I've been on the hunt for a VSP issued Model 1076 for quite some time now, but in my incessant search someone heard I was into VSP stuff so they hit me up about a Model 36 they just bought.

They say that the gun is being sold by a trooper's son. They say the trooper was issued this gun and carried it as a back up gun. Supposedly in order for the trooper to be able to keep the gun after retirement, VSP marred the VSP logo on it to remove "Virginia" in "Virginia State Police."

Serial# 167J95

That serial# puts this gun at either 1971 or 1972.

Anyway, I can't find anything online about VSP issuing a 36 snubbie, ever. Anyone know if they did? The provenance on this gun seems pointless to lie about. The gun is very well worn, but supposedly has the VSP seal/shield on it.

I'm calling S&W tomorrow, but I figured it'd be cool to talk about on here too, since I've never seen anyone talk about it.

I doubt whether S&W can or will tell you anything about it except maybe the year of production. To find out where it shipped, you need a letter from the S&W historian at the S&W Historical Foundation. Even in that case, VSP could have bought it from a distributor and you still wouldn't know. Not to discourage you, but just giving you a realistic picture based on experience.

Detectives' guns were frequently of different types, and you'd likely need an actual VSP veteran to confirm that those were issued; but since the Model 36 was the most widely used snubbie of the revolver era by plainclothes officers, it's more likely than not that an early 1970s specimen with appropriate wear could be a retired police issue, and if the stampings or what's left of them look professionally applied, that it is authentic.

If you assess the seller as credible, and don't significantly overpay the value of the gun as such just because of the supposed provenance, I'd take the chance (after seeing the gun in person or good pictures).

In the past, I've had good luck asking the right questions to S&W customer service to get them to divulge. Sometimes it takes a call or two.

I have a feeling the gun will be in just OK condition and price will probably be pretty low on it. I'm more concerned with "are there more of these out there, possibly in excellent condition?"

If many do exist, I'd love to have a fine example of one.

That has a relatively easy answer based on statistical probability. Do a forum search for "Virginia State Police Model 36". If they are around in appreciable numbers, one will have popped up here.

Yeah, I've searched extensively and cannot find a single mention of one anywhere. I'll continue to sift through the ridiculous amount of threads on the internet that seem relevant, but I was hoping a trooper would read this.

I got a little more information on the gun today, along with a picture of the serial # and the backstrap which reads "____State Police 413" with "Virginia" ground away. I'm being told that in order to keep the weapon the trooper had to let VSP grind off "Virginia."

The 413 number is the trooper's badge number. He says he is the only person he knows of who ever had a VSP issued M36. I was given his name as well, but I'll give him some privacy by not sharing that much. He was apparently a high ranking officer with VSP and special ordered the gun.

I'm really enjoying learning this gun's provenance and as long as it's not a total piece of junk, I'll be picking it up this week. Who knows, maybe it really is a one of a kind M36. It'll go nicely with my Chesterfield PD 1076 and my VSP 1076 once I find it

Is really no one interested in this? Haha. No PD gun collectors? I thought this was super cool, maybe even one of a kind!

I'm retired police and have never heard of an agency grinding off the state name....a LOT of us carried M36's...some issued some private purchase.Dunno but to me its simply a 36 that's been damaged with the grinding you mention

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

I've seen a few ex-police revolvers with the agency names ground off.

Thanks for the replies fellers!

I've got a line on a VSP issued bull barrel 64-3 now. Manufactured in 1983. Coming from the same trooper. Looking forward to checking it out next week.

Wish there was more to read and or look at regarding these VSP guns. I feel like I'm the only dude who cares about em, haha.

OP, you are not the only one interested in S&W revolvers that have seen LE service. However, it is a niche. There are some who are still trying to figure out how to teach them to talk. Perhaps more enthusiasm will be generated by pictures. Best of luck. hardcase60

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You want me to do what?

It's a matter of numbers and identifiability once the guns are separated from service.

There are quite a few of us here who collect police-marked guns. But many have the only known specimen from an agency.

Your VSP Mod. 36 seems to be a singleton. At the opposite extreme, there are NYPD revolvers floating around the collectors market all the time because officers had to buy them, usually from the dept., and for several decades stamped them with their shield number. So these are easily identified and we know a lot about NYPD guns; I have four.

Other agencies issue weapons but retain them as property, and destroy them at the end of their service life for fear of liability, so they may never enter the market.

VSP seems to be one of the less available agencies. Maybe you can become our "specialist".

Have you checked out this thread?

Police Appreciation Thread

VSP never issued S&W mod. 36's - no J-frames. VSP plain-cloths investigators carried 2" revolvers, either Colt (in old days) or S&W mod. 64's (K-frames), until transitioning to semi-auto's (1st was 10mm S&W 1076, then Sig's). They now carry Sig 229/DAK in 357Sig. (They 1st carried Sig 228 in 9mm, but later went to 357Sig's.)

VSP personnel were offered a S&W mod. 60 as a "commemorative" gun - offered to employees only - not everyone bought one - it did have a VSP marking of some sort. This mod. 60 came out after the 50-year mod. 66 commemorative sold in 1982.

VSP retirees may purchase their issued handgun & shotguns. Handguns may be bought for $1. plus tax ($1.05) - per state law. Shotguns go for about $150.+. Of course, optional. Most buy handguns, not all buy shotguns.

See, the fact that multiple people (and I'm assuming you were or are a trooper) have told me 36s were never issued and the fact that the faint markings I can see on the marred name of the agency both make me skeptical. I got the gun from a trusted source who claims to have gotten these from the actual trooper's son, who is also a trooper. If this wasn't actually a VSP gun A) I would never know because as someone else said, it may very well have been sold to a distributor, and B) I would likely immediately sell them. I would probably never buy a 38spl otherwise, to be honest. I've had a .357 snubby before but I really just prefer SA/DA semi autos.

Is it possible that the trooper who carried the 36 bought the 36 then had _____ State Police applied through VSP? If he carried the gun on duty would he have had to fill out any paperwork with VSP? Is it still considered a VSP weapon even if a Jinks letter says nothing of VSP? I have so many questions.

That's very interesting. Thanks for the info.

I've perused some of the police gun threads I've found on here and not only can I not find anything on a VSP 36, there is nothing I can even remember about anyone having a VSP 1076. I have one though

I suppose I should get the gun lettered to know for sure. The problem is, the guy keeps getting these guns from the trooper's son (supposedly) and I want them all, but if they are not VSP guns and he's full of it or someone in the chain of ownership is just ignorant on what to call the gun, I'll end up with a bunch of guns that I thought were very important to me but turn out to be duds. Either way, what I'm getting at here is I am willing to spend the money just on the chance that everything this guy has told me is completely true about them being VSP. But I'm basically going into this new 64-3 prospect also skeptical because I haven't confirmed the first one.

BTW, the supposed VSP 64-3 has Tyler T grips.

I hope to gain the knowledge to fill this thread with more answers than questions.

I have not, but I will now!

I got into VSP guns by accident. I wasn't trying to. In fact, my love of 10mm AUTO brought me to VSP guns. The FBI gun is really cool to me, but what I thought would be even cooler would be to have a 1076 that was likely shipped to my current hometown, Richmond, so naturally I gravitated towards researching what agencies were issued 10xx variants and I went from there. I also knew I could fulfill my need for a special 1076 for a lot cheaper going the VSP route as opposed to the FBI route. The VSP gun then became my main focus for about 2 years until I finally found one. I spent countless hours watching for one online and spamming VGT trying to find one, even offered lopsided trades if someone found me one. In the process, I acquired a Chesterfield PD 1076 but a tight spot forced me to get rid of it. Fortunately I had already found my VSP 1076, so it didn't hurt my feelings too bad.

Anyway, that's how the seller found me. For 2 straight years the VSP 1076 was all I talked about so he remembered me and gave me first dibs. I wasn't trying to collect VSP guns, they kinda came to me after I found my first one.

FWIW

Washington State removed the markings from the back straps of their duty revolvers when they sold them. Pictures have been posted here on the Forum.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Over the years, I worked with a bunch of VSP and just called one of them to discuss your find. My guy verifies model 64, 1076, SiG 228 and 226 as well an an earlier mismash of 10's and Colt 38's. He also verifies the commerative 60 and 66 and even a few Rugers that were made up maybe by their association. Also verified is the retired one gun purchase for $1.00. Your found model 36 sounds like to him as an individual made up gun and notes that VSP never had any in-house engraving. All guns were purchased on bids with trade in's of current issue with an individual officer price should they desire to buy their carry gun from the bid winner. Southern Police in Richmond and Town Police Supply in Collinsville were past bid winners he recalls. He will also research badge number 413 and see where that leads.

Thank you very much sir! This is extremely helpful!

Is there a way for me to contact an armorer for VSP? Is that even possible?

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You can see at the top of the backstrap where the first letter of the State would be, it looks like a vertical line, not a slanted line like on a V. That's where my main skepticism comes from. It's really hard to tell though.

I would be very disappointed if this "trusted" member lied to me about the origin of this weapon. It would be a very elaborate lie though, involving many guns that he "doesn't even own yet." This leads me to believe that someone may be mistaken. But still makes me wonder about the "VSP 64-3" he supposedly has on the way.

FWIW While texting with the seller about the 64-3 the other day, he mentioned that he assumed he thought I had a VSP contact to verify things for me, so I don't think he's lying I just think maybe he's wrong.

Also one more bit of info on the 64-3, the serial number seems peculiar for a D series K frame. It's 30D4393. The highest serial # in that range I can find upon quick research is 21D0883.

Thanks for all the replies guys, I really appreciate it.

Sorry for the double and triple posts.

The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson 3rd edition shows the approx last D serial number as 30D9291.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Ahh, I must've found an earlier edition online. Thanks.

VSP did provide a few 5-shot J-frame S&W's for "UC/narc" work. The one's I recall were "Bodyguard" mod. 38, w/shrouded hammer, not the exposed hammer as a mod. 36. For UC troopers only & used in that capacity. No VSP issued handguns were marked with any special markings/engraving - factory manufacturer marks only. Mod. 64's (4") issued in mid-'70's to replace Colt 4" Official Police (which replaced 6" Colts in 1960's). There were some mod. 10's in service prior to the 64's. All were .38 special. When the Dept. changed handgun model/caliber, the troopers had the opportunity to buy their gun from the dealer that took them on trade at a reduced cost - many did this, but many opted out. There was a commemorative mod. 60 offered in the mid-80's, but only for sale for personal use - not used in-service.

I bought a police trade in 4" M10 a few years ago from Town Police Supply in Richmond. The clerk told me that VSP traded these in for optics. I frankly did not believe him because I assumed that VSP went from 6" Colt OPs to the M64. I then remembered that VSP did academy training years ago for local police and sheriffs. Maybe the M10s were academy guns, I thought.
Imagine my surprise when I went to VSP HQ and visited their museum while there for training and, on display, was a 4" standard barreled M10 just like mine.
It currently serves as the bride's HD revolver.
As far as issued 2" guns go, all I ever saw carried by plainclothes staff here in central VA, including VSP, were 2" M64s.

As far as I know, VSP never had any armorer's and would return problem firearms to the factory for repairs. If there is or was an armorer I would expect them to be attached to the academy in Richmond.

Random update to a dead thread. The 64 that I got from this same dude ended up lettering to VSP, for whatever that's worth.

Was not unheard of for agencies to do testing and evaluation of different firearms, sometimes in small numbers. Some agencies ordered factory roll marked firearms, some self marked and some did not Mark them.
Department weapons are kinda like Smiths their selves just when you say never , you get suprised

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LEX ET ORDO