Caught the Bug

[garymass]

I was at my local shop and range today and was checking out the Kimber Raptor that is a new addition. It is a really nice gun and has a nice Price tag to it but I have learned before you get what you pay for. The Kimber is approx double the cost of most guns that would be purhased to carry of course except our exceptional piece! Just spent hour and a half staring at guns today.

[tracker]

Welcome to the club, Gary; you are hooked.

[Novanglus]

... So WHY is it that LE's don't carry single actions anymore? ...

This would be very surprising news to members of SWAT teams and elite military units.

http://www.shootingtimes.com/handgun_reviews/st_0212_lapd/

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_170_28/ai_n6040330

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_144_24/ai_57886947/pg_1

[tracker]

This is all good stuff; what I am hearing here is that the rank
and file LE personnel are not as proficient and as well trained
as are the elite military and SWAT teams.

There may be an issue here of liability and not reliabilty in the
decision to switch to Glocks, etc., even though they had to
go to a N.Y. trigger because of some accidental discharges.
I know from a good source that the average police officer
rarely fires his weapon except to remain qualified and beyond
that is not particularly proficient.

As is usually the case it is more the indian than it is the bow
and arrow. There is a reason that the 1911 is still kicking more
than nostalgia: the market always dictates the product.
Simply put, the elite units are better trained and remain pro-
ficient through practice. There is always a place for superior
weapons, the 1911 being one of them.

[garymass]

A large portion of LE that are hired across the country have a limited experience to none and then are given a mere two weeks training in an academy and then only need to shoot 100 rounds twice a year basicallt means they are not really going to be much of a shot.

[Richard S]

Chuck Taylor, founder/director of the American Small Arms Academy, has written a frequently referenced article on the subject:

http://www.sightm1911.com/Care/1911_PraiseCT.htm

[riffraff]

Richard and all,

Yes, I knew that someone would bring up that some specialized police units and specialized military units also use single actions for specific applications.  The percentage of the special ops units that use these guns are so small that for all practical purposes it is irrevelent.  Police and military dropped the single action long ago and that is that.

Mike

[theirishguard]

not so   Tom

[riffraff]

is too    

Mike

[Richard S]

And the beat goes on . . . .  

http://www.policelink.com/training/articles/7887-history-of-the-1911

[tracker]

Mike,
As surely as you will never be convinced, the 1911 design
will outlast all of us. HK and SIG have confirmed this with
some of their recent single action, cocked and locked
options.  

[riffraff]

Tracker,

Yes, I understand.  Nostalga lives.  It sometimes takes many generations for modern thought to prevail.  Take a look at the Arab/Islamic cultures, they are still stuck in the 11th century too.  

Mike

[tracker]

I have taken a look at those cultures; in fact, I lived in
Saudi Arabia for six months. Have you ever spent any time
there? That parallel you draw is illogical and is comparison
by obfuscation.

[riffraff]

Tracker,

Yes, spent some time there.  Their culture does have some qualities that I admire.  They know how to treat women and they are very harsh on crime.  Problem is if you have enough money and/or are royalty you can buy yourself out of a criminal problem.  Geez, I guess they are more like us than I thought.

Mike

[tracker]

Maybe you are onto something else Mike, and that is that 21
of them with crude and elementary weapons brought us
temporarily to our knees on 9/11.