PDA

View Full Version : Duty guns..a look back


DocH
01-02-2008, 12:33 AM
Several weapons served me well over a 27 year period. Some I still have some are long gone.

S%W mod 19 P&R 4 inch ser # K754104;
Started my po-leece career with this one,purchased at Deans Firearms,a high class gun store located on Spring ST.(adjacent to Peachtree) in Atlanta two years before I started policing. A fine action ,right ouit of the box. Long gone,but well remembered.

Colt satin nickeled "Combat Commander". I was the first to report to duty with this "cocked and locked" .45 in a forwad rake holster. Lots of antics by the old detectives upon seeing a "cocked" weapon in the holster of a patrolman. I was young and smart,they were old and dumb.:D

Smith and Wesoon Model 39-2. The quintessential police weapon of the times. Loaded with 90grSuper Vel hollowpoints and carried by eight "tactically aware" ahead of their time:D officers. Very reliable,in spite of derogatory statements about S&W autos.

S&W Mod.28 " Highway Patrolman". A new Chief on board,former Ga. State Trooper. That's what they carried at the time,so that's what we got.
The first and last department issued gun I ever had. A good choice.
I still have this one ,and she's a tough hombre.

Smith & Weson Mod.586." The Distinguished Combat Magnum". Beautiful blue finish. Trigger thinned and rounded by Frank Groves,polished action,no spring changes. Served me well with two Sheriff's departments.

Colt Combat Gov't Model: Lightly customized,again by Frank Groves,with a 4 lb. Videcki trigger, commander hammer with semi beavertail to accomodate the commander hammer,and hard chromed frame. Carried as a duty gun while serving as Police Chief in a small town in a neighboring county. A rough county with backup a long way off. Selected for power,more rounds on board and a faster reload. An excellant weapon that has NEVER malfed. I still have this one.

Smith & Wesson Mod. 629 custom: I went into Frank's store to say hello. This was his personal pin gun and was in the display case for sale. 4 inch bbl.
Frank had round butted this revo to K frame size and thinned and rounded the trigger. The original target hammer had been re contoured to the exact shape of the Colt Python hammer,and the action job was one that only Frank Groves could create. Took it home.
I was carying the 586 at the time,but set it aside for this masterpiece.I selected the 210 gr. Win. Silver tip as a duty load. Controllable in a service gun ,with good terminal performance. I worked three 12 hour shifts and was off three days. I fired it routinely on my work days between calls and cleaned it while i was off. I got reeeel good with this one. She's long gone.

Smith& Wesson Mod.19=2 2 1/2 in bbl.{ I bought this one from it's original owner for 90 bucks in 1971). It was one of the first three to come to my town in this model,2 nickel and one blue. This was the blue one. Benny Smith,a county police Sgt, was the original owner. I bought this whiile I was with the Rome PD and carried a Mod 19 on duty. It's listed last as it is a special gun. Benny may have put "Lucky" to shame. I've seen him bust thumb size rocks in mid air with this revolver.He was "one of those.":)
The gun was damaged on the sideplate by his wife spilling deoderant on it. I had it reblued by a local "smith" who could duplicate S&W's bright blue finidh. Four years ago the revo was refinished in Robar's NP3 inside and out.
Slicker than ever ,and I didn't think that was possible.
Two confrontations with this wheelie.Two succesful extractions. I still carry it. Remmington 158gr.serrated jacketed hollowpoints make one hell of a fireball in total darkness.

Brownie
01-02-2008, 10:03 AM
Nostalgia is great isn't it Doc:D

Seems you've carried some very nice pieces indeed sir. I had a Colts satin nickel 38 super commander for awhile. I really liked that finish.

The revos you mention are all highly prized specimens of the epitome of craftsmanship by S+W.

DocH
01-02-2008, 12:00 PM
I never should have let the 586 and the 629 get away.I'll eventually find a nice 586 and work it up like the other one,but the 629 cannot be replaced or replicated.It was the finest example of Frank's work,as it was his personal gun.
The chambers were chamfered on both guns.I won a few matches with the 586.All the other Smith revo's were recessed so I wouldn't dare try to touch those.They really don't need it.

Dave James
01-02-2008, 09:13 PM
Doc first two where the model 27 3 1/2" and the colt 357 with a 6" barrel still have the original Colt and a replacement 27:D

DocH
01-03-2008, 09:00 AM
DJ,the 3 1/2 in. 27 is one I always wanted,but somehow never got.When I went to the motorcycles just about everyone on the squad carried them in nickel with stag grips.I was kind of the odd man out with my Mod.19.
May be the greatest revo S&W ever made,and of course you just about have to sell your soul to get one these days.:(
Most of the Smiths I've kept have been off duty,back up,or just fun guns.
Wouldn't swap 'em for anything,and they still get some use.

Guantes
01-06-2008, 11:31 AM
Just to chime in, I am also a lover of the 27, 3-1/2"

I didn't have the variety that you did Doc. My first duty was a 4" K frame Combat Masterpiece issued by the department. In about 69' I bought a new 27 3-1/2" and that was my carry gun until retirement. I had a good action job and the trigger and hammer jeweled. I still have it.

JMusic
01-07-2008, 10:38 AM
Here's my list from start to finish. Started out with a Model 15 4" and a Smith model 39. When I went into Plain Clothes I wanted some more fire power. I purchased a Model 27-2 5" and a Browning High Power around 1975 or so. The 27 fired at night with Super Vels was a sight to see. I fired it one night while leaning just outside the car with the door opened slightly and the concusion knocked my hearing out on the left side for 3-4 days.:D I also commadered a straight grip Thompson in 45 acp. Wish I could of kept that. What a war club! The 27 shot like a rifle and I would carry it along with the GP when longer ranges and concealment may be needed.

Still have the 27 and the GP. Those weapons went through some times and I plan on passing them on someday.

Jim

Brownie
01-07-2008, 11:00 AM
My duty guns started with my getting on in 1991, you older guys with the wheelers sure had it tough:D .

Sig 226 for 5 years, then a sig 228 for the last 4 in uniform.

I carried my SA gov 45 on ocassion, but rarely. I also normally carried a BUG in the form of a S+W model 36 5 shot J frame either in my coat pocket off side or ankle rig, later upgraded to a 640-1 357 5 shotter.

DocH
01-07-2008, 05:16 PM
B,the wheelers were smooth as a baby's bottom.:) Six for sure.


Jim,I know what you mean about the warclub! Our department Thompson was a beautiful 1921 commercial model maufactured by Colt., finned barrel and cutts compenator,forward vertical grip. The bluing was gorgeous.
We had 20 and 30 round sticks and 2 50 round drums for it.During the civil unrest I mentioned earlier,I was priveledged to carry it. I watched a local world famous whore house burn from firebombs.The boys in the hood would take a few pops at the firemen and I'd fire off a burst from the Thompson.That would quieten them for a while,then we'd do it over again.
My dad was a tool and die maker and when the extractor broke I had him make one for it.Perfect.Worked like it always did. I wanted to marry that gun.:D

JMusic
01-08-2008, 06:34 AM
Yeah Doc. It had a way of getting peoples attention, thats for damn sure!:cool:

Jim

Dave James
01-08-2008, 06:45 PM
Doc, I loved the old Tommy, the uncle had one that had been chromed,, I got to ride with him while on convoy duty during one of the coal miners strikes up on the border with W.VA,

DocH
01-09-2008, 07:34 AM
A chrome plated Tommy gun! Talk about an attention getter,that would be it!:D :D

SPG
01-04-2009, 07:31 PM
I will take this one from the dead;

Drafted by new Chief in 85, after being told by OC (old chief) would never work for him, because I forced him into issuing LTC....''nother story. Gun they gave me was a Colt OP 38, front sight bent, barrel loose I could turn it! Steve just started carrying his S&W 28 Highway Patrolman. A great gun, accurate as hell, no recoil on full loads. Quals were 100%. 6'1" 240 back in the day, no probam until.....

Called into "Standing tall before the Man" first time, not the last;) Dep Ch (pencil neck geek) has a issue with me carrying the biggest gun he has ever seen. Me being the complient man I am moved on to...

HK P7M13 nickle plated:D this went well for a few years till SW 65 issued and WILL be carried. good gun, great action.

We train with a busy city to our south, this benifits us more than them, but we bring good people to the table also. they went 9mm \G17, we went Sig 226, I had a little influence.

Busy city jumps on .40 bandwagon, we go 229, a good gun! All is well for a few years till WE need to go DAK! a square revolver! so we transition again to 229R and get issued Safariland lights to put on the sidearms. I buy my old 229 for 200.00. It now lives with a 357 tube and ammo.

Who knows what our next move is. A few dept's going 45 acp (SW M&P45)

DocH
01-05-2009, 05:23 AM
Looks like you've had some good ones in your time too,Steve.I'll bet that 229 is the blitz,now,in 357.;)