What's a 39 caliber?

[Woodchuck]

A new York, one year veteran cop shot himself in the head in a police station locker room. The newsarticle said it was a 39 caliber revolver. Anybody know what it is? Is there such a caliber or is it a mistake . The story was in the New York Post. It can be seen at www.nypost.com/news

 

[JamisJockey]

Sounds like an error, I don't think there is such a handgun. Probably meant .38

 

[Triad]

NY Post

January 15, 2003 -- A 25-year-old rookie police officer shot himself to death yesterday - apparently by accident - while handling a brand-new weapon, police said.

The cop, who joined the NYPD last July, was hit in the head with a single shot from the .39-caliber revolver he had just purchased.

Only minutes earlier, he had been playfully showing off the weapon to fellow officers in the locker room of the Greenwich Village station house, witnesses said.

Those cops heard the shot and ran back into the locker room.

They rushed the wounded officer to nearby St. Vincents Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. His name was being withheld pending family notification.

I'd have to say they meant .38. 8 and 9 are right next to each other, so it's easy to make mistakes like that.

 

[Mike Irwin]

It means that Darwin is at work on more than one front...

 

[4v50 Gary]

Now now Mike. Don't blame the writer. They know better. It's those gunloving guys in the printshop.

 

[blades67]

I saw one on Sledge Hammer. After some woman shot a badguy he asked her what she used, she said ".38, .39 whaterver it took!"

 

[Mike Irwin]

Blades,

That line was also used in Michael Ketons' "Mr. Mom" from way back in the 1980s...

Let's see... Keaton, Terri Garr, Michael Mull, Jeff Tambor...

Good cast, funny movie.

 

[Greg L]

he had been playfully showing off the weapon

Northern expression for "hey y'all watch this..."

Greg

 

[foghornl]

Oh, I thought that was the New Yawk translation of "....Hey Bubba....Hold my beer and watch THIS..... BLAM ! !

 

[MonkeyMan]

As long as she's ton "Dyslexia of Borg", don't worry about ti.

 

[Missouri Mule]

"Oh NO!" Not the dreaded .39 caliber.

I jokingly called my 9x18 Makarov a 39 caliber once at the range. I was talking to a guy who claimed to have reloaded his 9x18 empties with standard 9mm para bullets for years.

I just said "OK" and "I have to go now!".