S'pore police to use pistols instead of revolvers

Upgrading from five rounds to 15 rounds.

Belmont Lay | June 24, 2021, 01:22 AM

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is switching firearms by replacing the fuss-free and trusty Taurus M85 revolver with the Glock 19 Gen 5 pistol that packs more heat.

SPF confirmed on June 22, 2021 its frontline officers will be using the new weapon soon.

The Taurus revolver has been issued to frontliners for the past 19 years.

News of the replacement is not new and has been reported since 2017.

But the swap is now confirmed.

SPF said on its website that officers have been progressively trained to use service pistols due to the "heightened security climate".

This has been ongoing since 2017.

All frontline regulars will be trained to operate the Glock 19 Gen 5 pistol by the end of 2023, according to the SPF.

More rounds

One functional different between the two handguns is that the pistol can hold more bullets than the revolver.

This would have a bearing on its intended use.

SPF added on Tuesday that the Glock 19 Gen 5 pistol can be loaded with three times more rounds compared to the Taurus M85 revolver.

SPF said: "This reduces reloading time, improves firepower and further augments the SPF's ability to engage armed attackers in dealing with security threats."

In 2017, The Firearm Blog wrote that Glock will supply 6,000 new pistols to the SPF.

Revolver has sufficed for two decades

The Brazilian-made Taurus M85 revolver has been in use since 2002.

Before that, the SPF was using the Smith & Wesson revolver.

The Taurus M85 revolver can hold five rounds, and has a speed loader to reload the weapon faster and with less effort.

It is intended to be used on targets nearer than 5m.

A revolver is easier to operate as it can be fired the moment the bullets are loaded.

Pistol has more rounds but requires racking

While a revolver has a revolving cylinder, a pistol loads rounds via a removable magazine.

The Glock 19 Gen 5 9mm pistol's magazine has a standard capacity of 15 rounds.

However, a pistol involves racking the slide before firing, which is an extra step that can be cumbersome during high-stress situations.

Racking the slide ensures the round is loading into the chamber of the pistol.

Racking the slide when the round is already loaded results in the unused round being ejected.

The pistol can be used with different grip methods, SPF also said on its website.

A safety mechanism on the pistol prevents accidental misfiring.

Top photos via @HotKustoms Twitter & Singapore Police Force