Criminal Weapon Selection

[HCM]

I am surprised there aren't more .22s on the list, but I guess bad guys like bigger calibers too.

I think this list kinda puts suspicion on the idea that "cheap guns" are for criminals. You'd think "ring of fire" guns would still be big. Most are probably bought for self-defense.

I wonder how many RG .22s got snagged in their heyday?

Your idea of cheap guns is 20 years behind the times. Cheap guns like the SCCY, Smith and Wesson Estee nine, SD 40, etc. are well represented in my area. Azhar 40 caliber Glock’s due to their ubiquity as cheap PD trade in guns.

The $75-$100 pot metal guns of 20 years ago have been replaced with cheap polymer frame guns at about 200.

[TC215]

I do expert witness work for the US Attorney's Office here for federal gun cases (nothing glamorous, they just use me because I work way faster than the ATF does), and keep a list of guns I look at for felon in possession cases. These are the guns I did last year (these aren't all the guns we took off the street-- just the ones I looked at for federal court):

Davis Industries P-380
S&W SD40
XD45
Hi-Point .380
Ruger LC9s
Cobra Enterprises CB9
Jennings 9mm
Stallard Arms JS-9
FIE Titan .25
Taurus model 85
Intratec CAT-9
Hi-Point 9mm
Glock 43
Remington RM380
Colt Agent .38
Springfield 1911
Raven .25
Hi-Point 9mm
S&W Bodyguard .380
XD 9mm
Sig SP2022
XDS .45
High Standard Durango .22
Glock 23
Davis .22 (derringer-style)
Rock Island 1911

[Totem Polar]

That list is indeed resplendent with cheap-ass shit, @TC215. Interesting counterpoint.

[Hambo]

Four guys in their late teens were up to no good on my street last Saturday night. Two guns were recovered: a G43X and an unspecified Glock. None of the four is old enough to buy a handgun, so you can guess how they got them.

[Gater]

The (most recent) time it particularly mattered to me: S&W 645. Possessor was prohibited.

[Baldanders]

I had to go through my phone and looks at crappy photos taken at night but here's part of my tally for 2019. These are the only ones that I cared to take a picture of.

Ruger LCP
Glock 17 or 22 with autosear (can't remember which)
Kimber 1911
Springfield XD (pretty sure it was a 40)
Glock 17 with autosear
9mm Hi Point
Feg Pa-63
Kel-Tec P32
2x Taurus G2C (2 identical guns from 1 turd)
Radical Firearms 5.56 AR Pistol with a drum magazine
Sig P320 Compact 9mm
Glock 17 Gen 2
Ak-47
AR Pistol (Unknown brand but with the 3rd hole drilled)
Springfield XD Mod 2 9mm
Astra Revolver
Smith & Wesson 642


As you can see the choice in weapons is all over the place. The number of full auto conversions did surprise me though. Almost all of these were taken from documented gang members, about half were found to be stolen.

No .357s here, and only one on the OPs linked list. Obviously, revolvers in .357 and calibers that begin with "4" are the choice of good guys. 😃

[Erick Gelhaus]

A couple days ago, the local "big" PD's gang unit was watching gangsters doing gangster stuff in a park. When they drove off, a high-risk stop was done. Aside from the four badguys, the cops recovered a 9mm Shield with an 8rd mag and a Hi-Point along with the usual blue fashion accessories.

[JustOneGun]

I think Gregg hit the important word in his article, TRENDS. Other than that it really doesn't matter to me what they are carrying.

So real to look like toys is important to me. Important to survive and in court.
I much prefer to look for trends like, non-drug home invasions in my area, large increases in armed or strong armed robbery, etc.

Which caliber they are carrying doesn't enter into it for me. I plan on shooting them no matter the brand, caliber, toy, etc.

I remember some officers reading these types of articles and lowering the level of their new armor because of the average. When I asked them how they knew which gun their bad guy was carrying they looked at me like a dim witted dairy cow.

[HCM]

I think Gregg hit the important word in his article, TRENDS. Other than that it really doesn't matter to me what they are carrying.

So real to look like toys is important to me. Important to survive and in court.
I much prefer to look for trends like, non-drug home invasions in my area, large increases in armed or strong armed robbery, etc.

Which caliber they are carrying doesn't enter into it for me. I plan on shooting them no matter the brand, caliber, toy, etc.

I remember some officers reading these types of articles and lowering the level of their new armor because of the average. When I asked them how they knew which gun their bad guy was carrying they looked at me like a dim witted dairy cow.

Not to mention your armor should stop YOUR handgun since criminals frequently choose to use your handgun against you. We’re not in the bad old days when 1/5 officers was shot with their own gun but it’s still a thing.

[Coyotesfan97]

I remember some officers reading these types of articles and lowering the level of their new armor because of the average. When I asked them how they knew which gun their bad guy was carrying they looked at me like a dim witted dairy cow.

I decided to wear 3A in the academy. I’ve worn it since.