Question about WA State Patrol handguns (recent?)

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SmithNut

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Ran across an interesting Beretta M92FS "M" model the other day (the single stack version of the M92). This one was marked on the left side of the frame as Washington State Patrol (two lines with white filler).

Wasn't aware of them carrying the Beretta (just never thought to research), but the single stack version seems to be odd, or maybe it was for State Patrol officers with smaller hands... ?????

Anybody know about these??
 
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Well what the heck...

I bought it, been looking for an "M" model for some time, this one being a Washington State Patrol gun makes it 'mo better....... :)

DupMxM.jpg


The fact that it came with a total of 5 of the very hard to find mags makes it that much more desirable.....
 
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Man, that's a gorgeous gun! I love the 92 Series of pistols, including the clones. They're just so stylish-looking.
 
WSP had the 92s for maybe a decade or so. I think it was their first pistol after moving off of revolvers. The "M" was an accommodation for different hand size folks. Their uniformity fetish is so bad that I was surprised that they allowed the option.
Right now, the put their bigger officers in Tahoes, because over a certain height the Explorer is a poor fit. They have some ... Caprices, I think it is, but most of the state is such that they are not practical.
WSP is almost 2 agencies. On/near I-5 they have one set of attributes, but get them on this side of the state and they have to take on the rural setting and learn from deputies how to do that. That does not matter much right now as they are so short staffed that they can't keep up on the Interstate and State highway stuff. We have good troopers here, but they are not up to speed on general LE activities. Their academy has never met state standards, but they were exempt from certification until about 2004.
 
SmithNut said:
I bought it, been looking for an "M" model for some time, this one being a Washington State Patrol gun makes it 'mo better....... :)

DupMxM.jpg


The fact that it came with a total of 5 of the very hard to find mags makes it that much more desirable.....
Click to expand...
Having had to conceal the M9 under a flight suit for many years, I've never been a fan of that line, but that pistol looks really good.
 
To me, the single stack guns look better, feel better, and are far more practical but probably don't sell well these days.
 
As Doug stated, these were for folks with smaller hands (read that female troopers). I hadn't seen one of these WSP marked ones for sale, it's pretty cool you scored that one Ray!

WSP wasn't an actual police force until sometime in the 2000's, their mission was strictly patrolling the highways and enforcing vehicle laws. They did, on occasion, assist the locals with issues (bar fights, etc., where the locals were sorely undermanned). In the early 2000's the mission started changing. They got drug dogs, broadened their undercover responsibilities, took over security on the ferry system, etc. That's about the time they wanted to become a police agency and went for accreditation.

IIRC they went to Sigs for a while, not sure what they carry now. Probably M&Ps or Glocks. They were still primarily revolvers when I left in '90.
 
May I see your registration and proof of insurance please.
Oh you bought that firearm legally?
...sure you did. :rolleyes:

Cool pistol. :cool:
 
WSP went from the S&W M28 to the Beretta M92F ~ 1989. A few years later they purchased the Type M’s for those with smaller hands (& they carried four spare mags instead of the usual two).

~ 1999, WSP moved to the HK USP40 (either full-size or compact, depending on personal preference). Since then I believe they’ve gone to the S&W M&P-9mm.

While WSP is primarily focused on traffic safety, the Academy also covers criminal investigations, domestics, drugs, etc. They just spend more time than the other Academies focusing on collision investigation and driving.

WSP is short-staffed because they fired 127 employees who refused to get the jab. (If I said anything more about that it would get political...)
 
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