When I became a police officer in 1992, my department’s issue handgun was carrying the Glock .22. However, the department had just transitioned to the Glock, and the armory didn’t have an extra .22 for me to take to the academy. I was given a 4-inch Smith & Wesson Model 686, a handful of speed loaders and sent on my merry way.
When I arrived at the academy, I found that I was the only cadet there armed with a revolver. The firearms training was intense; however, it was focused mostly on accuracy; rapid fire and speed loading was only a small part of the curriculum. The revolver didn’t hinder my shooting; I was the top gun in my class.
Upon return to my department, I was issued a Glock like everyone else, and ultimately, I also carried a Glock 23 as a backup. Admittedly, even though I never really liked how Glocks fit my hand, I felt I was better armed with the semi-automatic, especially given the shooting situations I might be placed in as a law enforcement officer. That was a long time
