NYPD to give new recruits guns with lighter trigger pulls for improved accuracy

[WizardofID]

I'm a new member to these forums and this is my first post.

I have recently purchased a brand new Kahr K9 and I think the K9 is the perfect, all metal, compact handgun for a retired police officer to use for conceal carry... as well as any civilian who wants a small all metal semi-automatic pistol.

The reason for this posting is to note my surprise on how few, recent articles that can be found related to the Kahr K9 pistol. After reading all of the forums and articles that I could find related to the Kahr K9, it appears as though the waning of it's popularity began to occur shortly after the New York Police Department told their Officers that they could no longer carry their Kahr K9's or other Kahr semi-automatics off-duty because the trigger pull was too light. The result was that numerous Kahr K9's began to flood the used firearms market.

While reading one of the law enforcement publications (Police1) that I subscribe to... I came across this article in my email and thought I would share it with you:

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NYPD to give new recruits guns with lighter trigger pulls for improved accuracy

By Suzie Ziegler
August 27, 2021
Police1.com



"NEW YORK — The NYPD will be issuing new recruits a pistol with a lighter trigger pull to improve accuracy, according to the New York Daily News.


According to the report, the NYPD has used 12-pound trigger pulls for more than 100 years but will now be issuing guns with five-pound trigger pulls. The NYPD says the data speaks for itself.


In a test of 457 recruits, the average score was 93.7 with the five-pound pull and 88.7 with the 12-pound pull, according to the Daily News. Sworn officers who were tested also scored better with the lighter pull. However, only new recruits will be getting the five-pound pull guns.


“We’re building (recruits) up from scratch, so to speak,” said Insp. Marlon Larin, who runs the department’s Firearms & Tactics section, to the Daily News. “As we’re training them we’re assessing them and we can also follow them throughout their careers. We didn’t want to go so large. We know this is a very sensitive topic and we wanted to phase it in slowly.”


Activists have voiced concern, saying it doesn’t make sense to give new officers a weapon that is easier to fire.

“It’s making the weapon more deadly for more people,” said Randolph McLaughlin, a lawyer who represented the family of a Harlem man killed by police in 2012. “I think at a time when we’re questioning the discharging of weapons by police, when we’re providing officers non-lethal force devices, such as TASERs, why would you want to make it easier for cops to shoot people?”


But Larin says greater accuracy means fewer shots fired and therefore a lower chance the wrong person is hit.

Other police agencies have introduced a lighter pull in recent years to reported success. The Suffolk County Police commissioner says the department has seen improved accuracy with no increase in accidental discharges, according to the report."


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After reading this article I can help but wonder if the used Kahr K9's, (and other Kahr handguns) might start to go up in price as they, once again, start to get the recognition they deserve in today's world of polymer handguns?

[Bawanna]

And it only took NYPD 100 years to figure out that hitting anything with a 12lb trigger is a challenge for anybody.

And only new recruits get the guns they can shoot accurately, wonder what their thinking is on that one. Veterans don't need to be accurate.

We don't have the issues in our area that they have in most of the big cities, I feel sorry for todays officers and the BS they have to go through. And it doesn't seem to be getting any better for them.

[WizardofID]

Bawana... I retired from an East Coast Department 7 years ago. I started off with a S&W Model 65 and later went to a Glock 17, a Glock 22, and just before my retirement a Glock 21. While I've got nothing against Glock firearms... I still like the traditional feel of an all metal handgun. To me, the K9 is the perfect balance between small & hefty.

[Bawanna]

We started with Beretta's, 92's and then 96's (40's). Finally go them to go 45's and we got Glock 21's. I'm not a Glock fan really but I was dept armorer and they make a great cop gun. Take a lot of abuse and negligence and still work. Now the circle has completed and they are back to 9's. Gave them a choice of different Glocks.
Glad I retired in 2019, couldn't handle another firearm transition. They all got mandatory Red Dot sights also. Not a huge fan of those neither but I got one I'm trying out, so far it's good. Might actually like them but I'll never ever ever put one on any of my 1911's.

[ripley16]

"... the average score was 93.7 with the five-pound pull and 88.7..."

Must admit that I was very surprised to see the smaller than expected gain in accuracy. Makes me wonder what the qualification course looks like. Most people would consider the 12# Glock a bear to shoot well at any noticeable speed and accuracy.

I wonder why Kahr was unable to produce a heavy weight trigger. What was the challenge? Obviously more than a simple spring change. Losing that 5000 gun contract had to hurt.

[Bawanna]

I too was surprised at the small improvement in scores. But again, it's New York so who knows who is pushing the buttons.

[Scott321]

I'm wondering if they're just dropping the "NY trigger package" requirement so they could just purchase "normal" pistols from manufacturers that don't make or don't want to make that option.

[Bawanna]

I'm wondering if they're just dropping the "NY trigger package" requirement so they could just purchase "normal" pistols from manufacturers that don't make or don't want to make that option.

Could very well be Scott, perhaps the manufacturers have had enough and they couldn't get their ungodly heavy triggers so they made it policy to make it look like it was their idea.

[WizardofID]

I can't understand why Kahr would even consider raising the trigger pull weight on a firearm that was specifically designed to have such a smooth, light weight trigger pull directly from the factory? Why change what isn't broken?

[Bawanna]

NYPD specifically required it for their officers to carry on or off duty. Kahr did it so the officers could purchase Kahrs.

Same as the manufacturers that provide stupid stuff in order to get on the California approved list.

I can't even imagine living in a state where I have to check a list to see if I'm allowed to purchase a certain model of gun or anything else for that matter.