

40 ammo, the 180-grain Gold Dot, ended the life of his would-be murderer.Īre you a cop in Chicago or one of the other departments that has approved the Springfield Armory XD? If so, subcompact versions are available. When the suspect tried to drag him to his death with the getaway car, the G27 saved the officer’s life, and a single round of department issue. He was off-duty when he had to engage an armed robbery suspect in Case Two. I know a municipal K9 officer in Michigan who bought a “baby” G27 to complement the full-size G22 issued by his department. The same principle works through all of the caliber ranges. He keeps the little one loaded with 11 rounds of department-issue Federal +P+ 9mm ammo, and carries it off-duty with well-earned confidence. I recently shared the firing line as Wisconsin deputy sheriff David Maglio, a former Midwest Regional IDPA Champion, shot a perfect score on a demanding qualification course with his G26, the subcompact version of his department issue G17. If your duty weapon is a Glock, the “baby Glock” pistols are a natural choice for when you’re on your own time. We also have a generation of “shrunken” service autopistols that are easy to carry and remarkably concealable. Yes, it kicks, but it hides effortlessly in a pocket or ankle holster, and will be there when bigger guns are not. 357 Mag rounds are inserted into its 1.3-inch diameter cylinder. Today, S&W offers the splendid Model 340 M&P, a mix of Scandium and gun steel that tips the scales to only 13.3 ounces before its five. 357 Mag off-duty was pretty much limited to the massive six-shot, N-frame Smith & Wesson, which even with its shortest available barrel length (3.5 inches) weighed more than 40 ounces unloaded. Back around when this writer was born, a cop who wanted to carry a. Today, we have options of weapons that are powerful enough to stop a gunfight, shootable under stress, and small enough to carry off-duty under virtually any dress code. In any case, his tragic murder underscores the fact that the year 2008 has seen an upturn in the number of American cops being shot while off-duty. At the time of this writing, information has not yet been released as to whether Deputy Escalante was armed when he was killed, nor whether he might have had an opportunity to draw and shoot to save his life before the criminal gunfire ripped into him. The murder occurred in what the press service described as “gang-plagued” Cypress Park.Ĭall it Case One for this column. Escalante had been on the job for two years and was assigned to the Men’s Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles. He was walking in front of his home when the drive-by shooting occurred. August 2, 2008: The Associated Press reports that Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Juan Escalante, 27, has been shot and killed off duty.
