Hong Kong police consider importing pistols from mainland China to replace American revolvers
- Source says force recently received dozens of Chinese-made pistols for officers to test, give feedback
- Standard-issue revolvers no longer available after American supplier stopped making force’s specific model
Hong Kong police could be set to retire their standard-issue revolvers in favour of pistols imported from mainland China, the Post has learned.
A source said the force had recently received dozens of QSZ-92 pistols for officers to test. The 9mm firearm is commonly used by officers serving in China’s Public Security Bureau.
“Training in the use of the new weapon is also being offered to some officers in order to get their feedback,” he said.
The insider said efforts to source firearms to replace the standard-issue Smith & Wesson 38 revolvers had been under way for several years. The decision was made after the force’s American supplier stopped making the pistols, with the necessary gun parts to maintain them set to run out of stock.
The Post has learned that the force has more than 10,000 revolvers. The firearms are used by uniformed officers, including members of the Police Tactical Unit, Emergency Unit, Traffic sections, as well as patrol subunits in various districts.
Standard revolvers can hold six rounds of ammunition, while the magazine of a QSZ-92 pistol has a capacity of 15 bullets.