Quote:
Originally Posted by SmithNut
From my original notes:
On April 9, 1985, after a year in the writing, Custom’s Service Armorers in Glynco, GA. published a specification defining the Service’ needs for a .357 Magnum Revolver (Revolver, Caliber .357 Magnum, Double Action, 6 shot Commercial). Part of the specifications required that the revolver had to pass a 10,000 torture test using full power loads. I used to have a copy of the RFP that was let that led to the CS-1 Contract, but after a move 6 years ago it's buried somewhere.... I've looked several times but have not been able to locate it, one day.....
Other notes, of interest:
The first CS-1 was indicated to be ALA0000 (never formally confirmed), and delivered to the Head of Customs at the time.
One gentleman I talked (name withheld) was a Defensive Equipment Specialist/Armorer for the Customs Service during the trials of the CS-1. He mentioned to me that he installed 6" barrels to 4-5 CS-1's for the Customs Service Shooting team, as well as 2 1/2" barrels to 2-3 revolvers for use in Combat Match competitions. All these Shooting team guns had Patridge sights installed, unlike the 3" and 4" issued guns. Interesting in thinking of this that 1/10" wide Patridge sights are hard to come by so my supposition is that the 2 1/2" and 6" barrels he mentioned would likely be standard production barrels with the 1/8" wide blade slot... Just a wild guess, unless they were able to buy a small quantity of these barrels from the factory with the narrower slot milled in .... interesting... ! I guess if anyone ever finds a CS-1 marked gun with a 2 1/2"" or 6" barrel and the front sight is 1/10" wide we'll know...
The 686 CS-1 was originally ordered to be deployed to Inspectors of the Customs Service . Up until this time, the Inspectors were not all armed. When the CS-1’s were being deployed, it was decided to deploy universally.
In general, the 3” guns were first issued to supervisors, while the 4” guns went to others. Later practice saw the barrel length left up to the different Port location supervisors.
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To clarify a couple of things. Prior to the CS-1 Inspectors were armed, depending on their duty stations. They were not classified as full time law enforcement officers, so they could not carry weapons off duty. They were issued several different S&W and Colt .38 Spl revolvers, depending on the region they were stationed in. It was left up to the Reginal Commisoners as to who in their Region would be armed on duty.
The 3 inch CS-1 went primarily to Agents and Air Interdiction Officers. There may have been a few that were given to Inspectors, but nearly all Inspectors carried the 4 inch CS-1.
After the CS-1 was taken out of the field, several were converted to allow only Simunition rounds to be inserted in the cylinder, and they were sent back out to the field for force on force training. They were subsequently replaced by the Glock 17T pistols for force on force training.