About .40 S&W
For a brief period in American history, the .40 S&W cartridge ruled as the top choice for law enforcement agencies.
In 1986, a shooting in Miami-Dade County between the FBI and several suspects ended in the death of several FBI agents. The after-action report determined that the FBI agents’ 9mm handguns were outgunned. This led for a search for a new, more powerful caliber, with 10mm finding short-lived success.
In an attempt to produce a round with less recoil than 10mm but more powerful than 9mm, Smith & Wesson cut down the 10mm casing to create what we now know as .40 S&W. From the 1990s until the 2010s, many law enforcement agencies across the country adopted .40 S&W-chambered handguns.
In 2016, it was determined that modern defensive loadings of 9mm provided a negligible difference in effectiveness in gel to that of the .40 S&W, all with less recoil and more capacity. As the FBI returned to the 9mm round, many other law enforcement agencies followed suit. With that shift, the market was flooded with .40 S&W handguns from law enforcement inventories.
Although .40 S&W is no longer king, that does not mean the cartridge is useless or ineffective.
Glock 22 Gen4
The Glock 22 is one of the most common LE trade-in handguns on the market. This full-size handgun is the same size as the 9mm Glock 17. The Glock 22 Gen4 feeds from 15-round flush-fit magazines. This handgun features an oversized magazine release, finger grooves, and aggressive stippling on the grip, all standard features of the fourth-generation Glock.
Since this handgun was sold to a law enforcement department, it has metal night sights. With minimal cosmetic wear, this G22 is in excellent condition. Glocks are some of the most reliable and consistent handguns on the market, so you can be confident you’re getting a solid deal.
SIG Sauer P239
The compact, single-stack SIG Sauer P239 normally operates from a single/double-action trigger, but this handgun has a law enforcement trigger installed. It substitutes a longer, heavier double-action pull for the normal single-action function, alleviating safety concerns for departments that normally require safeties on their duty handguns. The SIG P239 feeds from seven-round magazines.
The perfect placement of the magazine and slide release are notable features of any SIG P200 series handgun. The shooter does not need to break their grip to actuate the controls.
The SIG P239 was often used as a backup or an option for detectives who wanted smaller, more concealable sidearms. These trade-in P239s show some cosmetic wear but are otherwise in amazing shape.
Sig Sauer P229
The SIG Sauer P229 is a double-stack compact handgun based on the P226.
The P229 feeds from flush-fit 12-round magazines and uses the same SIG DAK law enforcement trigger as the P239 above. These handguns show light signs of holster wear, but most of the finish remains. SIG Sauer still produces the P229 but no longer offers any of its handgun lines in .40 S&W, making this batch of P229s a unique find.
In my opinion, the SIG P226 and P229 set the standard for hammer-fired, single/double-action handguns.
SIG Sauer P226
The full-sized, hammer-fired SIG Sauer P226 is an iconic design loved by many, including Naval Special Warfare. With thousands of contracts across the globe, this is one of the most popular handguns around.
This P226 is a DAK law enforcement trigger model that feeds from the same 12-round magazines as the P229. This batch is in excellent condition, showing only slight wear on the finish.
On the range, it is easy to fall in love with the P226. From the easily accessible controls to the perfectly textured and sized grips that make it easy to handle recoil, every trigger pull is a joy.
Summary
Trade-in handguns are a great deal for anyone looking for a quality firearm to take to the range. The money you save can be spent on ammo for training, which is the most important part of firearms ownership. Just as these handguns faithfully served out law enforcement, they are ready to serve you.
