Backup Weapon

[Motorman]

While at the range the other day my duty weapon failed. The trigger spring broke, making it a short club. I know of a couple of other officers guns doing the same thing in a 3 month period. My dept does not allow backup weapons. If this happened in the field I am screwed. I would like to get our policy changed reguarding bakup weapons. Can anyone help me in getting this done? Any suggestions would help.

[Don]

Hey Motorman,

I don

[Mack811]

There is an article in the latest issue of Guns and Weapons for Law Enforcement that deals with this very subject. It includes links to policies that you can use to support your case.Good luck.

[Glockarmorer]

Although I support the use of backup weapons 100%, I'd be MUCH more concerned with getting the PRIMARY issue duty weapon changed. What is your current duty weapon? I'll bet I know what it ISN'T!? http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif

Good luck,

G.A.

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No cops, know anarchy.

[Motorman]

Well Glockarmorer,

Unfortunately it was a Glock 17. That had to hurt. You guys act shocked at this malfunction. I am going to assume this does not happen often. I recently went through Firearms Instructor School and this was not brought up.

[Kaos]

Were all of these Glocks?
What is your trigger lbs?
Has your trigger been modified at all?
I am very interested, I carry a Glock 17 on duty with several thousand rounds fired thru it with no malfunctions. I have a 8 lb trigger which was modified from 5.

[Motorman]

Yes, all were Glock 17's. Our trigger pull is 5lbs,I believe. No adjustments made.

[John from Maryland]

The loudest sound I have ever heard was teh trigger of my SIG 226 slamming against the weapon's frame when my trigger spring broke. I'm just glad this occurred at the Philadelphia Police Academy during an IALEFI regional rather than on Rockville Pike one night.

We're starting to see some trigger springs break in our ten year old weapons. Though we're looking at .40 weapons, we're immediately going to replace all our trigger springs in the current issue weapons. I think this is an issue of age and use rather than the quality of the pistol.

Be safe.

[Glockarmorer]

Sorry, but I'm in disbelief.

Which spring is it that broke? Is it the spring that connects the trigger assembly to the assembly that houses the extractor and the connector? Even with this spring removed, the weapon will still function, if the trigger is held to the rear as the weapon cycles.

I'm not casting any dispersions here, but I'm very skeptical that this happened to a "couple of other officers guns doing the same thing in a 3 month period" Glocks simply don't break like that. Its not my bias, its a fact. There's got to be more to this story... My .02 worth.

G.A.

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No cops, know anarchy.

[Motorman]

Well GA, You can believe me or not. I am not a certified armorer, so I am going by what the guy at the range said about mine and what a Sgt, in my dept, said about his. Our dept weapons are 1st generation Glocks. I have only been with the dept for 3 years, I believe the guns are about 10 years old. The trigger will not reset when the gun cycles through. The trigger stays to the rear. That is about all I can tell you. As soon as it happened I went and got another one from my Chief.