Does anyone have the serial number range of the 5- inch K-38's ?

I did not finish my question. I am wondering if any of you have the serial number range for the ISP guns that were issued in the 50's

The Illinois guns were in the K301xxx, K302xxx and K303xxx range(s).

I'm from Illinois and as far back as I can remember, ISP never carried the K38? I was 60 in August and can remember them carrying model 10s then they went to model 39s, don't know what they carry now. I've known and been friends with many a state trooper over the years but, can't remember any K38s. Please tell us more about these guns and where you got your information? Special unit guns?
That's what I like about this forum, learn something new every time here.

Joe, be sure to bring that one to Bill's on Fri., (along with whatever you got in Texas). See you at the FNRA Dinner Thurs.

S.B.
The 5" K38's in question are fairly well known in collector circles and were shipped in the Oct. 1957 timeframe. Not sure who carried these (guessing patrolmen), but they are pretty handy guns with that barrel length. The number of guns in the order has been mentioned to be 230 guns.

Prior to our state police adopting the S&W model 39 most of the "gun wise" troopers carried 5 or 6inch revolvers. I believe but am not sure, that the model 10 or colt op was issued but the officer was allowed to buy and carry personally owned revolvers. We have as members of the Forum some retired ISP officers who I hope will chime in with more and better info. With the wide use of numbers of different revolvers for both on duty and off duty the decision was made to adopt the 39 for both on and off duty. Interestingly when it was first issued the command of the patrol made no provision for carrying a spare mag. None the less, they were the first major LE organization to adopt an auto for general use by all members.

Didn't ISP use the same style crossdraw flap holster with the revolver as they did with the M39?

I thought that the early flap holsters for the 39 had a single magpouch sewn on, but when they went to a straightdraw Border Patrol thumbbreak, no pouch was issued and personal ones weren't authorized for wear on the duty belt.

James,to the best of my knowledge the very first flap holster for the 39 had no provision for an extra mag. One of my very best friends had his wife make him what very well may have been the first inside the pocket mag. carrier. The ISP was pretty anal about being uniform at that time. The holster with the mag pouch sewn in followed shortly there after.

Joe and I have had this discussion. We were only 65 miles apart, but - relying on our teenage memories circa 1965 - I remember only seeing ISP troopers with 4 inch revolvers in Jordan style holsters.

I was in District 9 headquarters at age 15 in about 1966-67 and saw a M-39 catalog page hung on the wall with a note saying, essentially, 'our new weapon.'

I had one of the early flap holsters on loan from a detective who didn't need it. No mag pouch. It was a much stiffer leather/clarino laminate than the later ones. I've seen various makers, including Hume and S&W leather.

The mag pouch sewn on the back of the flap was very neat, but with no retaining flap, would sometimes lose the magazine.

Strange also, that when ISP changed to the special Safariland mdl 254 in about 1976, they again had no magazine pouches.

The ISP 254 had a belt loop about twice the horizontal width of the normal holster, apparently to better stabilize the holster on the garrison belt that was normal uniform - but still fit on the 2 1/4" Sam Brown worn with the dress 'blouse.'

Seldom mentioned in these ISP holster threads: the Hume Agent 9 was designed for the ISP Dist. 25 detective section. It too is an iconic Illinois State Police holster for the M-39.

No, I was never a trooper. Joe and I were both local cops in the era and were close to several.

quote:

Originally posted by SmithNut:
S.B.
The 5" K38's in question are fairly well known in collector circles and were shipped in the Oct. 1957 timeframe. Not sure who carried these (guessing patrolmen), but they are pretty handy guns with that barrel length. The number of guns in the order has been mentioned to be 230 guns.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol 5 inch K38 Combat Masterpiece revolvers (they had the tapered barrels unlike the Illinois guns) were shipped in October 1952 or so. One example of this Missouri group is K38 number K157613, which shipped in October 1952.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: shawn mccarver,

Shawn, tell me more about the Mo. Patrol guns.

I didn't find the guy I was looking for, but I asked a more recently retired trooper, who started in 1969, what he knew about the ISP revolver days. He said that he thought all revolvers were personal purchase, with Colt or S&W allowed, in 4 or 6 inch.

He didn't know that ISP had ever issued guns before the M-39, but, then again, relatively speaking, he's a youngster.

I borrowed this from the museum web site. This is the only picture that shows holsters or weapons.

Here's a thread from the semiauto forum about the ISP M39 holster. http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5201039...881079652#9881079652