That being said...

Over the last 18 years, I have worked in various capacities within the industry, both in uniform and out. A great deal of vetting has taken place. A lot of holsters that never got used twice sit in a box in the garage, along with magazines that never seemed to feed right all the time, and tac boots that would never properly break-in.


My Favorites:

Winchester 1300 Police (12 ga)-smooth action-flawless reliability
Sigarms SP2340-runs like a clock after break-in (like most Sigs)
CMMG Lower/Rock River Arms A3, non-M4 upper Carbine (perfect)
Bushmaster A1 patrolman carbine (flawless reliability and practical accuracy)
Taurus PT-140 Millennium Pro (almost never purchased, see "PT-101" below)
Browning Hi-Power .40 S&W (very reliable-negligible accuracy)
S&W 686
Glock 27
S&W 66 (smoothest DA trigger of any firearm i've owned)
S&W 640 Centennial (serious case of delayed seller's remorse)
Bauer .25 Auto (great version of baby browning)
Colt Mustang Government (what a .380 should be-looking forward to Sig's version)

My least favorite:

Briley Versatility/Commander (great accuracy-wouldn't run dirty)
Beretta 96G Elite (very reliable-horrific DA trigger)
Colt Series 80 Enhanced Officer's Model (too much friction in action)
Taurus PT-101 (by far the worst firearm, with the worst factory service, I have ever owned)
Kel-Tec (unk. model 9mm, felt like a swingline stapler)
S&W Sigma .40 (first generation and current generation, bad, inconsistent action, bad magazines, lowest bidder federal contract weapon)
AMT DAO Backup .380 (really bad trigger, but great last resort weapon)
Sigarms P230 (awful trigger, too large for a .380)

Really cheap guns that have made their way through my gun safe, that were just plain fun to shoot:

Saiga Carbine .308, 16" (runs like an AK, accuracy OK, flawless reliability)
SKS Paratrooper/Ramline stock (see Saiga)
Davis P-380 (don't laugh, never experienced a jam with this one, unlike some of the ones listed above).

favorite knives:

Folder:

Spyderco, unk model 3" serrated blade, with solid stainless handle. (very, very sharp workhorse. only after 13 years of use will I have to send it to the factory or dist to be refurbed)

Fixed blade:

CRKT CR2125KV (this is like an improved bayonet, has prying tool built into pommel, great grips, and a very useful scabbard with MOLLE straps, extra pouch). This was a newer product that I am still evaluating.