Too Bad He Didn’t Have A 1911
BY Herschel Smith
3 years, 2 months ago
The gun of an Alaska state trooper shot while trying to serve an arrest warrant malfunctioned during the encounter, charging documents said.
The trooper underwent several surgeries after Monday’s shooting, according to an affidavit signed by an investigator for the agency, Timothy Cronin, the Anchorage Daily News reported on Wednesday.
The shooting happened outside of a general store in Anchor Point when trooper Bruce Brueggeman attempted to serve an arrest warrant to Bret Herrick, 60.
Herrick was arrested a day later near his home. He has been charged with attempted murder and first-degree assault in the shooting, and was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday.
Alaska State Troopers are issued Glock 22s. Too bad he wasn’t using a 1911. My 1911s have never failed to function, not even once in thousands and thousands of rounds.
I know. 8 + 1. Well, his Glock 22 gave him 0 + 0.
On August 29, 2021 at 11:04 pm, Bill Buppert said:
My Glocks have never failed to function, I always expect statist coproaches to have the most sub-optimal employment of a weapon of any type and especially handguns.
The Glock 21 is the finest and most reliable .45ACP pistol I have very fired.
Herschel, I suspect you are better with a 1911 than I will ever be because I simply don’t currently use them nor have I since 1991 when I went to the Glock platform. I have literally used the Glock planet-wide and as a self defense tool, it has never failed me.
YMMV.
On August 30, 2021 at 1:12 am, Randy said:
1.) Herrick (shooter) had multiple warrants out for his arrest.
2.) One lone Trooper trying to make arrest on subject with multiple warrants in a sparsely populated area (Anchor Point).
IMO, 1 + 2 = Patrol rifle with Glock 22 as a backup weapon.
On August 30, 2021 at 2:32 am, D Ski said:
Bad guy Shooter had a .45, (1911?)
Trooper had a .40 G22, probably with a wml ?, any limp wristing with that combo will yield stove pipes, which appears to have happened. I’d like to read the full report for the rest of the (approved) story.
It’s your blog Sir, with all due respect, but a 1911 in Alaska is asking for trouble. Heavy, steel , low capacity and being notoriously finicky are some of the reasons 99%of the military and us police have retired the 1911. Still, it could be worse, 40 cal…lol.
On August 30, 2021 at 5:06 am, Wes said:
The Trooper got at least one round off before “malfunction.”
There’s some missing information.
On August 30, 2021 at 5:55 am, Arthur Sido said:
TWO WORLD WARS! STAHPIN’ POWAH!
On August 30, 2021 at 7:22 am, Jamie said:
Herschel, thanks for finding this one.
I’m no Glock fan Boi. I don’t own one and prefer other guns for my uses. That said there are scant details of the failure in the article. One spent round on the ground and one in the gun. Could have been an ammo failure as easily as a gun problem. I’ve seen loads of 1911 platform failures mostly related to ammo and magazines so not ready to fault a whole brand of firearms for what are relatively few failures in a very large pool of successful engagements.
We’ll likely never see the results of the investigation but curious why the officer wasn’t able to restore the gun to service even one handed. Was he hit in his strong side? Lacked training? His wound was more severe than the text indicates? The suspect ran off before he could clear the malfunction? The jam was more serious than tap rack bang could clear? Lots of questions.
On August 30, 2021 at 8:18 am, HouseWolf said:
Having put tens of thousands of rounds through the half a dozen glocks I own with absolutely 0 fails to fire I have to suspect there is more to this story as well.
On August 30, 2021 at 8:31 am, Fred said:
Cop shot himself and blamed the gun. His bosses helped him save face. Too bad AK troopers don’t have honor like the jap samurai.
On August 30, 2021 at 8:41 am, Herschel Smith said:
All,
… sigh …
I too suspect there’s more to this story that isn’t being reported and probably never will be.
Some of what’s said by me is a bit tongue-in-cheek.
Take a chill pill and smile a bit.
On August 30, 2021 at 8:59 am, Matt said:
In Alaska, why would you carry a .40? No less than a .45 I would think. Especially in the winter time vs. 2 legged threats wearing thick heavy clothes. Never mind running into 4 legged threats that might find you to be a delicious snack at any time.
On August 30, 2021 at 9:01 am, HouseWolf said:
https://youtu.be/1ANUP5-aW4E
On August 30, 2021 at 9:24 am, George 1 said:
@D Ski: I have two 1911s. A cheapie Kimber that is about 18 years old and a Colt Commander that is about 26 years old. Both are superbly reliable. Yes I have tested them. In an afternoon four years ago I put 1000 rounds through the Colt without any issue. I have put 400 rounds in an afternoon through the Kimber. No issues. Not even with the not so great reloads I was shooting.
1911s do require more maintenance and regular recoil spring changes. I am constantly told that 1911s are finicky and prone to malfunction. James Yeager and others in the firearms training community will say: ” A 1911 that runs reliably is as rare as a Glock that does not run reliably.” Well I guess I just got lucky.
Full disclosure, I have four Glocks and they all run perfectly as well. Both my 9mm Gen 4 Glocks, a 17 and a 19, required an upgraded extractor so as not to hit me in the face with brass. That was a little irritating for new pistols.
On August 30, 2021 at 9:38 am, Herschel Smith said:
“James Yeager and others in the firearms training community will say …”
Does anyone really care what he says? If so, why?
On August 30, 2021 at 10:26 am, George 1 said:
@Herschel Smith. No. I certainly don’t care what they have to say concerning 1911s. Some of them have a good knowledge of tactics and such. I have personally seen guys who could not shoot Glocks very well but could shoot a 1911 very well.
If you shoot well with a given platform and not as well with another I would think you should stay with the one you shoot best.
On August 30, 2021 at 10:28 am, Herschel Smith said:
@George 1, yes I agree.
Honestly, this is a throw-away post that took one minute to write and I thought would make everybody chuckle a bit.
I need readers who aren’t quite so puckered and laugh a little.
On August 30, 2021 at 11:03 am, Splitting the Gold with Tuco said:
The library had a book that was deleted after the Woke Leap Forward stating that man had a loaded 1911 on a closet shelf for decades and picked it up and went outside and it fired just fine.
One has to know their weapon, for example my Italian made semi prefers brass casings over all other materials and those cheap Russian rounds will hardly chamber at all.
If it cycles through a round when pulling back the slide then it should be good to go but it is best to find out at the range.
Forty caliber is overrated and not very accurate plus the barrel pressure is tremendous, had one malfunction with a barrel rupture and ejector port piece blown out at an indoor range using name brand ammo made in USA.
The instructor said no charge and here is a free range time card for the next visit, I said relax it is not your fault.
On August 30, 2021 at 11:24 am, Fred said:
I don’t know if po po shooting themselves is funny, but it sure is a timesaver!
(See, Herschel, I can play along)
On August 30, 2021 at 11:28 am, Red in OleVirginny said:
I smiled Herschel – almost laughed – but I only try to laugh about 5 times a year. It’s because I like to look mean and rough. :-)
I have a Colt Gold Cup I’ve had for years – love it.
I carry a Glock 21 in the woods – love it.
Best Regards
Red in OleVirginny
On August 30, 2021 at 3:36 pm, =TW= said:
Ha! As soon as I read the post title I expected some *spirited* comments.
I was not disappointed.
On August 30, 2021 at 3:49 pm, Michael (from Utah) said:
I, for one, like ANY type of handgun. How about that?
On August 31, 2021 at 1:41 pm, scott s. said:
I mostly know the 1911 from putting SWC into the x-ring one handed at 50 yards. Some prefer S&W wheelgun and a few try to get .32 to work at that distance. You do have to take care of it to ensure good lock-up.