Coming to a squad car near you: the Remington R12 VersaMax shotgun. The R12 is a law enforcement version of the popular VersaMax semi-auto shotgun made by Remington. The R12 is currently configured in two different models: the 18" R12 and the 14" R12-E. The standard R12 has an 18" barrel and extended magazine (6+1 rounds). The fore end features a … [Read more...]
Ammunition Failure Warning
Repeated cycling of ammunition can lead to a critical failure according to a training bulletin released by the Gwinnett County (GA) Sheriff's Department. According to the bulletin, a Gwinnett County police officer's pistol failed to fire in a deadly force situation. The officer executed a "tap-rack-bang" drill to get back in the fight and successfully resolved the … [Read more...]
Saiga-12 Shotguns in Law Enforcement?
Reports have come out that the Russian-made Saiga-12 shotguns are being sold to US law enforcement agencies. For those not familiar, the Saiga-12 is a detachable-magazine-fed, semi-automatic shotgun that has a passing resemblance to the AK-47 rifle. The Saiga-12 has been popular with three-gun competition shooters and firearms enthusiasts, but I have not heard of any US law … [Read more...]
Dangerous Carry
I have seen a recent trend in off-duty and concealed firearms carry that strikes me as dangerous. The proliferation of smaller, more powerful handguns has spurred a wave of creative carry ideas that are potentially lethal to the user. I would say these carry methods tend toward the “holsterless” gun. Two examples of this are the carry clip and the pocket … [Read more...]
Massachusetts State Police, Vermont State Police Adopt Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson announced the Massachusetts State Police and Vermont State Police selected the S&W M&P handgun as their primary duty pistol. MSP picked the M&P45 while VSP chose the M&P40. The Massachusetts State Police ordered 2,500 M&P45 pistols. The Vermont State Police ordered 390 of the M&P40 handguns. I'm not sure … [Read more...]
The Tactical Weapon Light – Poor Man’s Laser Sight
If you already have a weapon-mounted flashlight, then by default you possess a quick firearm aiming device...if you do a bit of homework! Laser sights are all the rage and I confess to having purchased a couple. But they are not always financially justifiable or even allowed by policy for many coppers. At half the price, a tactical light can give you a similar service in a … [Read more...]
Defective Ammunition – Checked Your Ammo Lately?
[Ed. note: Defective ammunition is relatively rare, but it does happen. Aaron's experience is not unique. Make sure you check your ammo for damage to prevent potentially dangerous problems.] Recently I attended an Advanced SWAT course that our regional Tactical Officers Association offers each year. During the week of training there are several different range … [Read more...]
Gen4 Glock Recall: Recoil Spring Assembly Problems
A voluntary recall on the recoil spring assembly of Gen 4 Glock pistols started on September 6 and affects all Gen 4 pistols except the G26 and G27. Several department armorers forwarded me a copy of the notice sent out by Glock. The announcement states Glock has initiated a voluntary exchange program for the recoil spring assemblies of every Gen 4 Glock sold before July … [Read more...]
HK USP .45 Pistol Safety Warning
A serious safety issue may develop if you are carrying an HK USP .45 ACP pistol using the Surefire DG-19 grip switch according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. In a safety warning bulletin issued by the LASD, the Weapon Training Unit described a situation where older versions of the DG-19 switch can cause the magazine to drop from the gun by activating the … [Read more...]
Dry Fire Practice – Snap Caps
Dry fire practice can save your butt. Seriously. Spending a few minutes every day working on trigger control and sight alignment through dry firing can translate into huge improvements on the range. Probably the biggest problem anyone has with shooting is trigger control. Learning to master that is probably the biggest thing you can do to become more accurate. One of the … [Read more...]