[SaxonPig]

I am trying to compile a list of police agencies that issued the Model 58 .41 Magnum revolver. I am only interested in departments that issued the guns, not those that approved their use by individual officers. If possible I would also like to know if the guns were department marked.

So far I am aware of the SFPD and the SAPD issuing 58s. Anyone have additional info? Thanks.

[BluesBear]

They were the standard issue revolver of The City of Douglass Hills, in Jefferson County, Kentucky.

They were not marked.

I think the last batch was procured around 1980 or 1981 through Kiesler Police Supply in Jeffersonville Indiana. It seems that S&W still had some on hand or at least available through distributors a few years after officially discontinuing them.

[pete f]

re the sig line. series 70's are clearly marked section of Colt history, I am not the expert, but I have heard as clear defined era's: Pre War, Post War, Pre series 70 series 70, series 80, NRM, SRM. and prolly one or two i have missed. Pay attention, and trackdown what you ca.

[CCWMAN]

Why not just buy a Model 58? They're great robust handguns and collectors pieces. Also makes a great anti-Pit Bull gun!:eek: I'm not even sure the famous .45 a.c.p. will stop a determined Pit Bull!

[Logan5]

I think it's more a question of "I've already got a used 58, where did it come from?" than "Why not buy a used one?" Lots of former police guns are kind of hard to pin down for collectors or just plain shooters who are interested in their pistol/revolver's history. As an example, I finally managed to pin down my Beretta 92SB as an ex CSP gun because it was in between the serial numbers of two other 92SB's used in a shootout that was used as an evidence processing example in a crime scene processing textbook. In this litigious age, no PD wants to tell you that they sold whatever model back to a distributor back in whenever to offset the cost of upgrading to whatever they went to next, so provenance is tricky to document.

[SaxonPig]

I have a 58 that I bought around 1989 from a wholesaler selling off police turn-ins. The story at the time was that a number of these were obtained from a police agency that didn't want it made public that they were switching to semi-autos for PR reasons so the dealer wouldn't disclose which agency sold them the 58s. I recently became curious as to the history of this revolver and started trying to track it down.

The S&W history letter said it was shipped in June of 1977 to a police supply store in Philadelpia, PA. I called them but nobody could help me with a gun sold so long ago. The dealer I bought it from is also located in PA so I assumed this 58 was used by an agency in that state but nobody seems to know of any PA departments that issued the 58.

Last week I called the dealer who sold me the gun and spoke to a long-time employee who handled the sale of these surplus 58s. He stated that they came from the OK Highway Patrol. But it seemed odd that a PA supplier would be selling pistols to an OK agency and I have been told by a S&W collector that the OHP never carried the 58.

So I'm right where I started... nowhere.

[Trebor]

I found a police agency name inscribed on the frame of my Model 28, under the grips. I contacted the agency and received an e-mail from the current Chief of Police. He said they used the Model 28's when he started as an officer and switched a few years later. He didn't have any info on my particular gun, but did give me some general background on his agencies use of the revolvers. It was an interesting conversation.

[SaxonPig]

58 not 28 but thanks.