Question about the Secret Service pistols seen in Congress today...

[grelmar]

Thanks for the input. It's really an academic "I'm just curious" kind of thing.

Occam's Razor points toward either IFF or "Emergency issue" firearms with the tape denoting which agency they belong to. I've spotted these guys in some of the other coverage, viewed from different angles. Some of the guns have the tape on the left side of the slide, some on the right, but it would appear that most of them had the tape.

Hope things settle down for our southern neighbors. 2020 was a gong show. It would be nice to take a nap through 2021, and wake up to find nothing of note happened.

 

[shms]

I suspect no one here really knows so just make something up I guess.

 

[tobin]

Do they still use .357 SIG?

Over the next two years, the Secret Service will move away from .357 SIG and back to the 9 mm Luger cartridge — the preferred round of numerous law enforcement agencies across the country.

In doing so, the service’s agents will also be getting a new standard issue weapon in the form of the Glock 19 Gen 5 MOS, the exclusive Glock 47, and the subcompact Glock 26.

 

[medvedqc]

Do they still use .357 SIG?

by the end of 2021 it will be g19 gen5 mos for main unit (if there is such a thing with secret service)with ameriglo night sight and Streamlight TLR-7A , special service operation will get g47 and g26 both with ameriglo night sights and g47 with surefire x300.

 

[Sassybee]

They are for IFF. They don't use less lethal and those are all Glocks in the photo. This is an old tactic.

 

[sigpig]

Odd that they would only mark one side of the slide if IFF was the objective

 

[Brutus]

Myself I think they are marked as such as they are never to leave the building as they are designated fixed in position emergency equipment. Such as first aid kit or fire extinguisher.
My two bits only.

 

[DT741]

In case of emergency, break the glass and grab a gun !

That would make a great display case

 

[Brutus]

In case of emergency, break the glass and grab a gun !

That would make a great display case

Like a scene from a Bugs Bunny cartoon! ;-)

 

[Midnight Rider]

Many institutions do have in house armouries' so that firearms can be retrieved for use in times of crisis . Many Embassies have in house secured armouries , so it wouldn't be surprising if the U.S. Capital building had one as well . Even the Vatican has an in house armoury for the Swiss Guards .

 

[uglydukwling]

Maybe the tape is the same idea as painting the muzzle red to indicate it's not a real gun.

 

[trebor2880]

When did Secret Service switch from SIG P229s?

If we knew, it wouldn't be a secret.

 

[medvedqc]

If we knew, it wouldn't be a secret.

lol … it was published even by glock ...

 

[PaulR42]

Just maybe the tape is for the ones with cracked slides? No, never mind, that wouldn't happen for Glocks!

 

[Ganderite]

IFF would make sense for non-uniformed staff.

It would reduce the risk of blue on blue.

 

[Wal-Mart Greeter]

To rely on a tiny piece of tape to identify yourself as friendly in a chaotic, life or death situation seems absurd. “hey bro, can you point your gun away from me so I can see the sticker on your slide, thx!”.

The cops with the stickers may occupy positions where they don’t normally carry firearms. They probably open doors for rich congress people who would be inconvenienced by the sight of a firearm. The firearms probably have the sticker to say “put this back in the safe when you’re done” and nothing more complicated than that.