As you’ve seen from other very authoritative answers, FBI agents are not required to be armed at all times but have the option. The 3-inch and 4-inch barrel models were most popular as they were just concealable enough for plainclothes work. I was talking with an old friend, Claude Duffey Brown, who joined the FBI in 1956, and who had later sent me an email on his experiences as a new agent. You can definitely buy one, but expect a two-year wait and to shell out $3,000. Some of those factors are: The SWAT Operations Unit (SOU), which is part of the Critical Incident Response Group, oversees the Bureau’s SWAT program. Monday, August 22, 2011. Please try again. He was also given a Smith & Wesson .357 Mag., Registration No. (The Bren Ten was out of production.) These revolvers were earmarked for the FBI’s field SWAT teams, although many were diverted to use by other field agents. From the late 1990s until very recently, these were the standard guns issued by the FBI to agents. He was held for 42 days before being rescued by NOCS also known as The Leatherheads, an advanced SWAT team. The Unit Chief told me that General Dozier had been contacted by Ross Perot, who thought it would be a nice gesture to reward the SWAT team members with some token of appreciation. [3], The Firearms Unit at the FBI Academy began developing SWAT teams in the early 1970s. The S&W had the best double-action pull — the Colt double action got harder as the trigger was pulled, while the S&W seemed to be smoother, and the last part of pull maybe easier that (sic) at first. Meanwhile, the Bureau started receiving its S&W Model 1076s. Yet it proved to be an unpopular choice as the ejector rod was too short to eject the fired cases efficiently and the short sight radius made lowlight sight alignment difficult. FBI Special Weapons and Tactics Teams are specialized part-time tactical teams (SWAT) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This was a very hot load, unsuitable for the average brick agent. I recall one trainee in one of my classes showing me her split thumb web caused by the recoil. While on duty, you must carry the sidearm that was issued to you. The next attempt was an unqualified success. Get the American Rifleman Insider newsletter for at-a-glance access to industry news, gear, gun reviews, videos and more—delivered directly to your Inbox. Recognizing the advantages and disadvantages of each, and after extensive testing using the Bureau’s then-new “forty round ballistic criteria,” a compromise was reached with the .40 caliber. “I was tall and thin — wore a 28-inch belt, and even the .38 S&W seemed to get heavier each hour; plus I made more fast draws just to save my pants from falling; so for Christmas of 1957 I bought a .38 Chief Special revolver, with 2” barrel and 5 shot. Caribou Media Group earns a commission from qualifying purchases. Disclosure: Some of these links are affiliate links. He still remembers the class being sent out their first day to buy wide heavy belts and snap brim hats. Agents could also opt to carry an approved handgun of their own procurement, and one of the most popular models that early agents opted for was the Registered Magnum. Roy McHenry, who was in the Bureau from 1917 to 1920, wrote of using a .35 Smith while shooting at bootleggers trying to steal whiskey from a federal warehouse. Concealability (or convenience) must also have been a factor as a number of small-frame revolvers were purchased and issued through the years. The Glock 22 is the larger of the two weapons with a 15+1 capacity. It proved to be an excellent and reliable handgun. In Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege (2015), FBI SWAT is one of the CTUs you can play as. You can get all the same kit on a 1911 at half (or less) the price, but not one with this attention to detail. Marshals – Glock 22 Gen4, Glock 23 Gen4: In 2012, the U.S. That morning I called Lee Deeters, Smith &Wesson President and explained the situation. A half-hour later, Bob Haas, VP of Sales, called me back. Most commonly, police officers carry guns on planes to facilitate prisoner transport, dignitary protection and other official police business. HOT Right Now: What Are the Top-Selling Firearms and Who Has the Best Gun Deals? In 1988, I acquired one of the first 228s to be “Bureau approved” for carry and carried it during my last five years in the FBI. I still use it for annual qualifications under HR 218, The Police Officer’s Protection Act. The BATFE selected the .40 caliber G22 Gen4 and G27 semi-automatic pistols as their choice of duty weapons, demonstrating that Glock earned their trust and confidence.” The Glock 27 is a small, light, accurate and powerful weapon. The FBI acquired a number of unique Smith & Wessons from the U.S. Navy, Office of Naval Investigations. S&W historian Roy Jinks and Sandra Drein’s book, Images of America: Smith & Wesson shows a photo of Hoover receiving an engraved Model 19 from an S&W representative.
