactly why I carry it. Glocks are great and I’m a strong proponent of them as carry guns, but they’ll never have the great trigger that a 1911 has.
Hmm. I usually think: “Look at this dumb-ass”.
If the gun runs and he rocks with it great, but that ain’t always the case.
Why would you automatically think that?
The two Okaloosa County deputies checking guns at the door of the Fort Walton Beach gun show today were both carrying 1911s. I was a little surprised; every OCSO deputy I’ve seen prior to today has been carrying a Glock.
I’ve never seen an Okaloosa County sheriff’s deputy with anything other than a Glock… Didn’t notice what the one at the door had on yesterday…
Where do you go to shoot?
Wish I was allowed to carry mine on duty. Good on the department.
Only LEO I ever see carrying 1911’s are the tac guys. I’m in the NE, so 1911 is almost as scary as evil black rifles and lacking the 14lb trigger and 97 safety features many of the LEO are stuck with in the region. Maybe there’s some PD some place in the region with 1911’s but I have yet to see to one.
Stereotype I’ve developed over time. Not 100%, but close.
Casually ask 'em about their pistol. They get all puffed up and proud, and tell you about their “real steel 45” or some such nonsense.
Then watch 'em shoot. It’s painful.
1911s are making a come back in law enforcement in my area lately. I have no bad things to say about the 1911 but I don’t think that some of the departments realize the work that is involved in keeping them running.
When I see a guy with a 1911 on duty, I don’t think “I hope he’s a good shot with that” I think, “I hope he’s got a good armorer”.
Do you think they’d do any better shooting a different pistol? If so, which one?
While there are cues, I wouldn’t assume someone is switched on or off, had competencies or lacked them, by the gear they were carrying. There are bunches of clowns out there buying GTG gear from GTG vendors, without a clue other than knowing what’s cool that day.
Had the honor of carrying a 1911 for 24 years. I had to earn that privilege. As I was retiring the new kids wanted to carry 1911s. The chief caved.
Some are squared away. Most weren’t. They were a fucking law suit waiting to happen. if your not going to put the time behind the weapon carry something else, it’s in everybody’s best interest.
DW
After I got out of the mil, I lived in Colorado and was working at a place where a pair of policemen walked in, one had a 1911 and the other a Glock. I asked them how they were doing and told the one officer " A 1911 don’t see many LE carrying those these days." They walked in and talked to the owner of the place and the owner had mentioned that I spent some time in the mil. the Officer on his way out asked if I wanted to go shooting with them that weekend.
Turns out he was a 20 yr patrolman by choice that was also on the SWAT team, had a local range membership and I could go with him every week he the team trained as a guest. I made a good friend that day all over a 1911.
No, they would suck regardless of what they were shooting.
That’s the way I figure it too. The sight of a 1911 doesn’t make them more or less likely to be a duffer. They just draw more scrutiny.
Not unless they lose the moronic ideals and start training.