Training with a different weapon.

[SlowIsSmoothIsFast]

My career choice is in law-enforcement. If I'm to become an officer in a couple years, would it be wise to choose the service pistol (Glock 19) as my range gun now, to get used to it? I've been back and forth, but the plan so far was for a 31C. Perhaps using the 31C would hone my skills and it would make it even easier to shoot 9mm later on?

[travclem]

My 2cents is shoot what you want. swapping between calibers in glocks is no biggie.

[Morris]

Glock triggers are essentially the same regardless of the caliber. It's the recoil pulse you will have to learn.

[South Fla]

My career choice is in law-enforcement. If I'm to become an officer in a couple years, would it be wise to choose the service pistol (Glock 19) as my range gun now, to get used to it? I've been back and forth, but the plan so far was for a 31C. Perhaps using the 31C would hone my skills and it would make it even easier to shoot 9mm later on?

As one of the other posters said, shoot with what you want.

My advice...Just shoot, shoot, shoot. Any trigger time is good time.

If your going to be a police officer "in a couple of years", a lot of things can happen between now and then. You just can't pick one gun and say "that's it!" for a duty gun.

In the 25+ years that I was in law enforcement, I carried a .38 Special +P in a S&W Model 19, .357 Magnum in S&W Models 66 & 686, 9mm in a Sig P226, .45 in a Sig P220 and a Glock 21 as duty guns and .40 in a Glock 23 for an off-duty gun.

So don't limit yourself to just one gun. Shoot a lot of different guns....alot.

Good luck! :thumbsup:

[randyc74]

As one of the other posters said, shoot with what you want.

My advice...Just shoot, shoot, shoot. Any trigger time is good time.

If your going to be a police officer "in a couple of years", a lot of things can happen between now and then. You just can't pick one gun and say "that's it!" for a duty gun.

In the 25+ years that I was in law enforcement, I carried a .38 Special +P in a S&W Model 19, .357 Magnum in S&W Models 66 & 686, 9mm in a Sig P226, .45 in a Sig P220 and a Glock 21 as duty guns and .40 in a Glock 23 for an off-duty gun.

So don't limit yourself to just one gun. Shoot a lot of different guns....alot.

Good luck! :thumbsup:

Plus 1,000
Even tho South Fla only did 25 +years he's giving you some good advise :rofl:
You may have your heart and mind set on joining a particular police department. Things may change over time and you may end up working for a different police department and having a different department issued pistol then you planned.Trigger time with any pistol is time well spent. I tell all aspiring police officers to apply to as many police departments as possible, until you get hired. Once you get some experience, you can always move on to your dream job.
Randy

[South Fla]

Plus 1,000
Even tho South Fla only did 25 +years he's giving you some good advise :rofl:
You may have your heart and mind set on joining a particular police department. Things may change over time and you may end up working for a different police department and having a different department issued pistol then you planned.Trigger time with any pistol is time well spent. I tell all aspiring police officers to apply to as many police departments as possible, until you get hired. Once you get some experience, you can always move on to your dream job.
Randy

I knew of some small departments that changed chiefs every 3-4-5-6 years, that they changed the look of the cruisers, their uniforms, badges, patches, duty belts (plain to basketweave to clarino to nylon and back and forth), and guns every time they changed chiefs. I think it was an FBI National Academy thing.

[DonGlock26]

Odds are, that you are going to be issued a .40 Glock. You might want to get use to a G-23. If you are issued a G-22, then you will have the G-23 for off-duty.

[stormshadow2]

focus on getting hired first. Once you are find out what gun you will be issued then move on from there. Get good instruction first as to avoid bad habits later at the academy, just my .2 cents. Good luck and be safe.

[Civitas]

If you were about to join a police force, I would say you should consider what they issue, but if it's several years off, just get what you want. It's hard for me to adjust to different guns because I'm an old fart, but you are a young guy so you will adjust quickly.

[randyc74]

I knew of some small departments that changed chiefs every 3-4-5-6 years, that they changed the look of the cruisers, their uniforms, badges, patches, duty belts (plain to basketweave to clarino to nylon and back and forth), and guns every time they changed chiefs. I think it was an FBI National Academy thing.

Your right.
Those who can....... do
Those who can't.......... teach
Those who can't teach......... become Chiefs of Police!!

[thinktwice]

If you already know agency you are going with and they issue G-19's as their service weapon, then by all means get one and pratice with that one as much as you can. However as someone mentioned with new Chief's and other brass,coming along they my decide to try a new weapon. With all the manufactures trying for a law enforcement agency contract you never know. I guess the main thing is just practice with the G-19, and even if they have changed their service weapon by the time you are hired at least you will have practiced with one of the best. I have 2 Sons, 1 daughter, and 1 son-in law in Law Enforcement and they all love their work. Good luck with your LEO career.