mckenney99
Member
I was issued the dept required S&W HB M10 in the academy with the Speer 125gr JSP +P round. All patrol cars were equipted with Rem Wingmaster 870P's with rifle sights. Shotguns were loaded with an alternating load of slug, 00 buck, slug, 00 buck. As soon as I was released from my 60 day "coach" (FTO) period, I was allowed to start carrying my privately purchased and fully approved/qualified 2in M 64 as my backup gun. We eventually traded in the M10's for S&W 681's but carried the same issued Speer 125gr JSP +P ammo and still had the Rem 870's. I won't go through all the backup guns I carried or off duty weapons but it was quite a list. Troopers were permitted to carry backup guns but they had to be furnished by the Trooper, they had to be approved by the range officer and you had to qualify with it just like the duty weapon. Off duty carry was neither encouraged nor discouraged but NO issued equipment or weapons could be used for off duty carry. We eventually added extended mags to the Rem 870's and the Rem top folding metal stock/torture device that just about made the 870's too uncomfortable to use. Next up was the issued Beretta 96D and new Rem 870 Express shotguns. At some point we got away from the alternating load of the shotgun and tried #4 buck only, with slugs in a bandolier, but after numerous failures of the #4 buck, we went back to 00 buck. We always carried 25 slug & 25 additional buck in bandoliers with the shotgun in the car (25 of each additional kept in the trunk). When I retired we were carrying Sig P226 DAO's in 40 S&W and we still were carrying the proven Rem 870's with 00 Buck and slug available.