What Guns Were You Issued?

The "Your Homecoming From The War" thread got me to thinking of all the guns I have been issued. My first was a M16A2 in basic training at the Benning School for Boys. I was issued the same during my first duty assignment at Ft. Bragg. A few years later I attend OCS at Benning and qualified with a Beretta M9 (I don't really consider it a "issue gun" because the only time I every touched it was at the range). After OCS I was commissioned and spent the rest of my career in the aviation branch.

My first "issued" sidearm was a Smith & Wesson 10-5! The Army nomenclature was "M10". I carried it in a M3 shoulder holster and it was the first gun I deployed into harms way with. We also had Ruger Service Six revolvers on the TOE. The Army called those the M108, I beleive. I wanted to carry one of those because they had a lanyard loop, lol.




My next issue sidearm was the old warhorse M1911A1. I picked it up at Ft. Bragg on the way to Desert Shield/Storm. I think I was actually supposed to be issued a Beretta M9, but they were in short supply, so M1911A1 it was. I took what they gave me, no questions asked. I wasn't a repecter of all things guns then....so I have no idea of the make of that 1911. I carried it in a M7 shoulder holster.




My last issued sidearm was the Beretta M9 that I carried in Korea. It was the least of my favorites, because I found it the least accurate in my hands of all the guns I had been issued. I carried it in a M12 holster, and for the first time wore a gunbelt instead of a shoulder rig. I didn't like that, I found a gunbelt to be cumbersome.


Of course none of the guns pictured were the actual guns I carried, just resonable facsimiles that I used to pair with my uniform from the time period.

After my service with Uncle Sam I started my LE career. My first issued gun was a gen 2 Glock 22. I have been carrying Glocks ever since. My current issue is a Gen 5 Glock 17. Every holster I have carried a LE gun in has been some model of a Safariland sort. I am currently working on getting approval to carry a Pre 10 snub around the office. Say a prayer for me. I would love to finish up my career carrying a old S&W from time to time....just to be able to say I did it.




So what guns have you been issued and made to carry? I am keeping my fingers crossed for some Highway Patrolman and Model 58 action. Two guns I would love to say I was issued and carried.

In 1974, I was issued a S&W model 19. We later transitioned to semi-autos, and I carried my own Model 6906 that I provided, in place of the Sig 9mm's the department was issuing at the time......226's if I remember correctly. Around 2000 they transitioned to the Glock model 21. I was allowed to carry my own Glock model 36 since I was a Crime Scene Investigator at that time. For some reason, I shot the model 36 better than the model 21. Go figure.

Sorry no N frame wheel guns in my LEO past. They are too big for me anyway, I'm a shrimp. I don't have any photos of my Glocks....nothing special there I'm afraid.

Here's my 6906:



and the now "modified" model 19




Carter

As a USAF Law Enforcement Specialist (812XX) 1973 - 1977, I was assigned a S&W Model 15 and an M16 at each of my two duty stations. I only checked the M16 out for qualification and one other time for some sort of combat training. I remember giving all my magazines full of blanks to some gung-ho new guy. He thought it was great fun. At the end of the day I ran an oily patch through the bore, turned it in and went home. He probably spent another hour or so cleaning his. The armorer at that base was very picky.

I started out w an AR 15 but as an experienced shooter I shot an AR pretty good & got noticed so got promoted to M60 crew Head Gunner. So I ended up lugging an M60 everywhere. I preferred the M60, much more comforting. Never got issues a sidearm / pistol.

New South Wales Police Force - Australia

I started out in 1996 with the issued Model 10 Square Butt 3" barrel. Around 1999, we transitioned over to .40 S&W Glocks. As I was still in uniform at that stage, I was issued a G22. Later when I moved into Criminal Investigations/Detective Duties, I transitioned to the G23 which remained as issued until I was medically retired.

(1st and 4th photos are mine. Others are from a display). I don't know how true this is, but have been told that the Comissioner of the day choose the 3" barrel length Model 10 so that the firearm could be concealed under the tunics of the day. Flap holsters were initially used which were worn cross draw.

When our ship was out at sea,, at least once a week, we were allowed time to shoot,,

We had two weapons,
a 1911
and
a Thompson full auto machine gun
both were 45ACP,,

we were allowed to shoot as long as your thumb could last,, pushing bullets into a magazine.

Our chief "encouraged" us to go shooting, in case we ever needed to be part of a boarding party,,
If you did not shoot, you might get stuck with an extra 4 hour watch,,

They would throw over a large cardboard box, and we would try to hit the box, as we sped away from it at about 25 MPH.

I always figured if our ship needed to shoot something,,
the guys that fired the 5 inch guns could shoot better, and more accurately, than I could with a 1911.

Those guys could hit a towed target, that was moving 30 MPH sideways, while we were going 25 MPH away from the target,,
at a range of about 2 miles.

I couldn't hit the 20 dozen egg box that was floating 100 feet away from the back of the ship,,,

USAF--S&W Model 15
University Police--Ruger Security Six
City PD--Colt Trooper Mk III, then S&W Model 66
Sheriff's Dept.--carried our own, then went department-wide to Beretta 92

Started in 1980 and was issued a much used & re-blued 4" HB M10.
When all other police agencies were switching over the the new "wonder-nines" we got new 4" M681's but still carried the same Speer .38 Spl +P 125gr JSP that we had carried in our old M10s. We finally transitioned over to semi-autos, going to the Beretta DAO .40 S&W M96D. We, as an agency, had numerous issues with the Beretta's that led to widespread distrust of the weapon by many of the rank & file. Note: I got a good one, never had any issue with my M96D and it was the most accurate, for me, of any of the weapons I ever carried.
Due to the many failures of the Beretta's, a decision was made to find a replacement well before the end of the normal replacement cycle. After exhaustive testing by a well documented process, we were finally issued DAO Sig P226's in .40 S&W. I carried the Sig until my retirement and mine was purchased and presented to me by my post Commander.
I bought/kept all of my issued sidearms except my M10 which had serious issues and I was glad/relieved when it finally got replaced.

I was issued an XM16E1, M16A1's (Colt, H&R, GM), an M67 90mm Recoilless Rifle, and an M16A2.

I was never issued a 1911A1 but saw, shot, and cleaned them from all manufacturers including Singer. I also shot and maintained M60 machineguns as I was an ammo bearer once and later a weapons squad leader. The M60's that I handled, were all made by Maremount Muffler. I shot m203's as well but was never assigned one as I was never a Grenadier. I don't recall who made those.

Started LE in 1973 and was issued a M19 4 inch. Couple of years later we got the M66 4 inch. I carried that until the late 1980s when we went to the M686 4inch until around 1990 when we transitioned to the Glock 17 and later to the Glock 21/30. After retiring I worked as a Federal Court Security Officer(Special Dep. U.S. Marshal) and was issued the Marshals Service issue Glock 23. I am Totally retired now and still have the M66 which we were allowed to purchase from my department when we went to the 686. It is still my favorite of all my S&Ws.

In 1951 I was issued an M-1 Garand, a kick in the butt.

As a non-combatant I was only issued a side arm, the 1911. Not sure which now as I have lost a lot of the details of my time in Vietnam. But the CO was very lenient and would let us have what ever we could get. At that time the Army already had the M-16 and I never saw one of those. at that time the Marines were still issued the M-14 but I had several others at one time or other. Thompson (tommy gun) .45 machine gun with 50 rnd drum magazine, AK-47, and my favorite the M-14. I didn't keep the other two very long but I hung on the the M-14 until I rotated home.

First Duty station A 3/35 FA M110A2



Second Duty Station A 3/11 FA M198



Last Duty Station B 2/157 FA Colorado Army National Guard M110A2



As you can see, they gave me a pop gun too

Then they switched to the M109A3

1973 6” model 28
1975 4” model 13
1979 model 59 for 1 week then all deputies turned them in as they were UNRELIABLE and replaced with 4” model 66
Medical retirement 1979
1973 to present off duty / retirement 2” military & police
Currently all deputies carry a Sig in .357sig


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Uncle Sugar’s Air Force issued me a Model 15, a GAU 5/A, and then a NIB M9.

The Effin-Bee-Eye issued me a Sig P226 which I gave back after the academy. I always drew an MP5/10 until my last year when we had to turn them all in. I had a 14” 870 from then until I pulled the pin.

U.S Army 1972-75. As a mechanic/ recovery vehicle driver I was supposed to be issued a 1911A1. But we didn't have enough to go around. The officers got those.
At various times I was issued:
M-16A1 rifle
M-3A1 submachine gun
M-60 machine gun
Ma Duece

when I got to Rhein Main AB some of us new guys got picked to be a junior sky cop for a year and we only got called out for alerts. we had our plastic helmet , gas mask and a M-16 with a couple of magazines of ammo. we could have a loaded magazine in the rifle but nothing in the chamber. they put on flightline and said if you have to shoot try not to hit the airplanes. they didn't tell us when or who to shoot but when the real sky cops would come by to check up on us they did it real careful like. there is a reason why they don't issue avionics people guns.

they did let us shoot the M-16 at the range with the happy switch engaged, however they only lets us put 5 rounds in the magazine. that didn't last very long

For handgun qualification, it was a 4" Mdl 15. The only other time, it was a 2" Mdl10 with shoulder holster. And that was while birds were being generated during an ORI. Regs required 2 armed officers to guard the classified. Got lucky one time and was on alert, when the IG landed. Since the Alert birds were already prepped for Combat, got to miss out on generating an aircraft for combat. Aircraft in question was a B-52D.

Started in LE in 1976 .........

.....first department did not issue handgun, the Officer had to provide his own revolver. Mine was 66 4 inch no dash. Same with second PD.
Model 66 served in another department.
I was on the selection board when the dept. decided to purchase weapons ,we picked the 686. I did not get to carry one because I left to finish my degree. While doing that did fill in volunteer with the local SO, again the 66.

After I finished the degree joined a state agency that issued old model 10s. Got permission to carry my 66.
A few years later they purchased new model 10 HBs and disallowed personal owned weapons. Moved into a supervisory slot about the time we transitioned to Glocks, model 27 for my job.

Later changed to .45acp in Glocks, I was issued a 30sf.
Retired in 2017 just as the agency was transitioning to 9mm.

Alway had a J frame on me, the last 15 years a model 649.

Had an variety of M14s and M16s and once while stationed at Philadelphia, I was sent on a 2 week range visit to Lake Hurst New Jersey with a M1 Grand

My one brother got a self propelled 8" howitzer.

The other launched jets.

The other 2 brothers stayed home