There’s a thread in SIG Pistols that suggests that SIG is still making the P239 for the Federal Air Marshal Service:
https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...0601935/m/3790092394

That question aside, it caused me to wonder: In the entire history of the Federal Air Marshal Service, has any air marshal ever fired a shot on board a commercial aircraft in flight?

I searched on the web but found nothing. Likely they’ve subdued many unruly passengers though.

To the best of my knowledge, no, although there was a ground based incident in Miami several years back.

Not US FAMS, but there have been the equivalent of Air Marshals from other countries that have fired during some in-flight hijackings.

For example, an Israeli air marshal shot and killed a Palestinian hijacker in September 1970, Iraqi air marshals shot and killed several Iranian hijackers in September 1984, a Jordanian air marshal shot and killed a Syrian hijacker in July 2000, and a Chinese air marshal shot and killed a Chinese hijacker in September 2000.

In the movies....

Perhaps if they had the new Zevs the nuke drivers are getting they might be more inclined to display it at least.

They are so easy to spot on a plane… I’m not sure they have to draw.

quote:

Originally posted by SIGnified:
They are so easy to spot on a plane… I’m not sure they have to draw.

One of the few really funny parts of one of my wife’s favorite movies, Bridesmaids, is when Melissa McCarthy is convinced her seatmate on the plane is a Federal Air Marshal.

One of most boring and demanding jobs in all of LE.

quote:

Originally posted by SIGnified:
They are so easy to spot on a plane… I’m not sure they have to draw.

Is it still that bad? FAMS said they were going to loosen up their dress code, so their agents wouldn't be so easy to spot.

quote:

Originally posted by iron chef:

quote:

Originally posted by SIGnified:
They are so easy to spot on a plane… I’m not sure they have to draw.

Is it still that bad? FAMS said they were going to loosen up their dress code, so their agents wouldn't be so easy to spot.

Can’t say as I don’t fly near as much as I used to anymore. Thank God.

But it’s not so much about the dress code. It’s more about how they carry themselves, where they sit, how they act and the flawed security process that identifies them very early on.

I even saw the dude’s ankle carry one time… They were twins sitting in last row of first class. Very much out of place.

No and no.

The FAMS have completely moved away from the SIG platform and no longer maintain 357 SIG ammo.

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
No and no.

The FAMS have completely moved away from the SIG platform and no longer maintain 357 SIG ammo.

You gonna leave us hanging, what's the FAMS using these days?

Gen5 Glock 19s with Ameriglo Agent sights. Some of those guns are being replaced with MOS guns. They are going the way of the MRDS, but I don’t know which one they’ll pick. I’ve seen some with RMRs and some with Aimpoint ACROs.

I *think* they also authorize the 43x.

quote:

Has any Federal Air Marshal fired a gun on a flight?

If they hit a window, wouldn't that cause a huge pressure differential which would suck the nearest stewardess right out the window?

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:

quote:

Has any Federal Air Marshal fired a gun on a flight?

If they hit a window, wouldn't that cause a huge pressure differential which would suck the nearest stewardess right out the window?

No. It's a myth.

Mythbusters tested it and proved it to be false.

https://mythbusters.fandom.com..._Decompression_(Myth)

LOL was watching FF Hobbs and Shaw the other night the air marshal scene with Kevin Hart is good...

There are some air marshals who train at the range that I shoot at. I shot next to one of their guys within the past year. He had a 229 in 357 Sig. Could have been his personal weapon. No way to know. He was surprisingly a very good shot. DHS and ICE along with LEO also shoot at this range and I've seen quite a lot of mediocre shooting. The air marshal was one of the better Feds I've seen.


+

For anyone interested, I reviewed an informative book about the history of the Air Marshal service here:

https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...720077584#3720077584

There’s an annual law enforcement training conference held in Colorado and there have been classes about flying armed put on by the Service. I know of one year that a couple of the FAM instructors participated in the last day wrap-up handgun competition and they pretty much walked away with it.

quote:

Originally posted by Abn556:
He was surprisingly a very good shot. DHS and ICE along with LEO also shoot at this range and I've seen quite a lot of mediocre shooting. The air marshal was one of the better Feds I've seen.

Not surprising. The FAMS firearms qualification standards are more stringent than most federal and local agencies.

quote:

Originally posted by StarTraveler:

quote:

Originally posted by SIGnified:
They are so easy to spot on a plane… I’m not sure they have to draw.

One of the few really funny parts of one of my wife’s favorite movies, Bridesmaids, is when Melissa McCarthy is convinced her seatmate on the plane is a Federal Air Marshal.

and he was.