Mike Boyle (photo by Jeremy Alford) For many years, I’ve looked forward to the annual SHOT Show with the same enthusiasm as a kid anticipates a visit from Santa Claus. As a self-confessed gear junkie, I manage to keep my buying habits in check, but I always look forward to walking the aisles to see what’s new. But, this year, that wasn’t meant to be. The SHOT Show might be described as the world’s largest gun bazaar where manufacturers promote…
Mike Boyle Since the early part of the 20th century, the quest for the ultimate law enforcement handgun cartridge has generated all sorts of debates. For the better part of that time, the .38 Special reigned supreme and it wasn’t until the wholesale switch away from revolvers to semiautomatic pistols that the picture began to change. By the late 1980s, departments all over the country were transitioning to autopistols and, more often than not, they were chambered for the 9mm…
Mike Boyle Like many individuals who have been around the game for a while, I have trained with or carried a multitude of intermediate force options including Mace®, OC spray, different types of batons, and a conducted energy device. One common quality is that all of these tools were promoted as being able to quickly shut down the aggressive behavior of a determined adversary. Under optimum conditions that may be true, but a harsh reality is that there is no…
Todd Fletcher There was no doubt in my mind that uniformed officers would be carrying handguns with optics in their duty holsters as soon as durability and battery life were improved. Now, the future has arrived with an outstanding selection of duty ready handgun optics. These new Mini Red Dot Sights (MRDS) are durable and ready for officers to carry on a regular basis. Let’s face it: Most officers don’t take good care of their equipment (handguns are a perfect…
Todd Fletcher In modern history, “Hellcat” has been one of the names used for some of the baddest and most powerful machines ever developed. From the Grumman F6F Hellcat Navy fighter in WWII to the Dodge® Hellcat Challenger and Charger muscle cars, the Hellcat name means power and capability. Springfield Armory® might be onto something here. The Hellcat™ micro-compact pistol takes the concept of an everyday concealed carry pistol with small size and weight and adds a duty caliber chambering…
New Guns for 2020 Mike Boyle The 29th Annual Roundup Covering New Firearms of Most Interest to Law Enforcement The SHOT Show might be best described as the world’s largest firearms exposition, and manufacturers large and small use this event to introduce their newest products and services. As in recent years, the SHOT Show was held in the Sands Convention Center located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and this year it drew over 55,000 attendees. With over 2,000 manufacturers on hand,…
Eugene Nielsen The magazine is a critical component in any semiautomatic or automatic firearm. A sizable percentage of weapon malfunctions can be attributed to magazine-related issues. This being the case, it is surprising how little attention is paid to this crucial component. Cleaning and maintaining your magazines are just as important as cleaning and maintaining your rifle or selecting the right ammunition. If you get a magazine malfunction, test it again. If it creates a second malfunction, immediately take it…
MIKE BOYLE When beginning a law enforcement career, one of the biggest lifestyle adjustments remains adapting to the gun. The badge and the uniform do indeed identify you as a law enforcement officer, but the gun, and the tremendous responsibility which comes with it, is what really sets you apart. That very visible pistol in the duty holster is indeed the symbol of authority. All law enforcement officers – both uniformed patrol, as well as plainclothes investigators – carry a…
The MOST Effective Close Quarter Small Arm Currently in Existence! Mike Boyle For almost 50 years, the shotgun was “king of the hill,” but of late there has been a shift in the paradigm. The resurgence of the rifle has caused many police departments to reconsider the shotgun as a viable weapon system. Some outfits have done away with shotguns entirely whereas others now limit them to special applications, such as door breeching or a less-lethal munitions delivery system. Without…
Mike Boyle Should an officer find himself in a worst-case scenario and the primary weapon is not available, a hidden backup could indeed save the day. A backup weapon might be best described as an ancillary weapon used for a secondary or auxiliary purpose. Attitudes toward backup weapons by law enforcement agencies and individual officers span the entire spectrum. Despite the obvious advantage, the concept of backup weapons for police is far from universal. I’m familiar with departments which provide…