Bay area LEO's

[Chokeoloko]

Just a curious question I had about your firearms. I was wondering if some departments allow their officers to carry their own personal firearm with them on duty (and which ones do allow this)? I have a wilson combat tactical supergrade 1911 I purchased for $5,000+ and am curious to find out if they would allow wilson combat firearms to be carried on duty, or does it have to be a brand like Colt, Kimber, or Springfield strictly? I do not currently live in the state of California and have been hearing some things about "Cali approved" firearms. On the Wilson combat website they have a section for cali approved firearms which indicates this "
WTSG-A-ACA Tactical Supergrade, Black / Gray Armor-Tuff, .45 ACP, CA Approved $5150.0"

My pistol is Black / Black Armor-Tuff and was wondering if I would be allowed to carry this as a duty pistol (if the department allows it). Then again I am not sure why the Gray frame is CA Approved the the Black is not. Could someone explain this to me?

Thank You!

[code33]

Yes, some departments will have standard issued equipment and allow officers to carry personally purchased equipment upon approval.

Unless, issued by the agency, I would not carry a $5000+ firearm, on-duty, or not. If you have to use it, count on the possibility of not getting it back or getting it back in really poor condition after it has been sitting in evidence for a few years.

LE is roster exempt. If department allows it, then an officer can carry it. Yes, the roster is silly and doesn't make sense.

[solanoshooter]

I echo code33. I'll add that I know a lot of departments in the Bay Area let officers carry personally owened weapons, though there are only a small handful that authorize 1911s.

[9mmepiphany]

Bringing your Wilson into the state is not a problem if you are moving here...it doesn't have to be on the approved list, but you'll have to register it when you get here and send a $19 check to CA DOJ. Being a LEO doesn't make it easier or harder.

The 1911 seems to be making a comeback as a optional personally owned weapon. It is up to the department and if there are enough interested officers to go through the process of changing policy. You should call the departments you are interested in to inquire...I know of at least one that does and would think there are more.

The department I'm thinking of allows personally owned 1911s and allows them to have custom work performed on them to insure reliability...likely with departmental approval. I doubt any of the ones that made it though their required qualification/transition class were valued at under $2k.

I've always carried a personally owned sidearm as a duty weapon and the cost of it never entered the consideration...it was all about function and confidence (well, the was a bit of cach'e too)

[BigDogatPlay]

On the Wilson combat website they have a section for cali approved firearms which indicates this "
WTSG-A-ACA Tactical Supergrade, Black / Gray Armor-Tuff, .45 ACP, CA Approved $5150.0"

A bit of thread drift.... is it me, or is that price just a hoot?

OP... not that many agencies in the Bay Area authorize 1911s, outside of their tactical teams, for patrol. I can think of maybe four or five off the top of my head. For those agencies that do authorize personally owned firearms, they have to be a department approved caliber / mechanism and pretty much universally it has to be reviewed / approved by the department armorer or head firearms trainer.

Color me also in the camp of not wanting to carry a $5K sidearm on the street. For that kind of dough I'd always be worrying about it in the back of my mind, but that's just me. I predominately carried a personally owned sidearm, S&W's and Sig's mainly. I paid what I paid and wasn't concerned, but I understood that a holster gun was going to get beaten up to some degree.

[9mmepiphany]

A bit of thread drift.... is it me, or is that price just a hoot?

It does seem a bit excessive...but then it doesn't have any MIM or Cast parts in it

[Raider510]

I would think as long as your department rangemaster approves it, there's nothing in department policy that forbids it, and you qualify with it there should be no problem at all.

[jdberger]

It does seem a bit excessive...but then it doesn't have any MIM or Cast parts in it

I think you're missing the funny. Look at the price again.

[Andy Taylor]

It does seem a bit excessive...but then it doesn't have any MIM or Cast parts in it

That's not the point. 5150 is the hold put on a mentally ill person who is a danger to him/herself or others.

[9mmepiphany]

You're both right, I completely missed it. I'm familiar with W&I 5150...I think I just stopped reading after the first number

[Chokeoloko]

You're both right, I completely missed it. I'm familiar with W&I 5150...I think I just stopped reading after the first number

hahaha yah well its a lot of money to but its worth it, amazing firearm. I was gonna go with the springfield professional but they had me on a 2 year waiting list. But yes I would bring the firearm with me on duty if I was allowed to. Maybe ill get it back in a year or two usually thats how long it takes. Ive heard most departments keep it for about a week and release it back to the officer.

[NineteenElev3n]

I would think as long as your department rangemaster approves it, there's nothing in department policy that forbids it, and you qualify with it there should be no problem at all.

+1. Add that to the LEOSA, you should be good to go!

[ckim34]

My department along with a few others in CoCo County allow Officers to carry 1911s on duty. I know of three guys at my agency that carry Wilson Combats but I am in the boat of not carrying a gun that costs that much on duty.