Need a New Firearm for the Academy

[CO.Dep]

I would recommend a Glock of some sorts. I have carried the Glock 21 and the Glock 19 and have shot a Glock 22. All three weapons shoot differently. The Glock 21 has a kind of a dull thump of a recoil. The Glock 19 has a very light, easy to use, recoil. The Glock 22 has a very sharp recoil. Of the three I prefer the Glock 22 due to the .40 cal round. The round is large in addition to fast so you get the best of both worlds.
I would suggest that you handle several different hand guns before you make your choice. The Glock 21 frame is bulkier than the 22 and 19. If you have a small hand it may be difficult to shoot. I have a large hand so I had to put a Hoag grip on my 19. The Glock is nice in that it has no frills attached. The safety is on the trigger and there is no decocking mechanisms to have to fiddle with. Also, the trigger pull is the same every time. Because you are going into the academy I would recommend the 19 because of the ease of shooting and the light recoil.
Be aware that the Glock will feel unbalanced when it is unloaded. When fully loaded, the Glock balances out quite nicely.

[mcsap]

Carrying a big gun off duty can be a pain afterwhile. Especially in the summer. I have a nice .32 Kel Tec that is VERY concealable. It is better to carry something than nothing. Nobody likes being shot by any caliber of gun so I'll just stick with my .32 and know that I can carry it anywhere, anytime and don't have to worry about concealing it.

But you should carry what YOU are comfortable with.