What Kind of Gun Do Cops Carry?
When it comes to firearms, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to law enforcement. With a vast array of pistol calibers, shooting styles, and tactical applications, police departments around the world have unique requirements to choose the best firearms for their officers.
Assault Rifles and Machine Guns: What Cops Don’t Typically Carry
Contrary to popular TV and movie portrayals, most police departments do not issue assault rifles or machine guns to their officers for routine duty. These high-powered firearms are typically used by SWAT teams, SWAT units, and other special operations forces, and even then, are usually for specific situations.
Police pistols: The Workhorse for Most Officers
For routine duty, the majority of police officers carry pistols designed for concealed carry, high-precision, and effective stopping power. The types of pistols that are common among police officers include:
- Glock Pistols: These Austrian-made pistols are known for their reliability, ease of maintenance, and stopping power.
- Sig Sauer Pistols: Sig’s P320 series is the current favorite among many departments, with its modular design, precision accuracy, and compact size.
- Smith & Wesson M&P Pistols: Their compact, high-capacity, and affordable designs have made them a popular choice for police forces worldwide.
- H&K Pistols: Heckler & Koch’s USPs and VP-series pistols offer exceptional durability, reliability, and stopping power.
| Police Pistol Calibers |
|.40 S&W | Common in Some Departments, But Phasing Out Due to Over-Penetration Concerns |
| 9mm Luger | Standard Caliber for Most Police Departments, due to effective stopping power, accuracy, and control |
|.45 ACP | Less Popular Due to Cartridge Performance, but Still Used in Some Special Units |
| 10mm AUTO | Increasingly Used in Some Agencies, mainly due to high stopping power and minimal penetration |
Rifles and Shotgun: What Cops Sometimes Carry
When police need a firearm that can dispatch targets at a distance, they may choose a dedicated rifle or shotgun. Types of firearms often used include:
- Remington 870: A widely used, durable, and versatile pump-action shotgun often carried by plainclothes officers and highway patrol officers.
- AR-platform rifles: Carried by some tactical teams, police officers, and special task forces for precise engagements beyond pistol range.
Lightweight, Tactical, or Service Pistols: Choices for Modern Officers
Modular, tactical, or lightweight designs are gaining traction among modern law enforcement for several reasons:
- Lighter Weights and Simplified Maintenance: Allowing officers to respond quickly with minimal downtime and weight loads.
- Ambidextrous Operation: Helping officers operate in various stress scenarios.
- Compromise on Precision and Versatility: Catering to various user needs, ensuring reliable stopping power, magazine capacity, and concealment.
A Look Under the Hood: The Compromise of Self-Defense
Cops often struggle to find a balance between:
- Stops: Quickly dispatching attackers without unnecessary rounds.
- Reactions: Addressing dynamic threats, making precise shots.
In doing so, law enforcement balances precision with self-defense: weighing factors such as trajectory, kinetic energy, accuracy, and, of course, STOPPING POWER, all while staying within protocol guidelines.
The Changing Landscape of Law Enforcement Weapons
Body Cameras, Mobile Communication, and Modern Patrol Vehicles, combined with shifts in duty roles and ever-evolving threat profiles, have resulted in more complex decision-making when selecting a police firearms.
- Training Initiatives: More focus is placed on realistic scenarios and live-fire drills to maximize effectiveness and Situation Awareness.
- Adaptive Calibers: With growing concerns regarding Penetration and Expansion, police units may shift away from cartridges which do not match these updated criteria.
- Evolutionary Technologies: Cutting-edge developments like Stainless Steel Construction, Laser Guidance, Smart Scopes, or Red Dot Sight Installation aim to improve range, accuracy, and shooting efficiency.
In conclusion, when asking the question ‘What kind of gun do cops carry?, most people do not expect to see everything in one piece. Firearms, in police hands, represent an adaptation to multiple situations and criteria. So, as Tactics, Equipment, Technology, and Strategy evolve within law enforcement, it becomes essential for officers to rely on multi-purpose firearms and specialized arms to safeguard our communities."
