[Alan Fud]

Was just flipping through the stations and saw a commercial for "L.A. Dragnet" and while I won't swear to it because I was only half paying attention, it looked like Joe Friday (played by Ed O'Neill) carries a revolver.

I haven't seen a regular character carry a revolver on TV in a long time. The last one was Lt. Steve Sloan played by Barry Van Dyke on "Diagnosis Murder".

Does Friday carry a revolver? If so, which one? Bonus question: what revolver did Steve Sloan carry?

[C.R.Sam]

My telly is black n white.
All the handguns are revolvers. :)

Sam

[ACP230]

Sully, the big old cop on Third Watch, carries a revolver.

I understand that NYPD used to have a grandfather clause for cops who started out with revolvers. Maybe they still do, or maybe they only do on TV.

Some Michigan State Police officers still carry a Smith M38 as a backup gun. I talked to one last year. That gun is a special model with an alloy frame and a stainless steel cylinder. The story I heard is that the regular steel cylinder was prone to rust in daily carry by officers.

[RON in PA]

Andy Sipowicz on NYPD Blue carries a J-frame and the older cop on Law and Order also.

[Rob96]

Pic's from 9-11 showed NYPD officers still carrying revolvers. Have also seen news footage of Phila. PD officers carrying revolvers. Heck, according to Dave Arnold in Handguns magazine, there have actually been some smaller PD's that actually went back to revolvers.

[dinosaur]

The first NYPD recruit class in 1994 was mandated to carry semi autos. Anyone already on the job could stay with the revolver. With a 20 year pension, you`ll still see revolvers on the street for another 10 years.

After the change in 94, if one wanted to switch over to semi autos, they could. Once they switched, the revolver couldn`t be carried anymore.

IIRC, Ed O`Neil does carry a revolver. I`ve only seen the show once or twice so I don`t know the make and model.

[BigG]

Sledgehammer carried a big foty fo, IIRC.:evil:

[Old Fuff]

I agree with Sam. The "Oldies" are better. My TV is hooked to a VCR/DVD player and nothing else. With all of the truely interesting things too do in life why waste time on the well-named "boob-tube?"

[DMK]

I haven't seen a regular character carry a revolver on TV in a long time.

Det. Briscoe on Law and Order still carries a revolver.

[bountyhunter]

The original Joe Friday (Jack Webb) carried a wheelgun, so maybe that's why the new one does. The new Al Bundy version also has the same shield number Jack Webb carried (714). The LAPD retired that number when Jack Webb died.

[bountyhunter]

Trivia question: what gun would Joe Friday (Jack Webb) preferred to carry:

In one episode, a guy asked him:

Other guy: "What gun would you rather carry, and don't tell me that pea shooter."

Friday: "I manage to qualify with it."

OG: "But what would you carry if you could have any gun in the world?"

Friday: "How about a Browning HP."

OG: "Finest handgun ever made."

[Johnny Guest]

The Jack Webb Friday character carried a 2" Colt Detective Special for many years.

The current Joe Friday carries a 2-1/2 Colt Python.

I'm told there was a time Jack Webb changed over from the DS to a Chief's Special. I missed that episode, and never noticed him carrying a Smith.

Best,
Johnny

[Alan Fud]

I remember that episode -- he was after some people selling automatic weapons. I can even picture the guy wjo was talking to Webb and what he sounded like. Does that make me old?

[Ala Dan]

Birmingham, AL police use to have a rule that stated all
veteran officer's had to have a minimum of 10 years
experience in order to carry a self-loader. I think now
their firearm of choice is the Beretta 92fs?

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

[semf]

carrying a revolver is meant to convey the image of an old grizzled cop I think. I also read somewhere that revolvers are percieved as less threatening. They are generally used to downplay gunplay. Nothing in Hollywood is coincidence or hapenstance

[10-Ring]

Yeah, the new "LA Dragnet" is okay, but I really enjoyed watching the original w/ my Dad more!

[valnar]

carrying a revolver is meant to convey the image of an old grizzled cop I think. I also read somewhere that revolvers are percieved as less threatening.
That got me thinking. I wonder how many uninformed crooks have the same perception? If you're a BG, would be more likely to stop what you're doing if a cop is brandishing a revolver or Glock?

:scrutiny:

-Robert