Suspect many of our members worked “the streets”. In the course of your duties, you likely came across a variety of unusual weapons. I’ll start off with the most unusual I encountered, details below:

Date- 1972, Location- Harlem, NYC
Arrested heroin dealer in vestibule of apartment house, seized a sawed off side by side 12 gauge shotgun hidden in a stairwell that led to basement.

Shotgun was a fully engraved J. Purdey and Sons, London, England masterpiece.

Not reported lost or stolen. The late Bob Storms, Garfield Gun smithing, checked it over and told me the value was likely $18-20,000. Further, that I could have Purdey replace the barrels for about $2,000 and have the stock replaced. Tried to get my agency to allow me to keep it as long as I made it legal, Needless to say they said no, that it had to be destroyed. Well, at the time my agency did not have a museum, so I sent it to the ATF museum in Washington, for addition to their collection of seized firearms. However, prior to forwarding the Purdey to ATF, I removed 3 screws from the gun. I figured that someday I might visit the ATF museum, and if I did, I would ask the curator the background on the Purdey. If he claimed it was seized by ATF, rather than my agency, I would ask him to explain the 3 missing screws and the 3 screws in my hand. Anyway, unlikely I’ll visit the museum, but after I sent the Purdey to ATF, a Sunday edition of The NY Times had a story about the ATF museum. The featured photo was the Purdey that I had seized, with the comment that the thieves did not realize the value of the shotgun that they butchered.

There was a gang-related homicide in the East side of San Jose. The suspect was a 16 year old gang member. The gun was an antique Smith & Wesson single action top break in .38 S&W.

A gang-related attempted homicide in the East side of San Jose. The gun was a near mint Colt Government Model made in 1933. Not reported stolen. The County Crime Lab requested it for their Firearms Reference Collection when the cased was closed.

Another gang-related attempted homicide in the East side of San Jose. The gun was a Nazi presentation Walther PP or PPK ( I forget the exact model). Not reported stolen. The County Crime Lab requested it for their Firearms Reference Collection when the cased was closed.

Two guns recovered from one case: a German MP40 and a H&R Reising Model 50.

Another gang-related homicide. Not the murder weapon, but was in the trunk of the suspect's stolen car. A Rhodesian LDP submachinegun. Not made from a kit, but a righteous original. Ed Owen wanted it for ATF's Firearms Reference Collection in Washington. The FBI wanted it for their Firearms Reference Collection. I did the court order transferring it from the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office to the Santa Clara County Crime Lab. I had a few run-ins with Ed Owen, and there was no way I was going to allow him to get that LDP. The crime lab was very happy to get it, and I was very happy to disappoint Ed Owen. There was no love lost between Ed and me. I could tell about a practical joke that was played on Ed, but I would definitely get in major trouble here.

I'm glad to hear that some good quality guns didn't end up as manhole covers.

No shortage of stupid in those neighborhoods.

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No baby we aint

When I started 7/1/69 the preferred weapons were Saturday night specials, usually in .22 or .25 caliber. These things were junk but it was amazing how many folks got killed with them. The .25 jamamatics often would not cycle the second shot. I remember one incident where where two guys were in a bar fight. Shooter #1 struck first as he fired a .22 round into the chest of shooter #2. The cylinder fell out of the RG #1 had before he could get off a second shot and #2 fired a cheap chrome plated .25, which failed to cycle, into #1. Both of them died on the way to the hospital. After the ban on the importation of Saturday night specials it appears thugs have taken to higher calibers with larger mags.

My F-I-L had a Winchester two digit serial number M-14 in the PD ordinance vault, seized from a local motor cycle gang.

Ivan

A block of wood, a broken off car antenna, bale wire, a nail, and a strong rubber band, (think old inner tube) along with some .22 rim fire ammo. Found them often in
the 60's and early 70's. Yes, they worked.

I had a meat cleaver that was used in a barbecue joint murder. It was a good old cleaver.

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Halfway and one more step

Was involved in one unusual case (mid 70’s) University Ave. in the Bronx. Local street level heroin dealer with extensive violent crime record, vowed never to be taken alive.

He carried a revolver in an inside the pants holster. At time of arrest he attempted to shoot one of the Detectives in my group. Fortunately the Detective, one of NY’s finest (and toughest) was a fraction of a second faster. Suspect shot in spine, dropped immediately, and later succumbed to the wound. His gun was a stolen .38 Special Colt Detective Special that had been stolen from a Connecticut police officer. The Detective carried his Colt Detective Special in the same style inside the pants holster, and both the Detective’s revolver and the defendant’s revolver had the exact same ammunition. So one could say that they were equally equipped, fortunately Ritchie prevailed.

It appears that in the Chicago area the weapon of choice is a AR pistol
the boys in the hood have found the advantage of spray& pray. They have come a long way from 22cal. or 25 cal they are becoming sophisticate.

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age is just a number

Suspect one could do their “Master’s Thesis” on the evolution of weaponry on the streets. I recall the mention of zip guns before I began my LE career. Early in my career lots of knives, occasional brass knuckles, an occasional machete, a few sawed off shotguns, cheap revolvers and pistols, and then the more sophisticated pistols. Regrettably the current weapons of choice and levels of violence perpetrated by street gang members, terrorists, and the mentally ill will be a serious threat for the millions of honest folks who just want to protect themselves and families, and enjoy the ability to participate in shooting sports/ competition that were once taken for granted.

My nephew is a police officer in a small town and he said the weapon that has been used against him the most lately are brooms/broomsticks.

You don't see one of those every day.

Watched an episode of Cops a while back and they took a Star Ultrastar off a gang banger at a restaurant. It was pretty clear that the officer was unfamiliar with the type and how little of the slide there is to grip, because he really struggled to clear it.

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Release the Kraken

Zip guns I know about, how to make them and how fire them.

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Carpriver.

IDK that seems like a lot of T&E to put into setting somebody you don't even know up so you can call them out.

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Retired Career Security Guard

Around 1991, while living in a suburb of Washington DC, I found a perfectly good, slightly rusted, vintage meat cleaver in the brook behind my home. Cleaned it up, and noticed “Regent Cutlery High Carbon-Colombia” was stamped on the blade. My wife, somewhat naive, asked why someone would throw away a perfectly good meat cleaver. As the cleaver was a nice addition to our kitchen cutlery, I didn’t mention my suspicion as to why someone would toss it off a bridge and into the brook. Told her the owner probably lost it while crossing the brook during a camping trip.

Wow! That’s used on me at home, also.

Removing three screws seems like a lot of time and effort?

The (insert your own DSM diagnosis) thought process leading up to removing three screws. . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Had I been drinking coffee when I read that my sinuses would now be thoroughly irrigated.

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Release the Kraken

Is there a witch convention in town?

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Possum—The other white meat!

Advanced Appleitis, an insidious disorder that impairs the sanity of country boys detailed to NYC; onset normally occurs after a few years and transitions to an incurable status after 10 years. Symptoms include delusions of enjoyment of being assigned to the city and finding sport in being able to outwit and run over the street savvy pigeons that abound in the 5 boroughs. Regrettably my 12 years has sealed my fate. I guess one screw would have been enough.

Gotta have a Gee Lock and an extendo.

I was going with Narcissistic Personality Disorder with Egocentric Tendencies, but your diagnosis is as good as any. After all, you’ve had the chance to talk to you in person. I haven’t . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Are you guys talking about Coogan's Bluff?
I’ve seen that movie!

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

The weapons I encountered on the street were pretty much run of the mill. The most unique murder weapon I was exposed to took place in the 60's.

When I was about 10 my dad took me to a murder trial in the neighboring county. One man had killed another with a garden hoe. I still remember the bloody shirt being displayed in court.

I had a friend who served in the bad neighborhood of Korea and he brought back a revolver he took from a Chinese soldier.
It was a pristine nickle plated .36 cal cap and ball Colt!
Unfortunately they ground off the firing pin before he could bring it home.

Not a case I was involved in, but the story was:
Attacker rolled a sheet of notebook paper into a cone open at the small end.
Cone was charged with a couple of ounces of non dairy coffee creamer powder.
Assailant walked up to victim and blew powder into a cloud while holding a Bic lighter in front of cone, producing a very effective flame thrower effect. Facial burns were deep second degree (Very painful).

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I'm with her

I use to work in a specialized Squad undertaking covert investigations into Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCG's). Over the course of a few years there, I noticed that we seized more firearms and prohibited weapons than any other Squad (including the Firearms Squad). We seized a lot of shotguns and handguns as well as the odd military type weapon. One thing that was noticed was stolen security guard 4" Model 10's etc having their barrels cut down to 3" by backyard gunsmiths.

A lot of Cops today have only ever handled one gun; their duty gun. So in the end, I organized some training for our squad in rendering safe all other types of firearms.

What, all out of rolling pins and frying pans?

Was out on a medical call in about 1972 when a fight broke out in a large family gathering. The first weapon used was a really nice Craftsman meat cleaver. When the next weapon came out(a 410 shotgun) I got my guys out of the immediate area till the police cleared it out. Nobody got shot but one person got cut with the cleaver. Turned out the shotgun was unloaded

Interesting. Cap and ball revolvers don't have firing pins.

One of the most interesting weapons I encountered in my career was the 20 gauge Ithaca Auto & Burglar, a pistol grip double barrel shotgun with 10 inch barrels. The Auto & Burglar belonged to the PD, had a black leather holster, and could be checked out from the Sgt.'s office and carried on your belt in lieu of your duty weapon, a model 58 .41 mag.

I remember a raid around ‘92 on a clubhouse in NQ (in Gordonvale) Renegades maybe....
Turned up a M3 grease gun and a couple Hi Powers.

After the nationwide “buy back”.

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Halfway and one more step

some of the homeys would slip a single edged razor blade into the bill of their caps, and slash for the eyes. In the eighties, during our crack wars, lots of fake Mac-10s were around, and a few Uzis. Now, I hear, it's all Aks, SKS, AR pistols, and Glock 40s. Of course the Baby Bangers are still carrying whatever Grangfather brought home from the War. Brycos, Davises, and Jennings seem to have disappeared.

[QUOTE=cndrdk;......The Auto & Burglar belonged to the PD, had a black leather holster, and could be checked out from the Sgt.'s office and carried on your belt in lieu of your duty weapon.....[/QUOTE]

“Speak softly and carry a big stick....” T. Roosevelt, Minnesota State Fair, September 1901.

The most unusual seized gun I ever saw consisted of the lower half or receiver of a Browning Hi-Power to which someone with basic machining skills had fabricated an oversized brass slide. I suspect that a homeowner disassembled his guns for security and his Browning receiver was stolen in a burglary. To my knowledge, this gun was given to BATFE.

Maybe he meant the part of the hammer that hits the percussion cap and makes it go bang?

No Raven .25's?

Before I retired, hardly ever seen one of those. Among gangs, a gun is a status symbol. Ain't much status in a little Raven. You have to feel sorry for a gang member who only has a little Raven. Gang members need a gun that pulls their pants down.

While in Washington DC, A colleague conducted a successful investigation which resulted in the conviction of one of the District’s most notorious crack dealers. The dealer allegedly intimidated opposition with a 12 gauge “Street Sweeper”. The weapon had a drum that held 12 rounds.

Street Sweepers became illegal in the early 90s and thus never became readily available for our current population of street gang members. You can see the weapon on some u-tube sites, truly an intimidating, and fortunately short lived, piece of equipment. If any members encountered a Street Sweeper, I’ll bet there’s an interesting story to be told.

Back 25 years ago when I was managing Section 8 housing on the South Side of Chicago the typical gangbanger/drug dealer weapon tended to be a cheap semi-auto like a Raven or a Bryco. Apparently, they've upgraded themselves over the years.
Jim

From what I've seen, gravity is already doing a fine job of that without the assistance of a handgun.

One of the most encountered murder (and suicide) weapons in New Mexico has been the Marlin/Glenfield Model 60 22 long rifle semi-auto, likely because they and ammo are fairly cheap.

Back when local agencies used to cooperate with Immigration we did a sweep during which I picked up a hapless dishwasher with a pristine nickel Colt .380 with medallioned pearl grips in his boot. It was unloaded, possibly unfired and negative NCIC. I considered offering him $50 for the trip home in exchange for a bill of sale. Instead I logged it into the property room, expecting to get a theft report directly. Never did. I assume it eventually went to the auction.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

I had an aggravated robbery in the late 70's where a Javelin( spear) was used as the weapon. This dude picked the wrong store to hijack, because it was owned by a family of Vietnamese. The entire family ran the store 24 hours a day and were tired of being pushed around by the local thugs. The thug brandished the spear and the oldest son shot him twice with a good old USA Colt 45 government model. The thug left the store with no cash and weighed 460 grains more than when he walked in. He showed up at a hospital later and was taken into custody, missing some intestines and reproductive equipment.

Moral to this story: little folks get tired of being pushed around by thugs and can get mean real fast.

You got to love a story that has a happy ending.

Never bring a spear to a gun fight....

No, longer reach.

Unless you have a lot of Zulu warriors backing you up....

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Halfway and one more step

Why fortunate? Because it looked scary?