Past carry guns of American Cops

I understood that the Police Department of New York actually selected the .32 Colt revolver when T.R. was police commissioner. They even went through a testing process shooting cattle and still selected the .32.

One small company I worked for had some government contracts, one of which was for security at a military base (don't remember which). They owned a quantity of .38 Taurus revolvers for their employees.
 
I hired on in 1981 and was issued a SW66. Bought my own Model 66 and carried it for several years, then went into a plainclothes assignment and bought a SW Model 60. Carried that for many years, until I went back in uniform in 2001 on an agency switch. I learned that my new bosses would approve a 1911 as a carry weapon, so I qualified with and started carrying a Kimber 1911. New Sheriff got elected and he wanted to standardize our carry weapon and I was issued a SW M&P 45. That's what I'm carrying now.

Like many of the old-timers, I carried a revolver for about 20 years before switching over to a semi. I'm probably one of the few cops in the world that has never pulled the trigger on a Glock, and I'm not sure that I like the plastic-fantastic I'm carrying now. In a rural LEO assignment, there is a lot to be said for carrying a magnum revolver.
 
1984: US Army 1911 & M-16

1989: LEO Issued S&W M-10 .38spl

1990: Privately owned Glock 17 Gen One 9mm

1992: Issued Sig P228 DAO 9mm

2004: Issued Sig P220R .45ACP DA/SA


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Cop guns

The dept. that i worked for did not issue weapons, we had to buy our own, and i still think that's true today. We are issued a yearly clothing allowance that could be used for gun purchases. My first was the Smith model 28, still have it and love it, a little on the heavy side, also carried a Smith model 36 5 shot. Sometimes when i had to work in the project's and felt like a cowboy, i shouldered a Great Western Arms 44 Special with a 6" barrel, it was respected when i had to pull it out. Later i graduated to a Sig p220, and also carried a Ruger sp101 357 and a Ruger LCP. All very nice weapons.:rolleyes:
 
I was appointed in september 1973.

The department didnt issue service weapons. We had to buy our own.

First gun was a pencil barrel model 10. For about three days. Some guys had the bull barrel models. Had to have one of those, so from about November on I carried the bull barrel model 10. I carried that revolver until I retired 25 years later. In the late 80's we transitioned to the semi-autos. I qualified with the Glock 19, and was authorized to carry that. And once in a while I did. Having spent the bulk of my career out of uniform I was able to get jiggy with some of my firearms. While working indercover I carried a sterling .22 (with near disasterous results), a Llama pint sized 1911 style pistol in .22LR, and finally a pre 1968 Colt Det. Special .38 with a broken handle and friction tape wrapped around it.

While my Model 10 was always my true love I also had a model 36 chief as an off duty and second gun. I still own both guns and would NEVER want to lose either one. While working plain clothes, and as a detective I sometimes carried a model 36 S&W Chief with a squair butt, and 3" heavy bbl. And later a S&W 64 with a round butt, and 3" bbl.

While on duty I ALWAYS carried a second gun.
 
It seems crazy that some departments switch sidearms so often. It must be nice to be at one of the departments that give you a list of calibers and brands and let you pick which one you want.
 
I'm not a police officer but, I have a S&W 5906, 4006 and a 4506 which were all police trades.
I think the CHP still uses the 4006 for duty. Might be the last order S&W will ever fill for the 3rd gen.....:(

Thanks to all you guys who are {and were} "the real deal".
 
Some of the dates may be a year off - meh?

1971 - Military police division at U. S. Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California - M1911A1 from the 'pool'.

1978 - U. S. Border Patrol.
Issued a Ruger Security Six in .357 Magnum. Allowed to carry personal revolver after probation and carried (sequentially):
S&W M19, blue, four inch
S&W M13, blue, 3.5 inch
S&W M581, blue, four inch

1988 - U. S. Customs Service.
Issued a S&W M686, stainless, four inch
Later traded another Inspector for a three inch
Authorized to carry personal weapon upon qualification (what a great policy!) and carried, variously:
S&W M13, blue, 3.5 inch (listed above)
Colt (LW) Commander in .45 ACP
Military (Remington UMC marked) M1911 in .45 ACP
S&W 639 in 9x19
1994 - Customs issued the S&W 6946 (horrible duty gun) and limited private carry of personal weapons.
1995 - Loosened restrictions on personal weapons, I carried a H&K USP40
1999 - Customs issued Glock 17 and allowed limited personal weapons; none in my area
2003 - Reorganized into Customs and Border Protection (CBP) (of DHS)
2008 - CBP issued H&K P2000 in .40 S&W
2010 - Retired, went back to M19 S&W or Colt Commander - hah!
 
I went through BLET with a FN HPDA. A Tradtitional Double Action was required. Then transitioned to a Colt 1911 a few years later. Now around 10 years later I still carry and plan on keeping the 1911 on my duty belt.

Just FYI, my department was issued revolvers as available depending on position and availability, until 2007. A mix of various S&W 19, 65, 581, and 686.

Currently the BLET school locally "issues" a glock to the students, and my department issues Glocks as well, unless you want to provide your own, are grandfathered, etc.
 
Issued Carry guns

I worked for a federal agency.
1966 to approx. 1980, either a Colt Det. Spl or S&W Mod. 36, 2" .38 SPL.
1980-1988. S&W K frame Mod 10, 3" round butt, .38 SPL.
1988-1995 and retirement: Glock 19, 9mm. (after testing program in which SIGs, S&Ws were also available for carry)
 
1986 - 1990: Colt 1911 .45 - USMC MP - checked out before each shift.
1990 - 1994: Nothing - No guns allowed on campus.
1994 - 1995: S&W M66 2.5" 357 Magnum - Agency authorized POW
1995 - 1998: Glock 19 9mm - Agency authorized POW
1998 - 2003: Beretta 96D Brigadier .40 - Agency issue
2003 - 2009: H&K USP Compact .40 - Agency issue
2009 - Present: Sig P229 DAK .40 - Agency issue

Cool thread!
 
Never carried an agency-issued weapon.

Colt Double Eagle
Kimber Tactical Custom II
Colt Defender
Springfield XD45c
Springfield XD9sc
Springfield XD40sc
Springfield XDm 3.8 40c. (Yeah, I caught the XD bug)

I passed up the issued guns of HK P-7 M-13, BHP, HK USP, and Glock fotay.
 
never served in law enforcement, but appreciate all you guys service...

my father in law was best friends with a MN highway patrol officer back in the 60's & 70's, this officer won many state shooting competitions, & I think served as a handgun shooting mentor for my father in law... after the officers death, my father in law was able to aquire his carry / competition gun, pictured here...

after my father in laws death, it became mine, & is one of very few "safe queens" I own... I have shot it a couple of times, but mostly it's retired... it has the lightest most clean breaking trigger of any I've ever shot... not sure of any aftermarket service work ( I think the officer worked on his own guns )

look familiar to a few of you guys ???

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Started in 68

S&W .38 Combat Masterpiece
S&W .38 Bull Barrel
Ruger Security Six .357
S&W 9mm
Colt 1911
Several off-duty various kinds

Retired
Bersa .380 CC
Remington 870 Homeland security (my home)
 
Down memory lane

Hummm, memory vault opening....pre 1978 USAF Security Police S&W model 10 pencil barrel and those funky FMJ .30 rounds that rattled down the barrel if you had to shoot. When I took a commision in 78 issued a Colt Border Patrol heavy under barrel lug. .38 RNL for practice and quall, authorized .357 for carry but NO speed loaders. (HP's were "acceptable") too "militaristic" for the Sheriff at the time. Course everyone had a couple in their coat pockets orders be dam&). After the NO speed loaders rule nearly got one of ours killed, (he lost a finger to return gun fire from a bank robber with a 1911) I bought a S&W 469 in 9mm, first double action auto loader authorized for carry on my Dept. Had to get re-authorization up the chain every time I changed shifts which was every three months. Lessee S&W mod 28 6" barrel in clam shell speed holster for a while just cause I could. Don't care what you think, that was COOL right there! Beretta 92 for many years in 9mm and now standard and only allowed issue is Glocks 27 - 35 and Ruger LCP as BUG. God that was a long time ago....going to pull the pin in a year or so.
 
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Magnum Wheel Man,

Looks like a Combat Magnum (Model 19) to me. Very nice, I have one just like it. That is an older P&R model too, with diamond center walnut target stocks. Do you know if they are original to the gun? Do you know the specific "dash" # (19-?)?

Nice story BTW. When you do shoot it, just stay away from ultralite hot .357 Mag loads (stick to 158 and heavier Mags and .38s) and you'll be just fine.
 
as far as I know, the grips are stock to the gun, butt... also may have been added later if the orginal shooter prefered those to what came on the gun ???

I'll see if I can remember to pull it out of the locker when I get home & check the 19- ???
 
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