Police guns

Question
Dear Kyle,
I was wondering if you could tell me what kind of gun
police officers usually carry. And also, if you are carrying a
concealed weapon, what kind of holster would you use to
carry it around?
Thanks for your time.

Answer
Amine,

The make of gun most commonly carried by police in the US is a Glock, followed in popularity by Sig Sauer and then Smith & Wesson. Beretta pistols and Ruger pistols are also fairly common. Less common among regular street cops are 1911-style pistols, though some more specialized units (LAPD SWAT, for example) carry suped-up 1911s in their traditional chambering of .45 ACP.

Most departments have completed the transition from 9mm Luger Parabellum to .40 Smith & Wesson caliber for their duty guns. The 9mm is about .36-caliber, making the .40-caliber round noticeably wider and therefore heavier, with the most common weight being 155 to 160 grains (a grain being 1/7,000 of a pound) versus 124-grains for the 9mm.

Specific models would be the Glock model 22 (.40 S&W) and the Sig model P226 in .40 S&W. Type in "Glock 22," or "Sig P226" on Google's Image search for a look at either pistol or the aforementioned 1911.

I personally carry a small-frame, short-barreled revolver. The rig I use depends on the season. If I'm wearing a jacket, then a simple belt-slide holster worn outside my pants, under a jacket (and perhaps an untucked shirt) will suffice. On warmer days, I'll often switch to an inside-the-waistband rig for the revolver, worn under an untucked T-shirt.

A common way to carry small revolvers is to simply wrap several thick rubber bands around the top part of the grip and then tucking the gun into one's waistband under an untucked T-shirt. The rubber bands provide enough friction to keep the gun from moving much during normal activity.

If I feel like toting my heavier, 9mm automatic, I'll usually wear a paddle rig. A paddle rig has a wide, flat paddle that goes under the waistband, against the wearer's body. Attached to it is the holster, which goes outside the waistband. This setup allows the wearer to adjust the location of the rig independently of the location of their belt-loops, which can be very helpful if your pants have more belt-loops than the average pair of slacks. My 9mm isn't very concealable, so I can only carry it when it's colder out and I'm wearing a jacket.

I hope I've answered your questions. If you've any other questions, please feel free to ask.

Kyle