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6" Combat Revolvers?
- Thread starter Model12Win
- Start date
The history of what revolvers were carried by police & sheriffs is an interesting one, and the changes reflect both the changing technology, and attitudes of the times.
In the decades surrounding 1900, city cops often carried .32s. AND a good stout stick. Cops patrolled their beats on foot, and the .32s were lighter.
Western/rural officers went on horseback, and usually carried bigger revolvers.
The change brought about by widespread ownership of automobiles brought a need for a more powerful gun, culminating in the .357 Magnum.
6" barrel gun were still very popular, but over the years the benefits of the 4" came to dominate as most officers moved to patrolling in cars.
Also back in these dark days, generally police were forbidden to use hollowpoints. Ammo was carried in belt loops, and the hollow point was considered to be "scary" to the public, by police administrators.
Same thing, essentially, with forbidding magnum ammo, along the "justification" that many officers didn't score well with magnums.
Today, attitudes are much different. Officer safety/survivability is a much higher "public" priority. Today, instead of being thought of as "evil" or a sign the officer meant to be a "killer", hollowpoints are thought of as "safety ammo", not only being more effective stopping bad guys, but safer for the public as well, being less likely to overpenetrate, or ricochet.
The other thing about 6" revolvers (and something seldom talked about today) is that last ditch, the handgun is an impact weapon. And a 6" med frame revolver comes close to the mass of a 4" large frame, giving a slight advantage when things go all the way bad.
In the decades surrounding 1900, city cops often carried .32s. AND a good stout stick. Cops patrolled their beats on foot, and the .32s were lighter.
Western/rural officers went on horseback, and usually carried bigger revolvers.
The change brought about by widespread ownership of automobiles brought a need for a more powerful gun, culminating in the .357 Magnum.
6" barrel gun were still very popular, but over the years the benefits of the 4" came to dominate as most officers moved to patrolling in cars.
Also back in these dark days, generally police were forbidden to use hollowpoints. Ammo was carried in belt loops, and the hollow point was considered to be "scary" to the public, by police administrators.
Same thing, essentially, with forbidding magnum ammo, along the "justification" that many officers didn't score well with magnums.
Today, attitudes are much different. Officer safety/survivability is a much higher "public" priority. Today, instead of being thought of as "evil" or a sign the officer meant to be a "killer", hollowpoints are thought of as "safety ammo", not only being more effective stopping bad guys, but safer for the public as well, being less likely to overpenetrate, or ricochet.
The other thing about 6" revolvers (and something seldom talked about today) is that last ditch, the handgun is an impact weapon. And a 6" med frame revolver comes close to the mass of a 4" large frame, giving a slight advantage when things go all the way bad.
More info for those that are wondering about bbl length and LEO work.......
Say it this way........partol LEOs sit in partol cars.
So, try doing that with a typical cops's security holster and a 6" bbl revolver. LOL.
Then, try it with a 4" bbl revolver. Not to mention, that the Admin types make the rules about acceptable uniform carry and they like uniformity.
Then, consider........what if the vehicle had bucket seats?
Yes, I used a 4" bbl S&W M15 as my duty revolver for half of my career as an LEO. And, lucky for me.......in Honolulu we can use our approved pvt vehicle (w/ light and radio) as a police vehicle. So, I of course bought my vehicle with bucket seats for the comfort. Not to mention, that I had to sort of twist my body a bit just to clear the holster from wearing a hole in the seat.
Aloha, Mark
Say it this way........partol LEOs sit in partol cars.
So, try doing that with a typical cops's security holster and a 6" bbl revolver. LOL.
Then, try it with a 4" bbl revolver. Not to mention, that the Admin types make the rules about acceptable uniform carry and they like uniformity.
Then, consider........what if the vehicle had bucket seats?
Yes, I used a 4" bbl S&W M15 as my duty revolver for half of my career as an LEO. And, lucky for me.......in Honolulu we can use our approved pvt vehicle (w/ light and radio) as a police vehicle. So, I of course bought my vehicle with bucket seats for the comfort. Not to mention, that I had to sort of twist my body a bit just to clear the holster from wearing a hole in the seat.
Aloha, Mark
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Might want to go back to revolvers....
I saw a news story this month about police in FL firing 337 rounds at two unarmed men trapped in their car after a chase. The police opened fire when the men could not get out of the pinned car; they hit the men, the surrounding houses and cars, and even wounded each other.
I saw a news story this month about police in FL firing 337 rounds at two unarmed men trapped in their car after a chase. The police opened fire when the men could not get out of the pinned car; they hit the men, the surrounding houses and cars, and even wounded each other.
Sevens- The reason for the change with the CHP was a horrible shooting in 1970 called "The Newhall Massacre."
In Newhall, CA two CHP cruisers with two officers each stopped a car with wanted suspects. They came out shooting and all four officers were shot to death. One of the problems was that many officers carried 357s but practiced with 38 ammo. When the SHTF they didn't shoot the Magnums with good effect. So the agency dictated all 38s and all practicing was done with duty ammo (a +P load).
The Model 68 was also adopted by a sheriff's department in SoCal but I don't recall if it was Los Angeles County or San Bernardino or another. The guns are collector items but you see them offered from time to time. The CHP guns stamped on the frame and then over stamped to OHP when sold. The 68 is basically a 66 with a 38 Special cylinder. It is not a stainless Model 14 as it has the shrouded ejector rod like the 66.
In Newhall, CA two CHP cruisers with two officers each stopped a car with wanted suspects. They came out shooting and all four officers were shot to death. One of the problems was that many officers carried 357s but practiced with 38 ammo. When the SHTF they didn't shoot the Magnums with good effect. So the agency dictated all 38s and all practicing was done with duty ammo (a +P load).
The Model 68 was also adopted by a sheriff's department in SoCal but I don't recall if it was Los Angeles County or San Bernardino or another. The guns are collector items but you see them offered from time to time. The CHP guns stamped on the frame and then over stamped to OHP when sold. The 68 is basically a 66 with a 38 Special cylinder. It is not a stainless Model 14 as it has the shrouded ejector rod like the 66.
well from years of reading the internet, a 6 inch barrel is a lot more interesting to own, at least in the .357 magnum format because that extra 2inches of barrel
-is supposed to make recoil alot let of an issue as well as muzzle flip
-give just enoug extra velocity to cartridges that can be somewhat lacking from a 3 or 4 inch barrel.
-is supposed to make recoil alot let of an issue as well as muzzle flip
-give just enoug extra velocity to cartridges that can be somewhat lacking from a 3 or 4 inch barrel.