Does anyone know what weapons the Michigan State Police used, from the 1970s to 80s? Did they issue Smiths? Or was it up to the officer which gun he carried? Any help would be appreciated.

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Misty

I spent some time in northern Indiana in the late '70s, up until '81, and had a few friends who were coppers in Michigan (though not MSP). I believe MSP issued Smith revolvers, along with a Model 36 as a backup to keep in their winter coat or tunic. Some Mich departments carried cross-draw, but I can't remember if MSP was one of them.

I'm sure the usual fountain of information on this forum will come up with more specific info!!!

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LEO since 1981.

A very long time ago after when the first S&W model 39 came out I think I read either illinois or michigan highway patrol was about the first to issue them.

ISP was the first to adopt the M39.

...of the issue revolver (I believe they were Model 19's/66's). However, all of them carried a J-frame in their pockets. Some were Model 36's, and some also carried Model 49's. Most all had specially-constructed trouser pockets, reinforced, to carry the back-up piece.

The duty holster was some cross-draw abomination with a heavy flap cover, making it nearly impossible to get to the duty revolver.

I'm not 100 percent sure, but if I recall correctly MSP troopers carried 4 inch Model 66s, and were also issued distinctive two-tone Model 38 Bodyguards - blued guns with stainless or nickel cylinders.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

I thought Michigan state police issued those M-38 bodyguards with the stainless steel cylinders that were showing up at all the gunshows. I thought the stainless cylinder looked a little odd, but now I wish I would have bought one because they were so cheap.

They carried a Smith .357 revolver, I think it was an M66.

They were issued a smaller second gun. Starting in the early 1970s it was the M38 with the stainless cylinder. I was told, when I researched this some years ago, that standard M38 cylinders rusted in use and so the stainless cylinders were asked for.

The local post used to hold an open house with a weapons display. Rifles I remeber seeing were M1 carbines and scoped Remington 700s.
I am drawing a blank on the shotgun.

Here is a S&W model 10 with a 2.5" barrel that came from the M.S.P.

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

I understand that at some point they were also issued as backup guns Walther TPDs(?), a .22 Rimfire version of the venerable PPK/PPKs.

The only officer I ever asked about this, in a discussion of how they'd view CCW reciprocity, denied that they carried any backup guns. He also made several blatantly ignorant BS assertions about the law, so I dunno...

A M.S.P. S&W 649 that was carried as a backup.
Obviously, the grips were changed.
I don't know what year the 649 is from.

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

Thanks for all the info guys! The reason I asked, I had an uncle that I loved and respected very much, who was a MSP trooper for many years. Four months before he was to retire from the force, he died from heart failure. I believe he was just 48 years old. I have lost contact with my cousins, and have always wondered what weapon he carried. I saw a model 67 on an auction site with the MSP emblem stamped on the side. But I believe this particular gun is from the 80s. I've seen some local police dept guns, such as Detroit, but so far haven't ran across any MSP Smiths. If anyone has one, I'd love to see a picture.
Whitecoyote...are either of those marked MSP? Just curious.

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Misty

I have a Michigan State Police Smith model 10 thats marked and the guy who owned it was over the firearms division. They have carried a lot of different things over the years and one retired trooper advsied me they were issued one weapon and were allowed to carry another as long as it fit in the holster and they qual with it. They just went from the Sig 226 with out a tac rail to one with a tac rail. And they are a State Police not a Highway or State Patrol. Big difference. Just a little pet peeve of mine.

I e-mailed a friend who is a retired MSP Trooper and worked in their firearms training unit. He says they issued:

S&W Model 10's with Heavy Barrels and Model 64's with Heavy barrel.

Some Trooper's who qualified as Distinguished Expert were issued Model 67's.

Here ya go gunlovingirl, S&W model 10-6 from 1969 with MSP markings on the backstrap (no other department markings on it):


msp10-6.jpg

msp10_markings.jpg

Yesterday I picked up an old duty weapon from a retired MSP Trooper, it was the handgun that he was issued when he graduated from the Academy back in 1978, the one that he carried in his crossdraw holster (with flap) from '78 to 1989. He said that the type Holster they used did a pretty good job of protecting their Revolvers from the elements.

It's a Heavy Barrel, 4", Model 64, actually it's stamped 64-1. He told me that his Class (late '77) was lucky since they were the first, as far as he knew, to get new handguns in many years. Prior to that he said they re-issued older Model 10's and after a few "re-issue's" some of them looked pretty rough. The Model 64 I got had Pachmayr Presentation Grips on it, which looked to have been on the gun for many years and confirmed what I had heard before, the newer "Pach's" are nothing like the older version, even if it is the same model Grip.

During our conversation he mentioned that the only other Revolvers he was issued was the two-toned snubby and a 9mm Smith & Wesson (Revolver.) He added that the firing pin channel on his two tone Airweight "elongated" after years of use and he ended up with fail to fire's because of this.

My neighbor is also a retired MSP Trooper that served during the same time as the Trooper I met yesterday. One these days I'll have to stop in and ask what type of weapons he was issued. I know, as a Sgt., he was on the Fugitive Team for quite a while and always has a MSP "Plain Jane", black, Chevy Suburban with heavily tinted windows parked in his driveway, ready to roll on a moments notice. Because of this type of duty he may have been issued, or at least authorized to carry, something a little different than when he was on road patrol..........