LAPD folks, S&W 45 Q's

18DAI

Absent Comrade
Joined
Sep 30, 2005
Messages
6,106
Reaction score
13,258
Location
GSO NC
How is the 3rd gen 45 transition class progressing? Are they still being offered?

What does the training consist of? Is it very different from the past, say when Larry Mudgett ran it? What was it like then?

I'm curious too about which is the more popular pistol on LAPD, the 4506 or 4566?

Thanks for your time! :) Regards 18DAI
 
Register to hide this ad
The "45" transition course has been eliminated. Officers can carry a 2nd or 3rd gen Smith 45 once they qualify with it. Someone with some common sense realized it was a waste of time. Officers could already carry 2nd and 3rd generation 9mms without any additional training so the argument officers needed to get used to the mag safety was flawed.

As for model, 75% go with the 4506, with the rest using either the 4566 or 4563.
 
Yeah it only took 12 years and a huge budget crisis before the Department reviewed its training requirements and eliminated some CYA stuff.

Really the unwritten reason for the course was to make officers shoot a certain number of rounds through their weapon before carrying it on duty. You'd be shocked to know how many officers showed up at the course with brand new weapons, never fired/cleaned/oiled and had no idea how to field strip and lube properly.
 
Last edited:
Do you mean that 70% of the LAPD carry he 4506 or that 70% of those that carry Smith 45's like the 4506 better? What is th most commonly carried pistol in the LAPD if you know? What about the Glock 21
 
Do a lot still carry Beretta M-92FS 9mm's?

I read that new hires have to wear Glocks, but that guns already in use were grandfathered in.
 
I'd be very interested in knowing how many LAPD officers still carry / are issued the 5906/4506/4566, just as a glimmer of hope that S&W will still produce spare parts and maybe consider offering them once again on a wider scale.
 
Do you mean that 70% of the LAPD carry he 4506 or that 70% of those that carry Smith 45's like the 4506 better? What is th most commonly carried pistol in the LAPD if you know? What about the Glock 21

This. The current issue duty weapon is Glock. Officers who carried/issued other weapons could keep those weapons.

For the most part Smith 9mms are few and far between. 6906s are sometimes seen carried by plain clothes and Detectives, and 59xx guns with older officers, normally females, who bought their own back in the day. The grip is MUCH smaller then the Beretta 92, which was the only choice back then.

Believe it or not there is still strong interest in the 45xx guns. So much so that classes are offered for younger officers who have only shot Glocks so they go to a gun with a decocker.
 
I carried a 4563 when I went to Narcotics. Light, easy to conceal and still usable as an entry gun on search warrants.
Bob
 
You'd be shocked to know how many officers showed up at the course with brand new weapons, never fired/cleaned/oiled and had no idea how to field strip and lube properly.

Not really. Love those old cop guns. "Carried much, fired a little." ;)
 
So you are issued a Glock in the academy, but you have the option of going out and buying your own 4506 later if you want to carry it? Why not just give the recruit the choice in the academy?
 
So you are issued a Glock in the academy, but you have the option of going out and buying your own 4506 later if you want to carry it? Why not just give the recruit the choice in the academy?


"GLOCKS ARE THE BEST!"

"GLOCKS ARE THE BEST!"

"GLOCKS ARE TH-"

click

I was watching "The Mummy" and Imhotep's slaves were on the screen. My bad gentlemen. ;)
 
So you are issued a Glock in the academy, but you have the option of going out and buying your own 4506 later if you want to carry it? Why not just give the recruit the choice in the academy?

The Department has to issue some sort of weapon. Saying go out and find your own is not an acceptable solution because there's a huge percentage of recruits who have no idea what makes a good duty weapon. Something like 40% have never even touched a real gun before joining the Department.
 
Thanks for the info! Much appreciated. Regards 18DAI
 
Hi Laddy Smith,

No, never been fortunate enough to attend any LAPD schools. Although I do have a standing invitation to run their course, if I should ever be able to get out there, from one of the fine LAPD folks.

I am an east coast guy. I was fortunate enough to have most of my relatives employed by the NYPD. I was initially trained by them as a young man. Then some training courtesy of Uncle Sugar and finally state training and certification.

Annual qualifications and competition is about all I have done for the last couple of years. Although I am saving up to take a course offered by Larry Mudgett. He was the chief instructor for LAPD at one time and now runs his own school. Best regards, 18DAI
 
Larry's running his own school? Really?

Last I heard was Larry was working at Gunsight and in fact was the lead instructor for their new SAA carry class.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top