Okay I have seen a lot of people asking this or that about police trade pistols and such. So for those of you who don't know here is the low down. For those of you who do know, go to the next thread and don't post "ad nauseum" etc.
Police trades are guns that as a rule have been carried a lot but shot little. Where the gray areas start to appear is how the guns were maintained. Since getting into LEO work I have noticed the following.
1.) The guns get carried every day just about in some type of unlined holster or gun belt with retention devices etc. This may leaving markings at the trigger guard or hammer spur or slide serrations.
2.) The gun butt will usually show markings from things like, seat belts, doors banging into the gun butt (happens a lot) or the fun yet always tedious task of running through bushes, fighting on the ground etc. (This is pretty rare though depending upon the Dept.)
3.) The guns are fired AT MOST every 6 weeks, usually about 150 to 200 rounds. Not much.
4.) Most guns are fired only every 6 months to qualify. Unless you get a cop that actually likes to shoot, which is probably less than 1 in 10.
5.) Upon inspection of weapons at my Dept. you will see guns maintained from little to none I.E. I once found an Officer with rust on the decocker, slide lock and top of chamber on a Sig 226. Very poorly maintained. This is a rare situation though, if the Officer sees a weapon as a life saving tool.
Others will be meticulously maintained. Like mine and about 25% of others. The rest fall somewhere in between.
Others will be maintained but have a crappy armorer providing things like LUBRICANT of wich my Dept does not. Therefore unless the Officer takes it upon themselves to lube before firing (not likely) you will see a little galling on the Stainless/Alloy type weapons.
6.) The guns will be issued for about 8 to 10 years on average, expect about a 10 to 12 year old gun by the time it makes it to you.
7.) Again, depending upon the armorer (most are not really into guns, they just know how to take them apart) the springs will likely be worn out in the mags and possibly the recoil spring. For instance, my Dept. stores the guns with slide locked back, mags fully loaded 24/7. Departments with take home weapons are usually unloaded periodically, but God only knows how they are stored. Be prepared to replace the springs.
So what did we learn. Cosmetically imperfect, shot little, loved little and in need of some TLC upon buying and you have a reasonable expectation for a police trade.
The end.
Police trades are guns that as a rule have been carried a lot but shot little. Where the gray areas start to appear is how the guns were maintained. Since getting into LEO work I have noticed the following.
1.) The guns get carried every day just about in some type of unlined holster or gun belt with retention devices etc. This may leaving markings at the trigger guard or hammer spur or slide serrations.
2.) The gun butt will usually show markings from things like, seat belts, doors banging into the gun butt (happens a lot) or the fun yet always tedious task of running through bushes, fighting on the ground etc. (This is pretty rare though depending upon the Dept.)
3.) The guns are fired AT MOST every 6 weeks, usually about 150 to 200 rounds. Not much.
4.) Most guns are fired only every 6 months to qualify. Unless you get a cop that actually likes to shoot, which is probably less than 1 in 10.
5.) Upon inspection of weapons at my Dept. you will see guns maintained from little to none I.E. I once found an Officer with rust on the decocker, slide lock and top of chamber on a Sig 226. Very poorly maintained. This is a rare situation though, if the Officer sees a weapon as a life saving tool.
Others will be meticulously maintained. Like mine and about 25% of others. The rest fall somewhere in between.
Others will be maintained but have a crappy armorer providing things like LUBRICANT of wich my Dept does not. Therefore unless the Officer takes it upon themselves to lube before firing (not likely) you will see a little galling on the Stainless/Alloy type weapons.
6.) The guns will be issued for about 8 to 10 years on average, expect about a 10 to 12 year old gun by the time it makes it to you.
7.) Again, depending upon the armorer (most are not really into guns, they just know how to take them apart) the springs will likely be worn out in the mags and possibly the recoil spring. For instance, my Dept. stores the guns with slide locked back, mags fully loaded 24/7. Departments with take home weapons are usually unloaded periodically, but God only knows how they are stored. Be prepared to replace the springs.
So what did we learn. Cosmetically imperfect, shot little, loved little and in need of some TLC upon buying and you have a reasonable expectation for a police trade.
The end.
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