Revolvers in LE
Got to get in on this. Started in USAF Investigations in 1971. First issue was S&W M-15 followed shortly be S&W M-36 3"HB. The one in the pic is not AF issue but private set up exactly as issued. I carried it in a Bianchi 5B holster. I went through the S&W Academy Police Firearms Instructor course in 1975. It was almost 100% revolver oriented, although we did shoot the M-39 a bit. Shot a lot of PPC. Entered civilian LE in early 1990s in small SO where we still furnish our own weapons, the dept issues .45ACP and S&W .40 but you can carry anything you can qualify with. I attended the Colo LE Firearms Instructor POST course in 2004, they did not even teach revolvers in the course, although the Instr's manual still has the info. I have seen several younger officers who could not clear a revolver at a crime scene.
Photo ID: Far upper left, S&W M-36 as issued in USAF OSI. Right from top going clockwise: S&W M-19-3, S&W M-686-CS-1, S&W M-65-2, S&W M-646. I have carried each at one time or another, still carry the 646 on occasion although normally carry a Para-Ord LDA. Duty rig is Don Hume for each of the above. Six for sure! Keep shootin'
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