US Secret Service switching to 9mm Glock pistols

abcnews.go.com ^ | Aug. 1, 2019 | CHRIS FRANCESCANI

[PROCON]

The United States Secret Service is moving forward with plans to outfit its agents with Glock 9 millimeter (mm) pistols to replace the agency's existing Sig Sauer .357-caliber duty weapons -- part of a larger move among U.S. law enforcement agencies towards the lighter, more efficient guns.

“The Secret Service has been one of the few agencies that has maintained Sig Sauer as a permanent duty weapon for more than 20 years,” said Donald J. Mihalek, a retired senior Secret Service agent and ABC News contributor.

The Secret Service and Glock declined to comment on the move, but a federal official with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed the agency's plan to switch to the Glock 9 mm pistols. Details of the new deal were recently posted on fedbizops.gov, the federal government's website for posting procurement opportunities above $25,000 for private sector companies.

The Secret Service -- whose primary mission is to protect presidents, vice-presidents and their families -- employs about 3,200 special agents, 1,300 uniformed officers and more than 2,000 other support personnel, according to its website.

[BDParrish]

As to range time, can somebody explain? What is going on at the range when shooters stand there pointing the pistol and not firing. What are they waiting for? Are they staging the trigger? Waiting for the sights to get still? Why does anybody need to ever go to the range if that is what they are gonna practice?

Something else, what’s with the flinching? When the handgun runs dry their hands will jump all over the place as the hammer falls on an empty chamber. Looking at the target, it is evident they are flinching on every shot. Why would we tell people they need range time if this is what they get from it?

Is there any evidence that people who practice these things will shoot effectively when in a life or death violent encounter? Just asking. Correction is heartily welcomed!

[BDParrish]

Semi auto barrel length includes the ramp and chamber so a 4 inch 9mm has about 3” of twist, same as a 3 inch revolver. (But I have no idea what Minguez is trying to say.)

All subsonic handgun rounds work by causing blood loss. Supersonic rifle rounds work differently. Extra velocity shoots flatter long range. Any caliber and any barrel length works if you hit the brain stem or open a major artery and cause the lifeblood to flow out.

Isn’t he is comparing 9mm+p with 38 special?

[The Pack Knight]

Right, any way you slice it doesn’t make sense. I assumed he was referring to .357 Sig, since that’s what is being replaced at the Secret Service (but then why mention .38?), and barrel length is measured the same. Maybe he means a revolver with a 4” barrel is much longer than a Glock with a 4” barrel? But why is that relevant here?

The P229 carried by the Secret Service actually has barrel that is a tenth of an inch shorter than the Glock 19, 19X, or 45. I assume the new Secret Service Gloc is one of those and not the even longer-barrelled 17 or 34, though I think either would be a better idea than the 19 for what they need.

Most 9mm duty loads and pretty much all .357 Sig loads are supersonic. Maybe not fast enough to cause serious hydrostatic shock, if that’s a thing, but these aren’t subsonic rounds.

A Cor Bon 9mm 125gr +P makes 1226 fps out of a 4” barrel. A Cor Bon .357 Sig 125gr makes 1496 fps out of a 4” barrel. The .357 Sig is just far more powerful than the 9mm out of any barrel length—it was intended to give you something analogous to .357 Magnum ballistics out of an autoloader with 9mm/.40S&W sized magazines.

Now, does that power actually translate into more effectiveness against a live target, and enough to offset the increased recoil, wear on guns, and ammo costs? That’s controversial, of course. But that’s not what this guy was saying—he was actually saying the 9mm gets better velocity out of a shorter barrel, which is ludicrous.

[Who is John Galt?]

".50AE 500gr JHP @ 5000 f/s"

5000 feet per second? Guessing those must be some "warmish" handloads, fired through a looooong barrel (or maybe rocket-assisted projectiles ;^)...

[elteemike]

That Glock “accidental discharge” problem is easily cured by the operator learning to keep his/her booger hook off the bang button until pointed in at an adversary in need of being shot...

The extremely rare occasion where the firearm is defective aside, having or not ever having an AD (more correctly referred to as a negligent discharge) is entirely up to the user...

Glocks (and others of type like XDs for example) are no more “dangerous” to carry and use than 1911s or others with manual safeties...We all need to learn our weapon of choice’s manual of arms, and train seriously...

The excuse so often heard that “it just went off” invariably involved lack of trigger discipline, and is CYA of the highest order and lame as can be...

[gundog]

Probably from an 8” barrel, as well. I wouldn’t wanna be on either end of that pistol.

[FXRP]

The Glock is reliable and uses 9mm ammo. The cost of each is about half the cost of the Sig firearm and the 357sig ammo. The Sigs are a great quality, beautiful pistol but the Glocks are standardized and interchangeable. Additionally, there are many choices in 9mm ammo.

It’s a good move for a government agency. I wonder if I can now pick up a Sig for cheap money?

[familyop]

For those of you who followed ShootingTheBull410 at YouTube (the “Ammo Quest” man), he’s back!

Channel Update 3/2/2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXWqn5a7P4E

He ran and reviewed many interesting gel tests with handgun ammunition including handguns commonly used for concealed carry.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Key words here are correct training and repetition. Most LE0’s are not gun guys. They carry for the job and only do enough range time to qualify. Accidental discharges at the range we go to are always cops with glocks. I’m not talking past tense.

Since the Secret Service are guarding the President I’d personally like to see them step up to the Sig P229 because its just a better weapon. Why drive a Chevy when you can drive a Cadillac?

[mad_as_he$$]

I leave the local range when the cops show up. To dangerous. Even the SWAT guys don’t make it past my very picky rules.

[Georgia Girl 2]

I hear ya. We quit going to one range because it turned into a cop shop. Although its pretty amusing to see the cops gathering around Mr. GG2 after he shoots trying to guess what agency he's with. They all think he's an operator. 😆

[Reno89519]

Glock, a brick that shoots bullets. Overrated. I will keep my Sig P320 and P365.

[Magnum44]

Not sure going from a single action to a double action is the same as Chevy to Cadillac? I applaud anyone who can work a double action in the same time and with the same accuracy as someone with a single action. The long trigger pull makes both speed and hold control more challenging. All other things being equal, the single action will be faster in a gun fight. Additional things to consider, the hammer vs internal striker is something to consider in a dirty environment. But for someone who is not going to practice frequently, you would expect fewer ADs with the double action.

[familyop]

"There’s numerous reports over the years of multiple officers emptying magazines dozens or even hundreds of rounds fired, and nobody hit anything. At least the “bad guy” anyways."

Most of those situations are unexpected, close, dark and fast with much adrenaline involved--not conditions normally seen on ranges.

[wjcsux]

I have always been a 1911 guy, it’s still my favorite go to pistol and always will be. That being said, I bought a Glock 19 Gen 3 when they first came out. I can shoot the Glock extremely well, and have fired thousands of rounds through it. It took some getting used to but I have found it to be very reliable and accurate. The first thing you do with a Glock is get rid of the crap sites it comes with. I carry the 19 with me all the time. I have a Glock 43 that fits nicely in the door map pouch of my truck.
If the Glock gets confiscated, I’m out about $800.00. If I lose one of my 1911’s, or my Browning Hi-Power, I’m out over $1500.00.

[Red in Blue PA]

I used to think the same thing, but came to realize there is not a gun in existence which has the reliability of a Glock. I love my Kimber 1911 and carry that in the winter months, but in the summer Incarry a Glock 43

And by the bed is a Glock 19 with Trijicon sights and spare 33 round mags.

[Red in Blue PA]

That is a broad and incorrect statement.

My Kimber Micro 9 has far more recoil than any 45 I own. Small guns have recoil, even when using smaller caliber rounds.

[PROCON]

My Glock 19 Gen 4 has been my EDC for years and it shoots so straight at the range.

[familyop]

"The early on mistakes with Glocks were mostly from guys who were used to carrying .38’s and they were used to drawing with finger on the trigger knowing they had a 9 pound double action pull protecting them from accidental discharge."

I was first trained with a .38 Special, when those were common duty carry weapons. We were trained to keep our pointer fingers out of the trigger guards until clear of the holster and aiming at targets. I switched to a Glock and had no problem with it. Many of those who've had accidental discharges with Glocks have done so recently. Glocks are alright if properly handled and maintained.

Maybe you were thinking of single action revolvers. Fingers went into the trigger guards early with those but not over the hammers until pointing in the right direction.

[familyop]

"Glock will be easier to control for all the female agents they decided make wonderful bodyguards"

"Smaller shields but easier to push in front of the client."

Maybe it would be best, then, if the client is always surrounded by a herd of 300-400 pounders. Now, that would be a big, wet, squooshy bubble of ballistic protection.