PA state police to change from Beretta 96 to G37
I can't believe they're going to the 45 GAP. I would have never expected it. Why not just go with the 21?
State police to get new guns
Published: October 09. 2007 6:00AM
Erie Times News
Pennsylvania State Police are phasing out their old firearms and getting new, higher-caliber weapons.
State police in Erie's Troop E are being trained with a new pistol, the .45-caliber Glock Model 37, through the end of October, troop spokesman Cpl. Mark Zaleski said.
The change is necessary after Gov. Ed Rendell approved an increase in the size of the state police force in May 2006, said Sgt. David Pallone, supervisor of planning and analysis in the State Police Bureau of Research and Development who oversaw the selection of the new weapon
The previous weapon, the .40-caliber Beretta Grenadier 96D, was out of production, and the state police needed a uniform weapon, Pallone said. The Berettas were near the end of their commission, Pallone said.
"We were able to facilitate it pretty quickly because our firearms were aging and we were looking at what was available in the market and testing some weapons," Pallone said.
Selecting the new weapon took almost a year of testing and trials with state troopers, Pallone said. He said the Glock was the most popular gun among the troopers.
"What I like about it is that it's a larger caliber, a heavier bullet, and it's a faster bullet," said Cpl. Mark Amato, who helped Pallone select the new pistol.
Though the caliber is larger, the gun is smaller and more manageable, Pallone said.
The Glock has a slimmer grip and shorter trigger pull, making it easier to fire for a wider range of hand sizes. A polymer frame, as opposed to the Beretta's steel frame, also makes the Glock a lighter weapon, Pallone said.
The Glock also has less perceived recoil, despite the larger round, Pallone said.
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Glock has a vested interest in both the gun and the caliber, and has been known to offer special rates to law enforcement agencies to get more of their guns out there.
(They can afford to discount heavily because being mostly plastic with few moving parts, Glocks are notoriously cheap to manufacture).
Berettas, also, have notoriously fat baseball-bat like grips that simply don't "work" for people with small hands.0 -
This being PA< you can be sure some "goodwill" was given to help select a foriegn made gun in an oddball caliber..[V]
why not a S&W M&P made in the good ol's USA in .45 ACP??0 -
anyone else catch this?
quote:"What I like about it is that it's a larger caliber, a heavier bullet, and it's a faster bullet," said Cpl. Mark Amato, who helped Pallone select the new pistol.
quote:as opposed to the Beretta's steel frame
the new g21sf has a smaller grip, and shoots .45 acp0 -
Evidently when crime goes up they blame it on the gun. So then changing
guns is the easy answer. Kinda wonder how may shots were "fired in anger" last year to merit a change. (and the number of hits)0
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