RON in PA
Member
A few years ago the NYC police required the grandfathered revolvers be retired.
Probably hitting the last batches, and the bottom of the barrels.Seems like the last few batches of "trade ins" came from DOC, armored car companies, etc.
They were also quite a bit more expensive than previous lots, and generally not in all that great shape.
Shocking, a Norinco copy of a model 10, but with a safety.Communist China introduced this little number for their national police in 2014
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NRP9_Police_Revolver
I think as much as anything the 1986 FBI Miami shootout resulted in LEs wanting more firepower in terms of capacity. I think it was definitive turning point in a movement already in progress from 6 shot revolvers to 15+ shot semi's. And then of course 1986 was when Glocked opened the US operations and I would guess the Glock sales force used the Miami shootout to push semi-autos and their safe-action triggers as the ideal transition gun.
Great story.I went into the Academy in early 1991 and back then I know there were at least two other agencies in California that had trainees carry revolvers; Tustin PD and Pleasanton PD. On the flip side, West Covina issued squeeze cocking H&K P-13’s and El Monte carried stainless Colt 1911’s. My first agency (1991-1994) issued 5906 S&W’s.
My second department here in So Cal (1994-2007) still officially issues 4” Model 66 revolvers, Winchester 110 gr .357 ammo and Hoyt break front holsters as city-supplied duty equipment, but nobody has taken them up on these guns for uniform patrol since the last wheel gunner retired in the late 1990’s. Everyone buys their own duty guns.
One lieutenant there carried a 2.5” Model 66 until retirement in roughly 2014 or so. Today, a few of their Model 66 revolvers were highly polished and are used by the Honor Guard for ceremonial duties.
Thinking back, I may have been the last duty revolver-carrier there. Back in 2005 or so I damaged my shooting hand in a fight. I couldn’t get enough pressure using my thumb to reliably depress slide lock or a mag release, but I could push a cylinder release forward and twist a speed loader knob. For about four months I carried a 686+ 4” 7-shot .357 in a Tex Shoemaker 2” drop swivel holster. Once my hand healed, I went right back to my SIG Sauer P228 and retired my revolver.
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Revolvers are great tools and certainly still can be effective in some law enforcement settings, but they have clearly faded away into history for patrol use and aren’t seen often enough to be duty-relevant anymore.
Stay safe.
No, that’s one I haven’t seen. I’ll have to look for it.Great story.
Ever seen the old Tustin PD Guide to Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs? They used to use it all over, maybe even at Quantico. It’s a hoot.
My Dept transitioned to the Glock 17/19 20 years ago, right before I started, Ruger Security Six 357s. For many years the clearing barrels would still have instructions to load/unload both the revolver and the semi auto pistol on them. I last carried a revolver on "duty" with Wells Fargo Armored, Smith Model 66. Other than that, I just haven't seen any wheelguns anywhere, other than at the range. I know a few people who swear bv them, like Evan Marshall.Some prisons may still be using them. I picked up a pair of S&W model 15's that were FLORIDA Corrections guns about 2015. Both were scratched up with the officers badge numbers on them and looked awful, but beauty is only skin deep in this case as the both shoot very well and have great triggers.
Jim
Too bad it was issued in 2014. Otherwise, all those Stephen King books where the safety is flicked off of revolvers would have marginal credence.
I believe this was even codified into KS state law for security guards until the last 10 years or so (now seeing them with self-loaders also), but many, many, many security companies nationwide, that have armed guys at all, think revolvers are reduced liability so mandate only them, and usually limit reloads also. Never seen it explicitly stated, but the assumption is they do not want too many bullets from their guys....I asked him about it, and he said they have to carry revolvers so he bought a trade-in
Hard to believe a bank still has an armed security guard. They got rid of them 40-50 years ago in NYC.Police revolvers still being used in FL as of this writing. But not by police.
at least one Bank security guard has a Ruger Something Six old style duty revolver. He was too young to be an old revolver guy. I asked him about it, and he said they have to carry revolvers so he bought a trade-in