RON in PA
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A few years ago the NYC police required the grandfathered revolvers be retired.
Police Revolvers Still Being Used?
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somethingbenign
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Creighton University in Omaha NE requires their campus police (or security, I can't remember what exactly they are called) to carry revolvers. All are also required to be either off duty or retired cops. I never got a solid answer as to why the school held this stance but I did hear several times how the school must be so much safer because of it from extremely upperclass parents. I will say it was very nice being able to pick the brain of a few on revolvers back when I was looking for a carry revolver for some very specific circumstances I had at a jobsite.
Speedo66
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Probably hitting the last batches, and the bottom of the barrels.
DukeConnor
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A couple weeks ago i saw a city of Pittsburgh Police Officer carrying a revolver. I was a bit suprised.
Speedo66
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Shocking, a Norinco copy of a model 10, but with a safety.
The question is, what hasn't Norinco copied?
I believe that some few Houston PD officers, in Texas, still carry revolvers while on duty. Next time I talk to my old academy classmate, I will ask him if he is still using his two L-Frames. (He carries just one at a time, of course, on his duty belt. His concealed second gun is a smaller revolver.) We graduated together, and were sworn on March 17, 1984. At that time, specified .357 DA revolvers were mandated for academy training, and DA revolvers, only, were required, on and off the clock, for the first year of sworn service, with 38 to .45 cartridges being OK. (Transition to autos was allowed, after attaining one year of sworn service seniority.) Some time in the mid-Nineties, new-hires were required to, instead, start with specified de-cocker .40 autos, with Glocks being OK’ed early in this century. With very few exceptions, Houston PD officers can keep using their older duty handguns.
In hindsight, I should have kept my duty revolvers “grandfathered,” in 1997. In 2002, when I threw in the towel, regarding the then-mandated duty holster’s unsuitability for safely toting a 1911, I could not revert to using a revolver in the duty rig. That compelled me to transition to a .40 double-column-mag handSgun. (A handSgun is a wide-body pistol, with a grip so large-volume that it is difficult to handle with only one hand. Things did not get better, for me, until the Gen4 Glocks arrived, with their smaller-volume grips.)
Edited to add: Houston PD officers, then, and now, purchase their own duty firearms, guided by PD policy. I believe that the current standard duty pistol, for new-fires, is the Glock G17, after an overall transition away from all-.40 started in 2015/2016.
In hindsight, I should have kept my duty revolvers “grandfathered,” in 1997. In 2002, when I threw in the towel, regarding the then-mandated duty holster’s unsuitability for safely toting a 1911, I could not revert to using a revolver in the duty rig. That compelled me to transition to a .40 double-column-mag handSgun. (A handSgun is a wide-body pistol, with a grip so large-volume that it is difficult to handle with only one hand. Things did not get better, for me, until the Gen4 Glocks arrived, with their smaller-volume grips.)
Edited to add: Houston PD officers, then, and now, purchase their own duty firearms, guided by PD policy. I believe that the current standard duty pistol, for new-fires, is the Glock G17, after an overall transition away from all-.40 started in 2015/2016.
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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 Glock 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.
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pairof44sp
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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.
pairof44sp
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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
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
Riomouse911
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No, that’s one I haven’t seen. I’ll have to look for it.
Stay safe.
trackskippy
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AD's are not a function of the gun, but a malfunction (lack of training/experience) of the user.
People who cant safely handle or carry a Glock shouldnt be carrying any gun.
People who cant safely handle or carry a Glock shouldnt be carrying any gun.
Outside of a Brinks truck the last time I saw a revolver on the belt was at the Social Security office. An older fellow who appeared to be at, or past, retirement age had a Ruger revolver on him. This was at least a decade ago.
In the 90's, a bunch of us ate at small BBQ joint in a small TX town. A local sheriff (big hat, big belly) came in with a shiny SAA and a belt of cartridges.
About 3 years, in a similar small town BBQ, two sheriffs came in - big hats, not fat, with a 1911 and a Glock.
At a TX local supermarket, there was a female elderly security guard who had a look that could melt steel. Had a SW 357 and three speed loaders.
About 3 years, in a similar small town BBQ, two sheriffs came in - big hats, not fat, with a 1911 and a Glock.
At a TX local supermarket, there was a female elderly security guard who had a look that could melt steel. Had a SW 357 and three speed loaders.
armoredman
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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.
JFrame
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LOL... I was reading King's novel "Cell," and came upon an early scene where the protagonist flicks the safety on the revolver he's carrying. I flung the book across the room, where it thudded against the opposite wall, fell to the floor, and lay there for many days.
I never did finish the book... And if the movie adaptation was anything close, I'm glad I didn't.
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Choctaw
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We transitioned in 1994. However, one of my fellow investigators wears a Chief's Special from time to time. He is only law enforcement officer I see carrying a revolver on duty these days.
shoobe01
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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.
loneviking
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California DOC might still carry revolvers. They did as of two years ago.
A problem, for the patrol officer who prefers revolvers, is that so many things have worked their way to becoming “necessary” items for the police duty rig, since the days of one pair of cuffs, a baton ring, a radio, and spare ammo. Two pairs of handcuffs are now the norm. A Taser is now the norm. A glove pouch is now the norm. Many officers are required to carry OC spray, One may have to commit some space, to attach the gas mask bag/carrier. A carrier for a collapsible baton may be mandated, even for those officers who prefer the old-school baton, which requires a relatively small ring, for carry. My duty belt size remained at 34 inches, through my 33+ years of policin’, and, to preserve the health of my back, I wanted NOTHING on that belt to be behind my hips. Concentrating everything to be no farther back than 0830 or 0330 is not a favorable load distribution. A polymer-framed duty pistol became a desirable feature. Magazines are a more-efficient use of belt space than speed-loaders and cartridge loops. So, in a practical level, a revolver would be more of a detective’s or investigator’s duty gun, than a patrol officer’s duty gun, these days.
A plain-clothed investigator/detective does not wear so much gear, full-time, and mostly needs to carry weapons for self-protection. Such personnel can keep their more-serious equipment mounted on an armored vest, or in a sling bag.
A plain-clothed investigator/detective does not wear so much gear, full-time, and mostly needs to carry weapons for self-protection. Such personnel can keep their more-serious equipment mounted on an armored vest, or in a sling bag.
Speedo66
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Hard to believe a bank still has an armed security guard. They got rid of them 40-50 years ago in NYC.
Probably figured the liability was more than the potential cash loss, which was covered by insurance anyway. Actually, it was probably their insurance companies who wanted them gone.
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