Security Officer Carry Gun?

[rcflyer]

This isnt my first armed gig. I am well trained with both calibers. Nobody will ever take a gun away from me. As a security officer I have no more rights than joe blow on the street. I can only use it in self defense or defense of someone else in mortal danger. I know all the rules.
I was just curious about responses to the question. Responses were what I expected.
I am a wheel gun guy. I have shot Glocks, Smith, CZ and several other semi's. I have even owned several very good semi's, but no longer.
Nothing wrong with any of them. They are all very good weapons.
However, I believe most people overreact to what would really happen in a shooting scenario. Is 17 to 20 rds in your weapon really an advantage? Most will say, duh, of course it is. However, in the real world, gunfights are almost always at very close range, only last seconds and usually way less than 17 rds are fired. Most bad guys are cowards. A well placed round in any caliber will end the fight right then and there. A wheel gun is statistically more reliable than a semi. Less moving parts, less chance for failure.
So, I carry a 7 shot, SS, 4", .357 revolver with +p. 38 ammo and three speedloaders.

 

[Jtgarner]

This isnt my first armed gig. I am well trained with both calibers. Nobody will ever take a gun away from me. As a security officer I have no more rights than joe blow on the street. I can only use it in self defense or defense of someone else in mortal danger. I know all the rules.
I was just curious about responses to the question. Responses were what I expected.
I am a wheel gun guy. I have shot Glocks, Smith, CZ and several other semi's. I have even owned several very good semi's, but no longer.
Nothing wrong with any of them. They are all very good weapons.
However, I believe most people overreact to what would really happen in a shooting scenario. Is 17 to 20 rds in your weapon really an advantage? Most will say, duh, of course it is. However, in the real world, gunfights are almost always at very close range, only last seconds and usually way less than 17 rds are fired. Most bad guys are cowards. A well placed round in any caliber will end the fight right then and there. A wheel gun is statistically more reliable than a semi. Less moving parts, less chance for failure.
So, I carry a 7 shot, SS, 4", .357 revolver with +p. 38 ammo and three speedloaders.

There are two things you can never have enough of in a gun fight, bullets, and friends with guns and bullets.
I know you are trained, but your accuracy in a shootout could be as much as %50 your accuracy at the range. I would much rather have 12 rounds left in my 13 round mag then run dry and be screwed.

 

[csmith]

+1 for the M&PC. I find my compact a lot nicer to open carry then my full size.

 

[USMC_0311]

For me it would be the 92FS, its what I know best but any Glock will do.

 

[Hoosier9]

However, I believe most people overreact to what would really happen in a shooting scenario. Is 17 to 20 rds in your weapon really an advantage? Most will say, duh, of course it is. However, in the real world, gunfights are almost always at very close range, only last seconds and usually way less than 17 rds are fired. Most bad guys are cowards. A well placed round in any caliber will end the fight right then and there. A wheel gun is statistically more reliable than a semi. Less moving parts, less chance for failure.
So, I carry a 7 shot, SS, 4", .357 revolver with +p. 38 ammo and three speedloaders.

Then why the thread?

It makes no sense to carry a heavy, low capacity revolver when guarding a high risk location. Nobody ever wished for less, lower powered ammunition in a gunfight. And if you are going to carry a .357 wheelgun, why neuter it with .38 +P ammo? .38 +P doesn't compare to good 9mm JHP ammo, especially when capacity is taken into consideration.

The police and military don't carry semiauto pistols because they are stylish. There is a real advantage to a good semiauto pistol. Reliability is not an issue with a major brand of handgun, like Glock, S&W, HK, Sig, etc. Revolvers can and do lock up, and unlike a semiauto, when a wheelgun doesn't go bang, an immediate action drill won't fix it.

If most bad guys are "cowards," how do you explain the well armed police officers being killed each year in our country? Bullets from a coward's gun work the same as anyone else's bullets. And there are plenty of instances of handgun rounds from proven service calibers failing to stop an individual with multiple hits.

If you are really charged with the security of a high value target, sounds to me like you need two new things. A new pistol, and a new mindset.

Meanwhile...a little light reading on real gunfights, not statistical fairy tales:

Officer Down: A Warrior's Sacrifice - Below 100 - LawOfficer.com

Officer Down: The Peter Soulis Incident - Below 100 - LawOfficer.com

The Shootist: One Man Got Involved. The Perry Stephens/George Temple Incident

 

[GARANDGUY]

Sig Sp2022 ,Glock ,or M&P! You cant go wrong either way!

 

[Revelations]

Glock 19 with G17 mags in your pouches...

 

[WOLFEMAN]

As a armed Security Officer I carried a G17 and mag pouch with
two additional 17 round mags. Also a G26 in an ankle holster.

WOLFE INVESTIGATIONS INC.
LAFAYETTE, IN.

 

[bobzilla]

If I was carrying open daily for the job, and I couldn't have a fullsize 1911, it would be a Beretta 92FS/M9. Very accurate, reliable and durable weapons. If I'm betting my life on a fullsize it would be one of those.

 

[mavisky]

XDM9 20rds in the palm of your hand

This and then more of this.

 

[gharris18]

Glock 19 or if your have big hands Glock 17

 

[christman]

 

[rcflyer]

alrighty then. i will relax, not be too tactical, go buy a new gun, change my mindset and not make any stupid mistakes when confronting bad guys with or without a firearm. All while carrying my 7 shot, .357 revolver with 2 speedloaders all loaded with .38 +p ammo.
Really, thanks for the advice. I didnt realize how ill equipped I was.

 

[sepe]

I was close to taking an armed driver/guard job and at the time I only had a 4" 686. I was going to just get all the lovely duty goodies for that if I took the job. Not sure if it is unfortunately or fortunately something else came up that paid similar and I wouldn't have to be on the road 8 hours a day. I could've been in beautiful Flint, Mi. 3 days a week!!!

 

[sadclownwp]

hmmm. Sounds like you need a Glock 17 on your left side, a S&W M&P on your right side, and a .38 special J frame on your ankle.

 

[philagothon]

...
However, I believe most people overreact to what would really happen in a shooting scenario. Is 17 to 20 rds in your weapon really an advantage? Most will say, duh, of course it is. However, in the real world, gunfights are almost always at very close range, only last seconds and usually way less than 17 rds are fired. Most bad guys are cowards. A well placed round in any caliber will end the fight right then and there. A wheel gun is statistically more reliable than a semi. Less moving parts, less chance for failure.
So, I carry a 7 shot, SS, 4", .357 revolver with +p. 38 ammo and three speedloaders.

I would love to imagine that in a time of crisis I will rise to the occasion. The truth is I will fall at least to my level of training, if not further thanks to an adrenaline dump. I don't know, I've never been there (and hope that I never will be). I agree that most scumbags will likely turn and run at the first sign of armed opposition, however I also believe there are those that will not be dissuaded until their blood pressure reaches 0/0. The first are of little concern, the latter are the reason I carry.

My understanding is that police average only a 16% hit rate. If I have a similar hit percentage, I figure I need 6 rounds to be fairly certain that I will get a hit. The 9mm (and most any handgun for that matter) is not a guaranteed 1 hit stopper, so I'd like to have at least enough ammo in my first magazine to help ensure at least 2 hits (ie: minimum 12 rounds per magazine). Then I want enough magazines to deal with a worst case scenario. In my day to day travels I try to stay out of places where I should need more than one magazine. However, is it possible that in your position you may run into 3 to 5 guys that are intent on doing you harm?

I know nothing about your security position or level of training. I do know that I would rather carry twice the ammo I need, than be one bullet short. Btw, you mentioned that you had tried many different guns, but I did not see the XD/XDm in your list. If you have not shot one of those then at least give them a try. They are the only one that feels perfectly natural in my (& my wife's) hands.

 

[sepe]

My understanding is that police average only a 16% hit rate. If I have a similar hit percentage, I figure I need 6 rounds to be fairly certain that I will get a hit. The 9mm (and most any handgun for that matter) is not a guaranteed 1 hit stopper, so I'd like to have at least enough ammo in my first magazine to help ensure at least 2 hits (ie: minimum 12 rounds per magazine). Then I want enough magazines to deal with a worst case scenario. In my day to day travels I try to stay out of places where I should need more than one magazine. However, is it possible that in your position you may run into 3 to 5 guys that are intent on doing you harm?

Yeah, you must've never heard of 10mm. Just the sonic boom is rumored to kill anyone in a 20' radius. A guy at the range was shooting one and even with plugs and muffs, it ruptured my ear drums while I was a good 200' away. He was on the 200 yard range and his paper target exploded even though it was a clean hit on the ground 10' in front of the target. That is one round I won't mess around with.

 

[rcflyer]

I did own a CZ P-07 Duty at one time. I really wish I still had it. It felt perfect in my hand, was high capacity and extremely accurate and never had one failure. If I did carry a semi, it would be another P-07 or a 75B.
I still prefer revolvers. I had many people ask if my revolver was a 44 magnum when I carried an issued Smith Model 64 .38. I believe a big revolver is more intimidating than a semi. And in the private security business intimidation and detering is important.

 

[esrice]

What do your co-workers carry?

 

[jbombelli]

If it was me, and I was looking for a new 9mm, which I am, I would at least look at a CZ-75B or 85B. But I have a 92FS and am happy with it. These have been carried by lots of on-duty types, and mine seems good to go anytime. I have 18-round magazines and it's accurate.

But I imagine a Glock would be okay, too.