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Law Officer has narrowed down all the contest submissions to the following five handguns. Now we'd like you to select the final winner!
How to Vote
Please review each handgun image and description before you cast your vote on the Law Officer Facebook poll. Please visit www.facebook.com/lawofficer to find the handgun contest poll question pinned at the top of the page. Please don't post your vote as a comment on the Facebook wall.
When to Vote
Poll question will be posted on the Law Officer Facebook page on Thursday, May 17th (noon PST). The handgun with the most votes by Friday, May 18th (noon PST), wins and will be displayed in print and online! Note: You can only vote once!
Criteria
Law Officer would like to thank everyone who participated and submitted their handgun. If your submission isn't seen here, you weren't selected for the final round. But don't be discouraged, we'll continue to have monthly contests!
I'm one of my department's firearms instructors and I'm also a competitive shooter, so I've had the luxury of shooting many different types of firearms. My department is issued Glock 22s; however, as the C.I.D. Supervisor I was able to convince the chief to allow me to carry a weapon of my choice. After a lot of testing, I picked the 1911 frame, more specifically the Kimber SIS Pro in .45 ACP. The fit to finish of the firearm is amazing. The barrel is a Kimber match barrel and is properly fitted to the slide and the frame. The trigger pull is clean and crisp with absolutely no creep. The safety is ambidextrous so it can be completely operated right or left handed. The sight is a specially modified Kimber fixed sight. Kimber took their rear sight and squared it off. This allows the operator to do a one-handed slide cycle. This is done by pressing the rear sight against their holster, duty belt or other convenient object. Conventional 1911 rear sights have a "ramped" rear sight, which makes one-handed cycling very difficult, if not impossible. The .45 ACP round provides a significant amount of "knockdown" power, and with the weight of this firearm, the recoil is extremely manageable. This is one of the most accurate and reliable 1911s I've ever fired. I'm a pretty good shot, but with this firearm I can produce amazing groups. I take a very specific stance of handguns. I believe they are a valuable tool and are very specific to the operator. I believe each officer should have their choice of firearms to carry, and shoot what's the most comfortable for you. This is a "perfect world" scenario and I realize the issues that can arise from allowing officers to carry different handguns. I was fortunate enough to be allowed to carry the firearm of my choice. I have trusted the Kimber SIS with my life for the past 3 years and will continue too.
Submitted by Brett Mitchell
My duty carry is a Springfield XD .45 Tactical. It holds 13+1, giving it plenty of lead down range. The 32-oz. frame makes the recoil very manageable. Having a 5-inch barrel increases accuracy, velocity and reduces mussel flip. It has several user-friendly safety options, which decrease the chance of accidental discharge. I've put about every kind of ammo through this gun with no malfunctions, making it trustworthy and reliable. This .45's effectiveness, quality and specs makes it a perfect weapon for inside and outside use. I wouldn't trust my life, fellow officers' lives or the public we protect with any other handgun.
Submitted by JP Jones
My department-issued pistol wouldn't be my personal choice, but no department I'm aware of can afford my taste. I would prefer to carry my Wilson Combat 1911 chambered in .45 ACP, but I was issued one of the best all-around pistols readily available. My duty weapon is a Sig Sauer P226R chambered in .357 SIG. In my opinion, the .357 SIG is the best option for a service round if the .45 ACP has been taken off the table. In addition to an awesome pistol, we had Crimson Trace Laser Grips mounted on every pistol on the department. With a Streamlight TLR-1 weapon-mounted light installed on my accessory rail, I have one of the best department-issued side arms one could ask for.
Submitted by Andrew Rau
The Glock 22 is a great all-around handgun. It's not a puzzle like some guns may seem when things hit the fan. As we all know, the Glock is very simple with no external safeties besides the trigger safety. It always fires when you pull the trigger even if it's wet or dry, properly lubricated or dirty. The capacity of 15 rounds per mag with a total of 45 rounds on my belt is more than enough for a sidearm. If you need more, than that it's going to be time for a long gun. I have Glock night sights and a TLR-1 light on board. I have peace of mind with my Glock when it's within reach on duty or off duty. If it happens to be dark out, I look down at my night sights glowing and I know that I have a simple, yet reliable, sidearm in any weather condition, day or night. With two extra mags, I know I have a sufficient amount of rounds to send down range and to achieve only one goal: to stop the threat.
Submitted by Ron Morton
I carry a Ruger sr9. I carried a Glock 22 before, but it never really felt good in my hands. I love that it's stainless steel. I had it submerged in water during a call and never worried about it rusting. It's been one of the most reliable pistols I've owned. If only my Ruger could tell stories, it would have some good ones. I also trust my Ruger to protect my family as well and I know if I need to pull the trigger it will go "bang." Quite often I have people debate the small caliber that I choose. I just tell them shot placement plays a major key, not caliber. I also carry a 9mm because the rest of the guys I work with carry a 9mm of some sort. We're a tiny department, so commonality is nice.
Submitted by Joey Bronson
Glock 21. It has more round capacity than most handguns on the market at 13 in the magazine, plus one in the chamber. Glocks are one of the most dependable guns on the market. You can fire over 400,000 rounds through them without cleaning them and they will still fire. They'll fire underwater or after being dropped in sand. The under-the-barrel rail mounting system makes it great for attaching lasers or tactical flash lights. All this without compromising accuracy in the last. And at .45 caliber, it has all the stopping power you can ask for.
Submitted by David Pienta
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