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Old 10-18-2018, 04:11 PM
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I finally have one example of all of the handguns (only one original) that I carried as a police officer in suburban Chicago over four decades ago. When I started, the department issued S&W Model 15s with the “Chicago” load, W-W .38 Special 158 grain LHP+P. Once you passed probation, you could carry a personally owned weapon as long as it chambered the issue ammo and had a four inch barrel.

The weapon of choice among most police officers, both in the city and the suburbs, was the Model 66. A majority of the jurisdictions, including Chicago, required officers to purchase their own weapons, so finding a Model 66 for sale at retail price was nearly impossible. The largest city in Lake County (northern suburbs) had recently converted from Model 39-2s to Model 19s, so even finding a good Model 19 at a reasonable price was a challenge.

While there was nothing wrong with the Model 15, like all of the younger guys in the department I wanted to carry my own gun, and I really wanted one in the wonder metal, stainless steel, and .357 Magnum. So the first personally owned firearm that I carried was a stainless Ruger Security Six.

All of this came back to me last week when I was returning from a class that I taught in the southern part of the state. I was making my way from the training site to the highway that would take me home and I had to travel through the low rent section of town, both sides of the street lined with auto repair shops, tire stores, and three pawn shops within a block, just the kind of places to shop for gun deals.

I didn’t find much at the first store, just a bunch of cheap plastic guns, but at the second store, there was a stainless Ruger Security Six in the case wearing Hogue grips and looking pretty good. I asked to see the gun and overall, I thought it to be in the 90% range, used but not abused. Based on the carbon rings on the cylinder and barrel throat, the gun had been shot, but not extensively. The asking price was $399, which I thought was a bit high. I left the store and went to the third store; not finding anything of interest I returned to look at the Security Six again. I made a cash offer on the gun and we settled on $375 out-the-door.

I got it home and removed the early style Hogue grips. They were not the spongy rubber material that current grips are made of, but were hard plastic, very similar to the Rogers-Safariland grips of the early 80s. The grips had never been removed as there were some corrosion spots on the inside edges of the grip frame. I cleaned up the entire gun and replaced the grips, knowing that I would be putting something else on it.

I did a quick search for Ruger grips and found a set on eBay that matched exactly the grips that I carried on my Security Six years earlier, right down to the cut-out at the bottom so you could see the serial number.

A few years back I acquired a Model 15-2 as a sentimental gun, having carried one both as a civilian police officer and in the Air Force, first as a Security Policeman and later as a combat aircrew. It wears period correct Pachmayr grips on it, just like I had on it in suburban Chicago (Note: While I was in the Air Force, we could put our own grips on the gun while we had it in our possession, but to turn it into the armory, it had to have the standard magna stocks on it).

The third gun that I carried as a police officer in Illinois was a Colt Python that my wife gave me as a combined second wedding anniversary/birthday present (the two dates are nine days apart). At the time, she worked as the Lead Dispatcher for a different municipality than where I worked. She got her Chief to buy it at the agency price and had it shipped to her department so I wouldn’t know about it until she gave it to me (she’s been sneaky that way her entire life!). I didn’t carry that gun too long; I got the gun in September and was selected for flight training in the Air Force the next June, and went on active duty in December for 25 years. The Python, along with the original grips, box, and papers, has been with me ever since I received it. It may not be the last gun I ever get rid of, but it certainly isn’t going anywhere soon, even with the outlandish prices that Pythons are getting.

I guess the Security Six was kind of a grail gun, and I’m glad that I went back to get it.
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Old 10-18-2018, 04:51 PM
Ivan the Butcher Ivan the Butcher is offline
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My Father-in-Law graduated from the Columbus, Ohio Police Academy in 1958 with an issue model 10. They had gone to the 4506 by the time he retired but as a matter of pride he carried his model 10 at the retirement ceremony! He was on Academy training staff the majority of his carrier (except when I started dating his daughter, he was the Chief's aide/bodyguard), but was also a CID in the Army Reserve/NG, so he had to qualify with a 1911, and a Model 60 (first year production). When he walked both his daughters down the isle, he had a beautiful nickel Bodyguard (Model-49) tucked in his cummerbund just so I could see it! (To this day I carry a 49 [no dash] everywhere I go, as a sign of my commitment to our wedding & not giving him a reason to shoot me!). He's in his 80's now, and has that M-60 is on him at all times!

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Old 10-18-2018, 05:07 PM
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I have a later Heavy barrel 357 S/S in 4 in its been a great gun , PA State Police had them for a while but I never see a used one they had a more matt finish . That was a good story. most Ruger S/S go for around 500 or so around here . I did pick up a Ruger Speed Six 4 in 38 round but with lanyard in the Gov box and papers . I had it 20 years now , its never been fired .
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Old 10-18-2018, 07:58 PM
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Great group of stories! I'd buy that Ruger for $375 for sure, fond memories or not. I never see them around Charlotte for that price. Congrats to all who find their Grail guns!

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Old 10-18-2018, 09:27 PM
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I have posted before, and maintain the stories of our firearms is what makes them so special.

Thank you for sharing your quest. That’s where the joy is found.
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Old 10-18-2018, 10:12 PM
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My first duty pistol was a Colt Python 4" Nickel, wish I still had it. I always carried my personal duty gun and there were many. My favorite is a Colt DE SS that I received as a BD present from my wife and our Reserve Deputy corp. That was in 1989. I had a gun shop on the side and sold the 10mm to one of the reserves and he knew I wanted one real bad. Two weeks later at my BD party, I was given the DE and couldn't believe it. I did some customizing on it and carried until I retired in 2005. Went back into LE work in 2015 and was issued a Glock 22. Since then I carried the G22, a M&P 45, Glock 20SF and just two months ago decided to break out the DE and dust it off. I had updated all the springs two years ago and it was working better than ever. I am now carrying it as my duty gun until I retire for good on 12-31-2018 with 32 years in. I have complete confidence in this old Colt.
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Old 10-18-2018, 11:06 PM
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My first duty weapon a an LEO was a S&W model 19, 4" and blue steel. We were required to purchase one in the academy, this was in 1972. In 1981 I was assigned as a firearms instructor and was introduced to the 1911 and never turned back.
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Old 10-19-2018, 07:50 AM
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I used to have a Security-six, exactly like that, except mine had Pachmayr "Gripper" grips.

When we split up my ex kept it. I tried to buy it back from her later, but no go. The girl knew good guns.
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Old 10-19-2018, 08:10 AM
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I still have my first ever duty gun, a then NIB 66-2. I hit a lottery scratch off ticket for $50 that year, and bought brand new original S&W Combats, which I still have. When we transitioned to Glock 22/23, we were offered the opportunity to purchase the 66's from the distributor handling the transition for cost. $165 later, it was mine. Sadly, the box was lost to the ages, and the combats, like me, are showing the wear of their years, having hit the deck more than once during the four years I carried that pistol . . .
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Old 10-19-2018, 01:48 PM
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I still have most of my duty weapons, or their replacement clones (if I didn't own them or was stupid and traded them off). I recently replace my last duty carry. A Beretta 92 FS was my only semi-auto duty gun. Hated the 9mm and hated the fact that I couldn't carry a wheel gun anymore but liked the Beretta and shot it well. Fast foreword a third of my lifetime and I recently bought a M9 - 92. Looks just like my old issue piece. Probably a cop gun also, judging by the wear patterns. Shoots better than I can and fill the slot in my duty gun carry list. No good reason to buy. Still don't like the "Nifty 9" (even though I own 4 of the dang things) But I wasn't spending any kidney transplant money on it, so it is mine!

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Old 10-19-2018, 05:34 PM
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I started w/my first department in 1968 and was issued a 4” Colt that was used when a suspect pointed a shotgun at me. It was replaced w/a 4” round butt Model 10. I changed agencies two years later and was issued a 4” Model 15, then a stainless .38 until we transitioned to the Gen II Glock 23 when I retired 30 years later.
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Old 10-19-2018, 09:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Old cop View Post
I started w/my first department in 1968 and was issued a 4” Colt that was used when a suspect pointed a shotgun at me. It was replaced w/a 4” round butt Model 10. I changed agencies two years later and was issued a 4” Model 15, then a stainless .38 until we transitioned to the Gen II Glock 23 when I retired 30 years later.
Well, I guess the Colt worked, or you wouldn't be posting now!

Were you able to retain it? I'd want to keep a gun that'd saved my life.
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Old 10-19-2018, 09:15 PM
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I started with a 4 inch 19, then a 4 inch 66, 3 inch 66 and a 2.5 66 for off duty.

Last revolver I carried before they took them away was a 3 inch 13-3 slicked up and rendered DAO.

Then came semi autos. A Colt Combat Elite, 4506-1, 4566, 4516-3 and 3913 for off duty/court days. Finished up in 2014 with a 4513TSW.

In retirement and working as a Magistrate, I most often carry a CS45. Regards 18DAI
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Old 10-19-2018, 09:46 PM
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Well, I guess the Colt worked, or you wouldn't be posting now!

Were you able to retain it? I'd want to keep a gun that'd saved my life.
I had two Colt service revolvers that saved my butt. First was the 4” in ‘68 and then a Detective Special 2” in ‘74, neither of which I was able to hang on to. Both went into evidence and I never saw them again, but the Det. Spl. serial number is 68964 if you happen to run across it.
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Old 10-21-2018, 08:13 AM
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I carried a 6" Model 66 and a 4" Python before we went to autos. If I knew then what I know now, I would have gotten a 4" stainless Security Six.
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Old 10-21-2018, 11:24 AM
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As I had prepared for joining the police force... College Criminal Justice Degree, I had collected a 4" model 28 and a Combat Commander. (Auto's were just being okayed for use in the academy.) I met a wonderful gal that had been a Paramedic for a local ambulance company. She told me we had no future together if I perused a law enforcement career. I was working at GM at the time and making decent money. 36 years later I still have her, the guns were traded off for other tools and toys. No regrets.
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Old 10-21-2018, 11:46 AM
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It’s a shame Ruger replaced them with the GP100! Wish they were still being made.
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Old 10-21-2018, 07:46 PM
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Ah, old duty guns. I still have most of mine, the ones I care about, anyway. I lucked out and, except for a brief time about 6 years ago, we have always been able to carry personally owned guns, within policy (no SAO, no Magnum calibers, reputable manufacturer, subject to approval by an Instructor).

I started out when I went to the Academy in fall, 1990, with a West German Sig P226. Shot the best score ever achieved at that academy with that Sig. A couple years later, it started having multiple malfunctions. Sig didn't want to do anything about it, so I replaced it.

The replacement was a very early Glock 21 (serial number AEVxxxUS). Except for when it had to go back to Glock for an "update" and a brief infatuation with a Glock 23, I carried it for 19 years. Over 50,000 rds and no malfunctions at all that weren't ammo related.

When the G21 went back to Glock, I carried an issued S&W M5906 for a couple of weeks. Nice gun, and shot like a dream because of the stainless frame, but carried like a boat anchor. I think it was even heavier than the G21. I liked it but was happy to get my G21 back.

For a few months, the G21 was briefly replaced with a 2nd Gen Glock 23. Everyone at the PD was going .40 and buying either G22s or G23s from a LE supplier, so I thought I'd try the G23 for ammo and mag compatibility. This G23 had case head support at the feed ramp so bad that I couldn't find any ammo at all that wouldn't bulge the case at the feed ramp when fired. It suffered a catastrophic case head separation with factory Federal ammo at qualifications. When I got it back, I went back to the G21 and carried it for many years.

About 6 years ago, we got a new Chief and he insisted that everyone would carry an issued gun for ammo and mag compatibility, so I carried a Gen4 Glock 22 for a couple of years. The gun shot like a laser and it seemed that I just couldn't miss with it. However, after my experience with the G23, I HATE .40, so when we got another new Chief and were allowed to carry personal guns again, I switched.

Then it was a 3rd Gen G19. I carried it up till a couple months ago. Always shot pretty well, but suffered from the dreaded "Brass to Face" when new. After, literally, arguing with tech at Glock who argued that I wasn't an armorer (I have been a certified Glock armorer for 25 years) and him refusing to send out any parts, he finally gave in and sent me a new ejector. Ejection was weak, but became consistent.

Early this spring, I got tired of Glock's poor customer service. I actually got tired of it a long time ago, but couldn't find anything that I liked as well as my Glocks or that had anywhere near the same level of support. I tried an M&P 2.0 in 9mm and fell in love. It fixed my only real complaint about the older M&Ps, the trigger. I bought one and, a couple months ago, qualified with it and am currently carrying it. Hopefully, it will be my last. I have 8 years till retirement. Right now, the only thing I can think of that might nudge out my current M&P is if S&W comes out with a black 5" 2.0 model.

I still have the G21, the G19 and, of course, the M&P. Since I hate .40, I don't want another G23 or G22. Since S&W quit supporting them, I'm not really interested in a 5906, either. I'm happy with what I have and plan on keeping them and handing then down to my daughters someday.
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