Any suggestions on a duty weapon?

I am partial to S & W. Check this out. http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/serv...

Asking which handgun you should purchase for is kind of like asking what car you should purchase. You are going to get a lot of different suggestions about what is the "best" one. A great deal of it boils down to what weapon not only fits the department's parameter, but also what weapon specifically works for YOU.

I see a lot of suggestions for the Sig P229 and P226. Both are excellent weapons and they come in 9mm, 357 sig, and .40 cal. I previously carried a P229 in .40 (I now carry a USP 45 for SWAT) while working patrol, but I also own a P226. The 226 and 229 are very similar, with the exception of the 226 being a bit larger. Advantage of the P226 is that it is larger; therefore it carries more rounds and it has a longer sighting plane/barrel for greater accuracy. Advantage of the P229 is that it's accuracy is very very close to the P226 and it is still compact enough to carry off duty.

Other quality weapons for police work include the HK USP, Springfield XD and the Glocks. Bottom line is that the majority (but not all) of handguns that are produced by the major handgun manufacturers are pretty darn good quality now days, so I suggest that you find a range that rents guns and/or find a friend that owns one of the major manufactuers and you fire a box or two of ammunition. Buying a handgun is like buying a car in that you wouldn't just blindly purchase a car off of someone's suggestion, you would test drive it first to make sure it works for you.

As for caliber, don't get too wrapped up around the axle. 9mm, 40 cal, 45, 357 sig will all work just fine so long as you do your part in putting the round where it is supposed to be in the bad guy's body. All the BS about a 9mm not being able to stop someone is just that...BS. Of all the people that tell you this, ask them if they have ever shot someone or personally witnessed someone get hit with a 9mm and the bad guy just walked away. Instead, they are going to tell you about how they heard that this is what happened or they read somewhere about how this happened. Before becoming a cop, I was a Green Beret and I served in both sand boxes. One of my fellow green beret's dropped a dude with his 9mm using military FMJ. On the other hand, my junior gave a guy a burst from his M134 Mini-gun and they guy didn't drop immediately, he had to be hit with a second burst. So what does that tell you? Sometimes even multiple hits with by a 7.62x51mm may not drop a guy instantly. Same goes for 45, 357 sig, 40 cal. Shot placement is everything, so pick out which ever caliber YOU shoot well with.

If you do test fire a Sig and you the weapon fits you well, you might want to take a look at the factory recertified Sigs. Many police department (mine included) turn their Sigs back to Sig Sauer for trade in credit to purchase newer models. Sig takes these trade ins and they refurbish and recertifiy these weapons back to darn near new condition. The advantage to these recertified weapons is that they are are cheaper than a new sig AND they come with a factory Sig warranty. When you look at a gunshop display, you can usually identify a factory recertified Sig by the red tape around the grip. If you don't see one, you can ask the gun shop if they can get them and get a price quote at the same time.

I wish you good luck with your weapons search and I would also like to welcome you to the ranks of the Law Enforcement brotherhood.

Well, my personal favorite duty weapon is a Sig P226 in .40 caliber. It fits my hand like a glove and shoots like a dream. That comes at the a very steep price though (compared to Glock, Springfield ect).

Really though, a Glock 22 is the safest bet. I'm not the biggest fan of Glocks (they just don't fit my hand well), but they are solid weapons that will serve you reliably for years. Also the Glock 22 is the most common Law Enforcement weapon. So you will see it in a lot of holsters in most areas.

Aside from Glock, almost all major gun manufacturers make pistols designed as police duty weapons (Springfield, Ruger, HK, Glock, Taurus, Beretta, Sig, Smith and Wesson, ect). For the most part, they all are reliable, chambered in a variety of calibers (9mm, 357 sig, .40, .45 being the most common) and suitable for the task at hand. Check out all their offerings, test fire a few of them and pick what suits you the best.

Added: Just to agree with the people that like the Springfield, I have a .40 XD and it does seem to go in my hand a lot better than a Glock and the trigger seems smoother. Check one out if you aren't thrilled with Glock's offerings.

Check out what the possible departments you are looking at allow.

I was amazed at the quality and accuracy I had with the Springfield XD in .40.

I was a dick and handled a lot of OIS cases and homicides. The .40 seems to do the job for urban sidearm work. The only round I found better was the .44 special for revolvers. I assume not an option for modern police.

I don't own a pistol but the ones I would like are the Beretta 92F 9mm or a Taurus PT-92 9mm. These two are my preferences but these do come in .40cal also. As for me, I have held the others listed by other answers and was not impressed by the Glock or SIG-Sauer, Ruger, Colt, Smith & Wesson, or Browning. To me these listed either looked like toy guns or cap guns and others too big or awkward in my hands.

I know everyone else is telling you Glock and SIG-Sauer but it is your personal choice. Test fire any or all of the above before just buying one as this will give you an idea of which weapon you like. Choose wisely as the weapon you get may save you one day, and if you don't like it it won't do you justice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beretta_92

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurus_PT92

A phone with which to dial 911, good locks on the doors and windows, and no obvious wealth visible to the outside. 99% of household crime will be prevented by not making yourself an obvious target and by making a would-be thief have to work to get inside - they'll go somewhere else. In the extremely, extremely unlikely event that someone did try to get into your house, you call the police and take shelter in a defensible room, like a closet or bathroom. If that room locks, even better. However, this is not something you should actually be worried about - the world is not as dangerous as people with a reason to make it seem so will claim. Beyond that, common sense - don't go walking around dangerous parts of town alone, don't talk to strangers, etc.

You should try looking into the Springfield Armory .40 XD. It comes highly rated for both durability and reliability, and is a big competitor to the Glock. Interestingly, you will find it takes features from the Sig Sauer, Glock, and 1911. I have included a number of links which detail the handgun itself. It's worth a look, and it is priced in your range. Best of luck!

Jasper said it best. Look for the 5" tactical model in .40 cal. Great gun for the price.

A couple of things though:

1. It needs to fire, without mishap, every single time you pull the trigger.

2. You need to hit the target, every single time you pull the trigger.

If you or your pistol fail in either, it isn't worth it.

And for those who say the 9mm has no stopping power I say this. The FBI did a study of actual shootings over a 20 year period, pre .40 cal. Part of the study showed the percentage of one shot stops. 9mm FMJ +P+ beat the .45 by a couple of percent. The reason? Likely due to the less recoil, weight and the fact a 9mm is easier to shoot, thus easier to hit a target.

Again, it does not matter if you choose a .50 ae Desert Eagle. If you can't hit the broadside of a barn, knock down power is meaningless.

Glock 22 in .40. You will not get a better weapon for the price. High quality, accurate and dependable under all conditions. It is also very user friendly for field service. I have carried Glock pistols as primary and secondary duty weapons over 20 years and have never had a weapon related failure. If you want a slightly longer barrel and sight radius look at the Glock 35 in .40. same grip and magazine size, longer barrel.

H&K and Ruger make good guns. I would say you have the right idea going with a .40, or even a .45. You want stopping power and 9mm just don't have that. A .50 would be too much power and it can only carry 8 rounds in a clip.

For the money, you can't beat the Glock model 22 .40 cal.. Extremely reliable and very accurate. I also find it to be a very comfortable firearm. Plus, you won't spend $700 on one. More like $450 range.