I was talking to a former police officer today and he told me that he was among the first in his agency to carry a Colt Python. Other officers had to carry the department issue Colt Police Positive. Anyhow, as the rangemaster he got his chief to approve of the Python.
Back in those days, you could either carry your spare in dump pouches or on a belt loop. Speedloaders didn't come around until the '70s. The dump pouch deposited six loose rounds in your hand and you had to jiggle them around to reload your revolver. He went with a belt loop and had a special holder made that held eighteen rounds. He polished his brass and waxed them to prevent verdigris developing on them. Since they had to qualify twice a year, this wasn't a problem as he recycled his older ammunition for training or practice.
It was good that they practiced since back then, many of the plain clothes guys never went to the range. His chief got into the habit of visiting the detectives and inspecting their guns. Some guns had their bullets stored in them so long that the chief couldn't eject the cartridges. Others were so covered in dust that a cloud of the stuff would rise if you worked (the empty) action. Worse were the revolvers that had not been serviced and would not work. Range practice cured a lot of these issues (and they soon got an armorer who worked on their revolvers).
Anyway, they were limited to carrying 125 gr jacketed soft point. He cheated and carried hollow points. I asked him how he masked the bullets - specifically did he fill them in with something evil like mercury with a lead plug? Nope. he wasn't into playing with mercury. He used gray crayons and rubbed the crayon into the hole, sealing it to all but the most discerning eye. Happily, he never shot any one so he was never caught.
Back in those days, you could either carry your spare in dump pouches or on a belt loop. Speedloaders didn't come around until the '70s. The dump pouch deposited six loose rounds in your hand and you had to jiggle them around to reload your revolver. He went with a belt loop and had a special holder made that held eighteen rounds. He polished his brass and waxed them to prevent verdigris developing on them. Since they had to qualify twice a year, this wasn't a problem as he recycled his older ammunition for training or practice.
It was good that they practiced since back then, many of the plain clothes guys never went to the range. His chief got into the habit of visiting the detectives and inspecting their guns. Some guns had their bullets stored in them so long that the chief couldn't eject the cartridges. Others were so covered in dust that a cloud of the stuff would rise if you worked (the empty) action. Worse were the revolvers that had not been serviced and would not work. Range practice cured a lot of these issues (and they soon got an armorer who worked on their revolvers).
Anyway, they were limited to carrying 125 gr jacketed soft point. He cheated and carried hollow points. I asked him how he masked the bullets - specifically did he fill them in with something evil like mercury with a lead plug? Nope. he wasn't into playing with mercury. He used gray crayons and rubbed the crayon into the hole, sealing it to all but the most discerning eye. Happily, he never shot any one so he was never caught.