23 Apr 04

News from SIG:

According to my friends at SIG, the DAK trigger is currently being installed only on the 226 and the 229. Both pistols are similar in size. Both are double column.

The DAK system requires more room that the conventional DA/SA system, and SIG design engineers have not yet figured out how to fit it into a 239, 220, or 245. It may go into a 228, but none have been built yet. The 228 is the Army's current M11. It is also issued and used by the NJSP.

I'm confident the DAK will eventually be offered in all SIG pistols, as it is too good an idea to confined to only a few. But, it may take a while for engineering to catch up with sales.

My 229/DAK in 357SIG continues to perform wonderfully. Highly recommended as a carry gun.

/John

23 Apr 04

Shotgun ND, from an LEO friend on the East Coast:

"Our agency carries shotguns (Remington 870s) mounted behind/above the driver's head, on the cage. Last week, one of our patrol officers was on no rmal patrol. As he waited at a stoplight downtown, a finger on his free hand ma de its way into the trigger guard. The shotgun discharged. The 00 buckshot ro und blew out the passenger-side window, and buckshot pellets flew down a side street. Fortunately, there were no injuries, and property damage (other tha n our patrol vehicle) was minor.

This officer had been, of course, properly trained in the use and storage of the shotgun, but shotgun training here has been lax the past few years. Supervisors have failed to emphasize how important it is to check all emerge ncy equipment at the start of the shift. As a result, officers merely accounted for' the shotgun, rather than inspecting it as they know they should.

It took this public ND to shake up everyone here sufficiently so that we are now taking shotgun training and procedure seriously once more. We were luck y. We got a relatively inexpensive 'lesson.'

It is easy to let important things slide in this business. Excuses are legion. Our department paid a small price for this "reminder." I hope and pray there won't be a 'next time!'"

Lesson: There is no "right way" to do a wrong thing. Firearms are unforgiving. NDs are inexcusable. We carry guns in a high state of readine ss, constantly. There is no substitute for correct training and constant, rigor ous supervision. We need to either take care of business, or get out of busines s!

/John