Articles - Weapons

To be honest, I've never liked writing a hodge-podge of an editorial note. It's kind of a cheat. But I have a lot of things to talk about this month and, since this is my only platform to do it, I'm going to machine-gun some stuff at you.

In keeping with its tradition of supplying police officers with easy-to-use, rugged long guns built for specific police applications, Remington recently introduced the Model 7615 pump-action rifle that's being marketed as a patrol rifle for agencies that can't carry so-called "assault" weapons outside of tactical units.

Duty use lights have become highly specialized over the last few years. The market is full of numerous weapon-mounted lights, handheld “tactical” lights that rival a Jedi light saber for wattage output, and even mini LEDs for navigation or searching for dropped keys.

In this modern age of weapon design, there is no such thing as an “accidental discharge.” Law enforcement firearms of the 21st Century are designed so that the only way they will fire is to place a finger on the trigger and depress it.

It’s no wonder that the AR-15 rifle, in all its incarnations, has become so dominant in the law enforcement patrol rifle market. It’s lightweight, accurate, possesses little recoil, is easy to maintain, and has plenty of capacity.

In this world there are many items whose names are synonymous with quality: Ferrari, Zeiss, Rolex. In the world of knives, Emerson is such an item. The name Emerson on a knife or related product assures the owner/operator of a quality product that will survive whatever you can throw at it. The new Emerson HD-7 is just such a knife.

All holsters are not created equal. You know that. You also know that different types of holsters are designed to be used for different police applications. But what you may not know is how to evaluate holsters for quality, fit, retention, and general function.

At presstime many things had still not been publicly released regarding the Devin Brown incident. LAPD detectives, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, and the FBI were all investigating the shooting. So it’s not known where Garcia was standing when he discharged 10 rounds into the Camry. And it’s not known if his use of deadly force was justified.

If you like the idea of carrying a semi-auto pistol chambered for the mighty .45 ACP but are not comfortable carrying a gun with the hammer cocked and locked, Para Ordnance might have the perfect off-duty alternative for you.

Call me skeptical or overly practical when it comes to gear, but I have played with a lot of it over the years, and I’ve learned to ask myself one question before I commit to it: Will this thing make my job easier and help me accomplish my mission?