Typical LEO duty handgun in the early-mid 80's

[Sodbuster]

My father was just ending his third term as a sheriff in the early eighties. His duty weapon: Colt Python with 6" barrel. Off-duty weapon was a Charter Arms .38 snubbie. He still has the snubbie but returned the Python to the county when he left to become police chief of the county seat. The county originally bought his revolver for him.

 

[NMGlocker]

All I have noticed over the years is the increasingly exponential number of shots fired and shots missed since police carrying autos became widespread.

That is because instead of firearms training, Police recruits now spend that time on "cultural sensitivity" training.
Give 'em revolvers and they'll still miss the majority of their shots, just 6 at a time.

 

[denfoote]

This is just an educated guess, but I believe it was something along the lines of this!!!

 

[Dr.Rob]

I know a couple of ex-Denver cops that carried the SW model 66 .357, but those who could afford it packed a Python. The Colt Gov't model .45 auto was on the approved list way back then too, still is.

 

[9mmepiphany]

when i started in '79, the issue weapon was the smith m-15 with the issue ammo being the 125gr .38spl +p loading. guys who were using personal weapons were carrying the m-66 or colt python...i stroked my python with speer 140gr jhp .357mag loads.

after probation, we could carry our own 1911 as an option...i carried a lightly customized combat commander loaded with the federal 185gr jhp

as the "wundernine" era was coming in, our union finally got the department to upgrade to the smith m-13. but they were still issuing the +p .38spl loading with the 125gr .357mag jhp as an option. the m-13 was our standard until they swithed the department to the sig 225/226/229.

i carried an hk p7 and a sig 226 until the department when to sigs...then i started carrying a beretta 96

 

[Checkman]

My father began his career as an LEO in 1970. His first handgun was a nickle plated S&W Model 15 with six inch barrel. In 1973 he was hired by the Idaho State Police and was issued a Pre-28 Highway Patrolman with 4" barrel. It could shoot, but was badly out of time and the barrel was getting close to being a smoothbore. He purchased his own M28-2 (and recieved no reimbursment from the state). In 1979 ISP switched to the Model 65 and in 1990 went to the S&W 4586.

ISP issued Winchester 110 grain 38+p+ hollowpoints (the so-called Treasury load) for the revolvers and when they went to 45 they issued 230 grain Hydra-Shocks.

 

[Rabbi]

The other posts have accurately answered the question re issue handguns, so may I jump in on the other question about Hydra-Shoks?

Hydra-Shoks were originally marketed as a .357 diameter lead wadcutter with the hollow point and center post. They were sold as a reloading component only in green boxes of a hundred rounds and only came in a 146 gr. weight. I bought 500 rounds initially and did a lot of experimenting in both .38 special and .357 brass. They mushroomed and kept pretty much all their weight from about 900 fps until they tore apart at about 1200. I cannot recall the inventor/manufacturer whose name was on the box as this was in 1977 or 1978. They were very consistent in cast weight and accuracy was phenomenal.

Another ammo manufacturer, S&W I think, bought the patents first and then sold them to Federal who really took them to the jacketed versions in various weights that are available today.

As soon as Federal came out with the 230 gr. in .45 acp, I started buying them and still carry them today.

Rabbi

 

[BluesBear]

Rabbi, What you are referring to was called Scorpion and it was later sold only as loaded ammo by the Hydra-Shok Corporation in Watkins Glen, New York.
I was a distributor for them starting in the summer of 1978. It was touted as the .60 caliber .38 Special.


It was Ny-Clad ammunition that was a S&W development that was later to sold to Federal when S&W divested itself of it's non-gun holdings. Somewhere I still have a box of that old purple bulleted S&W ammo.

 

[Rabbi]

Bear,

Thanks for the reminder about the Scorpions. I don't suppose you have any of the old lead w/c bullets laying around, do you?

And you're absolutely right, it was the Ny-Clads that went to Smith first and then Federal.

Good memory, Hoss ............................... better than mine.

Rabbi

 

[P-35/53]

In 1979 I carried a S&W Model 10, sometime in 1980 I switched to a Model 19 S&W . After that my department authorized the Colt Govt. Model 45 auto amd I switched to that late 80 's had to return to a revolver or double action so I went to a S&W Model 39. Other people on the departtment carried Colt Pythons or S&W model 27 or 28's. I remember one guy carying a Ruger Speed Six. The favored back up gun was a Chiefs Special or a Walther PPK. Also popular was the Hi-Standard derringer in 22. One guy I knewe carried a Charter Arms 44 Special Bulldog.

 

[DMF]

Well yes and no. There's a whole lot more to that opservation than simple statistics.
Both are noble professions.
Both are dangerous.

I agree 100%.

But, in almost every call a fireman gets there is something there that will try to kill him. Fire is a ruthless adversary. The heat, the smoke, the weakened structure, the explosions all are constantly trying to grab someone's soul.

Yes, and while the fireman face that very real danger, it is usually a known danger. Where the police face unknown dangers in every encounter. Even the person believed to be a victim can be a killer. For example:

His throat was slashed when he answered a call for help.

COBOURG -- A "cop's cop" who specialized in disarming suspects became the first-ever Cobourg police officer killed in the line of duty when his throat was slashed early yesterday. Sources said Const. Chris Garrett, 39, was attacked after coming to the aid of a youth who allegedly posed as a victim of a knife-point robbery.

Garrett, a father of two and one of the force's most experienced officers, managed to fire several shots as he lay wounded, hitting his assailant in the leg, sources said.

An 18-year-old, who lives about two blocks from the shooting scene, was arrested at a local hospital where he had gone to seek treatment with his mother.

Garrett, an 18-year police veteran, died at the scene.

"This is the most dedicated, loyal police officer I've worked with in 31 years," said Cobourg police Chief Garry Clement.

"He gave his 110 per cent every time he went out on the road," Clement said. "He was a leader (who) had the respect of all his peers and superiors."

As the chief spoke, Garrett's wife, Denise, stood at the back of the room, hugging several of the force's 35 officers who gathered to hear the announcement.

"This is a very close-knit police family," said Insp. Paul Sweet. "Denise wanted to come, despite the tragedy that's occurred, to be with the extended family."

City police called in the OPP, who refused to provide details yesterday.

However, sources said Garrett and other officers were dispatched to the city's now-abandoned Northumberland Health Care Centre around 3 a.m. after receiving a call from someone who reported he had a knife held to his throat.

The other officers cleared the scene as Garrett took a statement from a young man, who said he was the caller.

"He thought he was harmless," one police source said.

Garrett was stabbed once before his neck was so severely slashed that a source said he was nearly decapitated.

The officer fired several shots as his attacker fled.

"I heard nine shots. They were very clearly gunshots," said area resident Brian Moffatt. "There were about five shots and then four, with a brief pause in between."

Officers who rushed to the scene found an empty ammunition clip on the ground from what's believed to be Garrett's service weapon. His gun belt was found five metres from his body.

The arrested teen's name and charges were not released yesterday. He is expected to appear for a bail hearing tomorrow.

Garrett lived in Grafton with his wife, his son, Ben, 14, and stepdaughter, Britney, 9.

Garrett, who spent five years on the Peel Regional Police force before joining Cobourg, specialized in use-of-force training and officer safety.

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/LondonFreePress/News/2004/05/16/461311.html

Let's not trivialize either professions dangers nor their bravery.

Again, agreed. Both noble professions that can be very dangerous.

 

[45 Carry]

When I started in 1979 I was issued a S&W Model 10. Later that year the Department got S&W Model 19's. We were only authorized to use 38 Special ammo. I don't remember the type the issued.

 

[Joe Demko]

My dad was still a police sgt. back then. The standard issue gun was a stainless Ruger Speed Six .357 w/ (I think) a four inch barrel and loaded with a .38 spl +p hollow point. They had purchased the Rugers a few years previously to replace a mixture of aging Colt and S&W .38 specials. I do mean aging, too. Some of those guns were 30 or more years old even then. A few years later they replaced the Rugers with Colt manufactured 1911s in .45 acp. When my dad retired around 1991, he was presented with both his Ruger and his Colt, as well as a S&W Chief's Special that had been issued to him for his duties as crime-prevention officer.
Last time I was up there to visit, I saw a local cop in uniform wearing some kind of Glock in his holster. Either they replaced the Colts or officers can now provide their own guns, I guess.