Revisited: What unlikely guns have you seen LEO/security guards use on the job?

While visiting L.A. in 1965, I saw a LAPD motorman with what I now recognize to be the grip frame of a Colt New Service, the only time I have seen an "active" New Service.

My Dad's primary duty gun from 1938/39 till the mid-60s was a 6" New Service with King sights and action job in .357magnum.

It was also his centerfire target pistol on the Police Team.
 
When I was around 14 or so in the early 70s I went to Sears with my dad and a security guard in uniform was by the door. He was a tall, lean African American guy wearing a buscadero rig with a single action. I asked him about it and he said it was a Hawes .357. I got the impression he knew how to use it.
 
Saw an armored car guard in Beaufort (SC) armed with a Hi Point in what looked to be an airsoft grade Nylon holster complete with spare mag on the holster.

I think he must have transferred to Michigan as I saw an armored car guard here with a Hi Point in a nylon holster. I understand many of them don't make a lot of money so maybe all he could afford.
 
back in the mid to late 1970's... a sheriff's deputy in Boone County, Missouri carried a WWII Sauer 7.65 semi-auto pistol using the issue holster on his Sam Brown rig...when I asked him about the light caliber, he said he was primarily one of the courthouse deputies & never figured to ever use his sidearm.....
 
Saw Notrona County Wyoming Deputy carrying a 4" Nickel Model 29 and he knew how to use it. An FHP Sgt. buddy using the issued Nickel Colt Python around 1985 or so. He had over 35 years on the Patrol at that time as he said old timers usually got those if they wanted them. Not really handguns but odd ammunition choices,........ saw two armored truck personnel using LEAD reloads in their 9mm duty weapons. I inquired of one of them as to why would he use those and he said they were cheaper. I met up with him one day and gave him 15 hollowpoints to use in his weapon as his life or another may depend on those rounds. He was grateful God Love him.
 
In the early 1970s my wife worked in a bank. The armored car service guy that handled their money carried an inexpensive single action, German, zinc-framed .22 (Possibly a Buffalo Scout) in a buscadero rig. I recall that it had about twenty loops on the back holding .22 Magnum cartridges.
45 years later:
The gun wasn't unusual but one of the guys at the shooting range was the owner of a security guard – personal protection – event security business. He dressed in all black "tactical" pants and shirt with a Glock 17 on each hip. His belt was loaded down with every conceivable pouch and carrier for knife, cuffs, radio, phone, keys and probably a Flash Gordon compass and decoder for all I know. He carried 4 spare magazines which would give him an ammo load of over 100 rounds if my count is right.
 
Last summer I saw an armored car company stop by a local credit union to pick up cash,etc. Both of the guards were carrying Ruger GP100's. Must have been company issued or something.
 
Back in my mythical home town, in a mythical western state, we had this guy, a bounty hunter who claimed to be a confederate civil war veteran. And, I swear I'm not making this up, he drove a Jaguar XKSS.....

pistol.jpg
 
Maybe 30 years ago at Talladega there was this huge security guard carrying a Bauer or some sort of Browning copy 25 on a belt holster.
 
I hang out in Baja California a lot. It's not unusual to see cops in full uniform with empty holsters. They probably have other weapons at hand but it looks weird to a Los Angeles boy.
 
The daddy of one of my good friends worked security at a rest stop on I-65 in Alabama. Mr Allie was in his 70's at the time. He could have carried a 3" J frame .38 special, but choose instead my friend's 6" Colt New Frontier, using the .22 Magnum cylinder. He never had to use it.
 
Back about 1976 I had an errand at the Winchester factory in New Haven. The uniformed gate guard had a black duty belt and a 25 Auto, I couldn't tell what kind, in a black duty holster.
A couple years later, a guy in the weapons shop with me in the CT Air National Guard was on the State Police bodyguard detail for CT governor Ella Grasso. He told me that "the detail" had a 30-30 Contender in a briefcase.
About the same time, the local range staged its first ever handgun silouette shoot. A local cop "run what he brung": a first-generation Colt SAA 38-40, 5 1/2" nickel. Didn't hit much but he had fun. A local gunsmith shot that day with a Detonics 45.
 
An armored car driver with a Ruger SP 101 5 shot 357. We were both waiting for our subs at the local sub shop when I commented on his revolver. He said the drivers bought their own guns. He said he was confident in his shooting ability with his revolver. I believed him even though I would rather have a high cap Glock or S&W M&P if I were in his job.
 
Guards With Revolvers

A couple of months ago, I visited the National Air & Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center, which is next to Dulles Airport in Virginia. The federal government police officers there were armed what looked to be S&W Model 65s. It's been many, many years since I've seen cops carrying revolvers and speedloaders...

I was just there and also noticed a lot of the guards in the area, as well as in DC carried revolvers.

BTW, when at the Udvar-Hazy center, I had the honor and pleasure (this was a real stroke of luck) of having "Buz" Carpenter, who has logged more than 1700 hours in the SR-71 Blackbird, as a tour guide.

Best,
Gary
 
I worked with a cop who when he was in the detectives carried an Glock 19 and for his back up a Ingram MAC-10 type semi-auto w/ two spare 30 rd mags when working Drug buys. Ron was a great friend
 
I was in Port a Prince , Haiti.

I checked out a guardsman with a mossberg shotgun. Nothing unusual about that right?
Well , his barrel was bent thirty degrees.

I guess he was planning on shooting around corners.

Papa
 
High Hill, Mo. 1973 , town marshal carried a Ruger Single Six in Hunter Holster. { I was pulled over for doing 33 in a 30 zone} I followed him to the town clerk's house behind her husband's gas station to pay a $10. city summons ticket. She had just taken a fresh cherry pie out of the oven and after paying my ticket, the Marshal and I each enjoyed a pc of hot cherry pie with ice cream and a cup of coffee with her and her husband. You just got to love rural Missouri.
 
Back about 1976 I had an errand at the Winchester factory in New Haven. The uniformed gate guard had a black duty belt and a 25 Auto, I couldn't tell what kind, in a black duty holster.
Where do you get a "duty holster" for a .25 auto?

Sounds like something that the fifth deputy Reichskommisar for school lunch inspection would have in Germany, circa 1937.
 
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