I think it was strictly a budgetary thing. Even though a revolver is personally owned, the gun vault at Quantico has to maintain it. They have to keep a supply of parts on hand, and have to keep gunsmiths trained up on it.

There was also a training issue. Guys were coming out of Quantico with no revolver training, buying a Model 60, stumbling through a single qualification course, and sallying forth with their new snubby in an ankle holster and their issued semi-auto in the trunk.

And finally, by doing away with revolvers they also did away with the need to buy .38 Special wadcutters and duty ammo.

Personally, I think the appropriate answer to the above problems would be to buy parts, train gunsmiths, train agents on revolvers, and buy .38 ammo. In this case, beancounters won out.

I bought a Glock 27 to replace my beloved Chief's Special ("five-shot" in Bureau parlance) and its been a good gun.

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