LE using revolvers

[packarat]

Douglas County Sheriff's, just south of Denver CO, carry 4" S&W revolvers. I believe they are the 686 but did not ask or get close enough to get a good make. My work puts me in close proximity with a lot of LEA across the country. This was very noticeable as I mostly see Glocks on the uniformed, commander sized 1911 in plain clothes and in the south what ever daddy brought you up on .

I did have the opportunity to witness that a senior uniform LAPD officer did have an old blue S&W in a drop holster. Most likely grandfathered in and did have the look of heavy use. I wish I had asked him what model he was carrying :banghead:.

 

[kasTX]

Every one of my students I've drilled with a revolver has come away a better shooter.

I had to read that twice to figure out just what you were saying.

A couple years ago I was doing some work within the federal courthouse system and noticed the officers were all carrying stainless wheelguns. I asked one about it, and he said it was because they were afraid of rounds making it through the walls and hitting people on the other side, so they used revolvers because they can't shoot through walls.

Uhhhhhh...

I just let it go at that. I think he meant they are using frangible ammunition. A few days later, one of the officers left their gun in the bathroom, so I am thinking training had something to do with it as well.

 

[ryan b]

A lot of the agency that are around here allow officers tocarry what they want i use to carry a 625 mountain gun but i do know that i believe University Arkansas Medical Science police carry 686's

 

[jaholder1971]

Brink's armored car drivers usually carry Ruger Security Six revolvers nationawide I believe. When i worked armed security we'd have to qualify with the local PD and some of these weapons were basketcases that never left leather except for annual qualification.

 

[Rexster]

To identify myself as an officer with "XXXXXXX" PD and write or speak publicy about our weapons policy could get me in trouble, as I am not the PIO, but I regularly take two revolvers to work with me every night, an SP101 snubby that I keep concealed on my person, and a 4" GP100 or 4" Speed Six that is kept in a Safepacker, which usually rides in the patrol car. Both have the official status of "backup" firearms, with which I must qual annually. A SIG P229 rides in my duty rig, but I can choose to deploy a revolver while leaving the SIG in the holster, and many bad guys have seen the business ends of my larger Ruger sixguns. One of the GP100s was my primary duty sixgun for a couple of years starting in 1993. I switched to lighter K-frames about 1995. I started my LE career in the early 1980's with an S&W M686.

 

[Checkman]

Likely the LAPD officer was carrying a S&W Model 15.

 

[Erik]

"Douglas County Sheriff's, just south of Denver CO, carry 4" S&W revolvers."

Only if they were grandfathered.
--

LEO use of revos:

Many... as back up guns.

Not so many as primaries, the acception usually involving those grandfathered in following a state or local level mandated change to semi-auto pistols.

 

[Rexster]

I forgot to mention earlier, I could still be carrying grandfathered sixguns as primary duty sidearms, but I grandfathered three 1911 pistols instead. So, when I decided to drop the 1911, I could not go back to a sixgun as primary, only back-up/off-duty. Just as well, really, with all the other stuff I now have to tote on the duty belt! The compact P229 fills the sidearm role well, and my SIG has a wonderful "DAK" trigger system, that closely matches my sixguns' trigger pulls in length of stroke.

 

[Finalizer]

I was in Chicago/O'Hare in 2005 and saw a member of Chicago's finest with a blue steel revolver. He was probably grandfathered in like NYPD.

He's still there. I saw an older CPD officer in O'Hare just about 4 weeks ago wearing a blue steel revolver.

 

[packarat]

Erik, I would agree with most agencies. However every officer in the Douglas CO courthouse/SO was carrying an identical S&W revolver, with Hogue grips. One of them in his early twenties and most likely just out of the academy.

I want to qualify this and can ask some contacts in the area if what i say is true. Not to hijack this thread but at least we could have one agency in the west still packin' a six/seven gun

 

[Erik]

Got it. I know who you're talking about - I used to regularly visit DCSO's facility. They are not regular deputies, if at all. (Different uniforms, guns... contracted iirc.)

Revos will do if the shooter will. They've largely gone away nation wide because of capacity and ease of reloading issues - take away the need to reload every six rounds and the shotoer has less to worry about. Theoretically a good thing. That's what it really all came down to, imo.

 

[rc135]

San Diego

Saw an older San Diego County Sheriff with a stainless Smith revolver, think it was a K-frame in .357.

I spoke with him and found that he was retired, and working the front desk, or something like that. I loved the look of a peace officer with a revolver on his hip!

Vidi Vici Veni...!

 

[Jomax]

I know a police chief and a bailiff who wear single action revolvers. Of course this is in East Texas.

Do they carry SA so that discharging their weapon is a much more calculated and deliberate effort? As chief and bailiff, they are not actually out on the streets or actively pursuing and arresting folks so perhaps their carry is more symbolic?

 

[Jomax]

[I loved the look of a peace officer with a revolver on his hip!
/QUOTE]

Revolvers have a romance about them as their roots go way back to the earlier days of this Country. Semi-autos are more modern and therefore far less nostalgic.

 

[ashgee]

...one of the officers left their gun in the bathroom...

 

[rick newland]

"Brink's armored car drivers usually carry Ruger Security Six revolvers nationawide I believe."

Brinks carry S&W. Brinks is now changing over to the S&W MP in .40 cal for those that want to carry it.

 

[Timthinker]

This thread confirms what I have suspected about police/security agencies and revolvers. Wheelguns are "grandfathered" in or they are used by small, perhaps rural, departments. In terms of armed security officials, revolvers appear to be the predominant handgun carried, perhaps for safety reasons.


Timthinker

 

[Erik]

On why security companies use them so much, I believe it is a combination of perceived need, public perception, training standards, legislative mandate (in some locals), insurance concerns, and budget. YMMV depending on location.

 

[Alan Fud]

The Lehigh County Sheriffs office still issues and carries S&W 357 magnums.

+1 on that.

 

[White Horseradish]

Just last week I saw an MPD officer in uniform with a S&W wheelgun of some sort in a duty rig having a cup of coffee. I specifically looked at his uniform - he was MPD, not park police or anybody else.

 

[Tom Servo]

On why security companies use them so much, I believe it is a combination of perceived need, public perception, training standards, legislative mandate (in some locals), insurance concerns, and budget. YMMV depending on location.

I'm familiar with the training regimens, and they're not very comprehensive. If the agent isn't already a shooter when they take the job, most companies' training isn't going to make them one. NRA Basic Pistol is more thorough than the training most of these companies give. Basically, the idea is to keep the rounds on a B27 at ten feet without hurting anyone.

As such, it doesn't make much sense to issue expensive weapons to most applicants. I have one agency that comes in to my shop once a year to drop of their service weapons for our gunsmith. The idea is to drop off 15-20 guns and out of that, restore at least 5 to working condition.

Most of the guns turned in are horribly neglected. Alot of Model 10's and 65's. In many cases, the corrosion is so bad that the internals are useless, and most have likely never left the holster during their whole time in service. Judging from the treatment of the weapons, I wouldn't be giving out Les Baers, either.

I've been called to the aftermath of a shooting involving Brinks. Of 14 shots fired by Brinks guards, two hit their target. This was at 4 and 15 feet, respectively. What's more, they fired from the parking lot and sidewalk, with a crowded store serving as backstop. It's a wonder no customers or employees were hit.

Weapons in that case were a Ruger P-series and a Ruger Security Six. Both hits were made with the Ruger. I once asked a Brinks messenger what he was carrying, and he took it out of the holster, looked it over, and informed me that he wasn't sure. (It was a S&W third-gen auto)

The cops I've seen carrying revolvers are generally a different breed. They've had to jump through some hoops to retain their preferred guns, and those guys are really good shots.

Some folks carry revolvers because that's what they're given. Others do so because they've had to earn it.

 

[DouglasW]

I saw three RTD police officers/fare enforcers while riding Denver's light rail system yesterday (Sunday), and it appeared they were wearing 4" S&W revolvers -- perhaps 686s...

 

[doc2rn]

In terms of armed security officials, revolvers appear to be the predominant handgun carried, perhaps for safety reasons.

The reason for this is the gun ports on armorred vehicles. Auto's may get 1-2 shots before a jam from the spent casing falling back into the slide. You get a full 6-7 with a revolver.

 

[boalex207]

The reason for this is the gun ports on armorred vehicles. Auto's may get 1-2 shots before a jam from the spent casing falling back into the slide. You get a full 6-7 with a revolver.

Never heard this before, but it makes sense !

 

[Rexster]

At my duty station last night, on my shift (2200-0600) I made a note that two of my uniformed co-workers were still wearing their S&W sixguns. Another who worked day shift at the same station until a recent transfer to an outlying station, was still wearing his S&W M681 last time I saw him. Yes, there is something so "right" about a lawman wearing a sixgun. My P229R works well for me, but its cool factor is somewhere in the basement; so mundane.