Going to the range tomorrow with a couple handguns. Got out a 5" 1926 44 Special. Hefting it in my hand it really hit me how heavy that revolver is and how much it would weigh down a LEO's duty belt.

I picked up a 5" K frame 38 next to it and after testing its weight I thought "Yeah...this is what would be on my belt."

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No life story has happy end.

SP, I'm like you, I was waxing my old duty Model 58 today, and I couldn't believe how heavy it is.
I packed that N frame for 13 years. As I got older, I found out how nice a K frame rode on my hip, then a J frame, funny how that works out.

Bill pushed for the K frame although a Mdl 19 in his hand looked like a J frame in a normal man's hand.

He had to relieve the right side of the trigger guard so he could get his finger in on the trigger. but he could sure git'r done quick.

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Eccentric old coot

Back in 1981, I built a 5" 1911 on an aluminum frame. I carried it for most of the next 20 years. My Sam Browne seemed to get heavier the older I got.

Skeeter Skelton felt that 40 oz was the max as far as duty sidearms went. When the Glock 17 and 19 became popular, I feel it was the light weight as much as any thing else that made law enforcement buy them in bushel basketfulls.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

When you have to shlep it around a full shift or more, every ounce counts. Also, as noted by several above, the older you get the heavier things feel. I used to feel fine packing a large frame smith revolver or Colt semi-auto. Not so much any more. Nice thing about being retired, I can pack what I want.

I have one N frame, a 4inch Highway Patrolman. It's a hog and would make a great club. When I hold my 4inch Model 19-3, now that is what a handgun should feel like. If I was over 6ft and 250lb I might think different but at 5'9" and 160, K frames foot the bill quite nicely, thank you.

Over two years ago I had rotator cuff surgery on my right shoulder. It never never healed completely and I still have weakness and a limited range of arm motion. No matter what handgun weight, I still must use both hands if I want to hit anything. But a K-frame is still easier for me to use.

I have several 5 screw N's and have had a couple of 29's. I liked the 29's because of the heavy round that was carried in them when in the wood and they mostly rode in shoulder rigs. The other N frames are range equipment only.
The K frames suit my smaller frame for carry weight and smaller hands. The K frame 357's seem absolute perfection to me for a field gun.

I carried N frames in 44 Mag, 44 Spl and 45 ACP when I worked in Detroit, some 6 1/2 inch.
When I handle them these days they feel like anchors. Funny how time adds weight to a gun.

And here I was thinking a J-frame is too big.

Every time I see a modern day officer, I wonder how they carry all their stuff. My Father carried a M&P 4", with six extra rounds in a leather drop pouch, and an 8 oz blackjack, and nothing else. Today, I see officers wearing a protective vest, carrying a 15 shot automatic, with at least two extra magazines, handcuffs, a radio and a cell phone, and often a taser. That must be an extra 25 lbs to tote around all day.

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Tom
1560

Which is why so many officers with time on and retirees suffer a disproportionate amount of lower back issues. Detectives/Admin types less so, patrol hogs very much so.

You reckon that "as I got older" thing figures into how heavy that N-Frame feels now?

Too soon old, too late smart!!

Today, I oft times carry a 100 year S&W N frame .45 snubby.
The barrel is thinner and the holes are bigger and the gun is a whole bunch lighter than that old 58

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Eccentric old coot

when I left the street and became a housecat, my belt weighed 15 pounds. Add 5 more for the vest (they are lighter now), another pound for the J frame BUG, and about 1000# for the mag light.

My Sam Browne was so heavy, when I took it off, I used to float around the house for about 15 minutes.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

A lesser-known corollary of Einstein's theory of relativity as it involves the mass-time continuum, is that relative to an individual, gravity is a function of chronology.
So, yeah, you guys are right. Stuff is heavier when you get old.

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de minimus non curat lex

When I was a teenager, I thought it neat to run around the
Woods with a 44mg in a holster & belt with 25 rds and a knife.
When in Army and had to carry a 45, canteen and all the other
gear on a guard belt it ceased to be fun. I know what a cop has
to feel like with a duty belt full of gear. Futher more the 1st
19 I bought was a 6", that was less than a month old, rookie
game warden bought it and found it wasn't to handy to get in
and out of car with. He traded it back in to dealer for a 4"-19.
The new people buying CCW guns, that buy 1911s, and large
frame revolvers are going to end up leaving them home after
novelty wears off. If I had to carry a duty revolver it would be
a 4"-19, I figured that out years ago, when I was young and
lazy, it blends right in with being old and tired.

When I first started working for the National Park Service I carried a 686. Then I shot a friend's Model 66 and knew I had to have one. Sometimes I worked as a backcountry ranger and had a pretty heavy back to wear in addition to the duty gear so the Model 66 was a blessing. I even shot the 66 better. Later we went to Sig p220's. Now that I'm retired I carry what I want and most days it is my old Model 66. It's one of the best shooting pistols I've ever had.

I don't even try to fool myself anymore. I've stopped buying holsters for most of my guns. I know I'm not going to even try carrying those heavy things around.

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John 3:16 .

NOW JUST HOLD UP FOR A SECOND !!!
We are NOT getting older and weaker---the firearm manufactures are using heavier steel now a days.

Many retired officers not only have back trouble, their hips need to be replaced on the side that they carried their gun. Add to that the need for hearing aids as we used to shoot without hearing or eye protection. I love my career, but in retirement many pay a physical price for it.

A most Accurate statement. I still can recite the items on my gear belt. I thought I needed each one to do my job well. It weighed in at 34 lbs. All leather and steel.
I'm glad I only fell into a pool in uniform one time it was when I was chasing a burglary and attempted rape suspect over backyard fences and it was the shallow end. Bad guy fell in too and I caught him. Poor guy almost drowned. It took all the fight out of him.

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"Very Dangerous-you go first!"

I know many S&W guys are spooked by them because
of what I think is a bad rap....But, I really always liked
the airweights.
Models 12 and 37.

It is about time that you found something that you LIKED, and/or agreed with

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On the Oak Savannah

My sons carrying a Glock 41 45 ACP with 4 extra 10 round magazines, radio, cuffs, tazer, pouch for rubber gloves and collapsible stick. He is using a very wide belt that has smaller belt that you mount items on. This spreads the weight better on the hips and helps his back.
I bitched about 4 inch K frame ,2 6 round speed loaders, double cuff case and small container of mace.

I'm not sure what my duty belt weighed but it carried my Model 15, 12 extra rounds, cuffs and a stick. To this day my hip & back hurt (retired in '97) and I can only guess what today's cops will be dealing with after 20 plus years of shleping around all that gear.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

In the era of 1975/1976 I worked patrol with a female officer that carried a S&W Model 12 4" RB on duty and a S&W Model 37 2" RB off duty. It appears that she was smarter than us guys.

One night, I was running from a house I had just 'property checked' to my patrol car. I had not tightened my Velcro inner belt enough. As I got to the car, my belt and gear puled my pants down.

I was grateful nobody was around to see it!

I carried a stainless steel Government Model in patrol assignment, then when I went to detectives I carried a lightweight Commander. Back to a Government when I was promoted to sergeant and back to patrol. I thought about it after a while and went back to the Commander. I was surprised at the difference those few ounces made.

Two magazines, gun, pepper spray, first set of handcuffs, second set of handcuffs, radio, small knife case in which I kept a Safariland hobble, Taser. I never weighted the belt, but mebbe I will get it out of mothballs and do so.

I used to see a Salt Lake City P.D. bicycle officer who carried a Model 12 when the rest of his department carried Model 64's. He said his cuffs were aluminum, too.

While watching COPS in Seattle area many wearing suspenders to take load off their hips wonder if it helps ?

If you were at the SWCA meeting in Baton Rouge last month you could have seen the very first Combat Magnum that S&W presented to Bill Jordan. It still looks pretty good. I think the serial # is K260001.

I hear ya, now that I have officially reached geezer status the lighter the better. When I started in patrol in mid 80's our load out was Sam brown with Jordan Border patrol , S&W 66 four inch , two safriland comp two speed loaders , four speed strips in shirt pockets two each side for balance( massad ayoob said that was the way to go so of course we did). 36 or 60 in what ever ankle holster we could find cheap at local PD supply. Oh yeah forgot the old Motorola hand held radio, two sets cuffs, PR 24 ( remember how fun they were to run with�� Rechargeable mag light, second gen ballistic vest ( about one inch thick) and last but not least the smokey bear hat. I was a lot younger then and only weighed 135 wet but thought I was the baddest thing in blue. That lasted about 15 minutes into my first shift when my FTO answered the call for the bar fight and looked at me with that smile of experience and said well baby boy lets see if you survive the night. My real leading started that night and I have been learning ever since. Thank God for those old school FTO's that took us Young dumb ***** under there wing . Would not be here today with out him. To all today that do the job, hold the line. tbird

*
According to cops I know over there, yes. And likewise the external vests that look like uniform shirts, etc. I hated regular uniforms and only wore when forced. Worthless for work and miserably uncomfortable. Roughly 27 pound difference from shower to street; I checked it a few times.

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NHI, 10-8.

Yes they are wonderful.My administration who only wore a gun no cuffs or spare ammo would not allow them.When outside carriers were allowed we had to buy them ourselves at first.But I then bought a harness suspender system.And no more back pain at end of shift.

I forgot about those early Motorola portables. Three inchese of radio ontop of 9 inches of battery. We used to call it "the Brick".... I was a roll call sgt for a while then, and more times than one I had to say "alright, gentlemen, your radio is not an impact weapon. "

One cost me $247.00. They have the same effect as a brick when thrown. Not very aerodynamic but devestating with a 20ft range.

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"Very Dangerous-you go first!"

Lucky you work for a reasonable dept. the NYPD will not cover you if you hit somebody with a "non-approved impact weapon". When we carried full
Length sticks you had to throw them in the back seat when you got in the car. I've cracked more than a few heads with my maglite when I had no stick. Never got caught for it. I know of one cop who went to prison for hitting a guy with his radio, causing a serious brain injury.

TTIUWOP...

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I'm too windy for 30 chrctrs!