22 May 03

Last night I had a conversation with the head trainer of a large state agency in the Midwest. Our discussion was about service handguns. When I first started working with this agency a number of years ago, their agents (all plain clothes) carried S&W 4516s. The act of manual decocking was, of course, included in the training curriculum, and was accepted by all. In recent years, the agency, once independent, has come under the patronization of the State Police.

State police officers here, nearly all uniformed, carry SIG 229s (40 S&W), in SIG's current self-decocking (DAO) configuration. The head of the State Police insisted that this smaller agency get rid of all other handguns and also adopt the SIG pistol. They duly obeyed the edict, and they all now have SIG pistols in 40S&W. My friend was able to successfully lobby for the smaller M239, but the self-decocking configuration was declared "not negotiable."

S&W, Beretta, and SIG all offer self-decocking versions of their autoloading pistols. Glock was, of course, the first self-decocking pistol, and, with no manual safety levers, or decocking levers, and no safety/decocking levers, its popularity in the law enforcement business speaks for itself. The Glock trigger features the best of both worlds: it provides the shooter with a shallow reset for fast and accurate follow-up shots, but it still decocks itself as soon as the trigger is released completely. Manual decocking is eliminated. S& W's, Berettas, and SIG's self-decocking versions have, until recently, provided only a long, heavy pull and a subsequent long reset for all shots. In fact, agents superciliously refer to SIG's version as merely a "flat revolver," which is actually an accurate description.

Enter H&K's new LEM (Law Enforcement Module) trigger! H&K's USP pistol, which heretofore had a manual decocking lever, recently became available with their version of Glock's trigger. There is an exposed hammer, but the trigger features a take-up at only four pounds. Then, it hits the sear and builds up to eight pounds. Overtravel after release is only a millimeter or two. Reset is short (hammer stays cocked), and subsequent shots are all from a cocked hammer. When the trigger is released completely, the hammer returns to its forward, rest position. Manual decocking is eliminated (along with the lever), and the trigger is easily manipulated, even by relatively weak fingers. H&K has now incorporated the LEM trigger in its new pistol (successor to the USP), and with it they will be directly assaulting Glock's market.

Back to our story: SIG has now developed a similar, "Glock-like" trigger, but they have not yet marketed it. My friend is trying his best to persuade SIG to make this new system available to his agency. It is an obvious quantum improvement over the current "flat revolver."

Manual decocking and manual safety levers have become unpopular among police executives. I do not see that trend reversing any time soon. We surely hope SIG takes the hint and gets their version of the Glock trigger on the market right away. It will be a great boon to mankind, not to mention my dedicated friend here in the Midwest trying his best to keep his guys from getting hurt.

/John