My question is, why bother lugging around an N frame if your going to shoot reduced power loads. Seems like you'd want all the thump the big frame big bore 29 can give you.
Dirty Harry and the S&W Model 29
- Thread starter jimmyj
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My question is, why bother lugging around an N frame if your going to shoot reduced power loads. Seems like you'd want all the thump the big frame big bore 29 can give you.
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The late Eldon Carl (second from the left in the picture below) carried a Model 29 on duty when he was with the El Cajon, California, PD. I was in high school at the time and knew him well. My older brother used to assist him in his shooting demonstrations in supermarket parking lots.
Can anyone here name the other men in the photo?
Left to right: The original Combat Masters: Ray Chapman, Eldon Carl, Thell Reed, Jeff Cooper, Jack Weaver; missing is the final original, John Plahn.
StrawHat
Member
I carried a 4" Model 28-2 custom ( I reworked it to handle the 45 ACP.) In my opinion, it was the ideal revolver for a Police Officer.
The allure of the big magnums wore off for me when deer hunting. I recognized a 260 grain, 45 caliber bullet at +/- 950 fps dropped Ohio white tailed deer faster than a 245 grain, 43 caliber bullet going several hundred fps faster.
Kevin
The allure of the big magnums wore off for me when deer hunting. I recognized a 260 grain, 45 caliber bullet at +/- 950 fps dropped Ohio white tailed deer faster than a 245 grain, 43 caliber bullet going several hundred fps faster.
Kevin
Hair Trigger
US Veteran
Out of the five, Jack Weaver is the only one with a revolver; the rest have 1911's.
Hair Trigger
US Veteran
.
dsf
Member
Pretty sure that photo is in Cooper's book "Cooper on Handguns.
Thell Reed is still around, works as an armorer in Hollywood.
dsf
Member
I notice when he was walking up to the bad guy the hammer was cocked. When he pulled the trigger after the "I gots' to know" line it was in DA mode.
Lousy movie continuity.
CORRECT! I was fortunate enough to know three of the five, although I didn't meet Jeff Cooper until many years later.
Eldon introduced me to Weaver.
Long story, but the short version is no bullets were involved.
jbenedetto2
US Veteran
I, too, carried a 4 inch .44 as a duty gun in uniform in the 80s. A 629 loaded with 44 Specials (Federal 200gr SWCHP). The department issued model 67s, and a few 29s, but also allowed privately owned duty guns. Officers were required to qualify with them and carry the issued 38 Special +P or 44 Special ammunition. We transitioned to 9mms in1990.
Dirty Jimmy et al...
To all of you LEOs...thank you for your service! I'm really surprised, and impressed, that so many of you actually carried .44 Magnums (Pre- or Model 29s)! And our own "Dirty Jimmy" started all of this in 1963, LOL! I'm a big fan of .44 Magnum, and of the Dirty Harry films. Due to the popularity (the movies and the revolver!) I was unable to find a Model 29 in the late 70s, but I did locate and purchase a NIB Model 57 (another favorite). Later in life I have been fortunate enough to put together a modest collection of .44s, which I enjoy a great deal!
To all of you LEOs...thank you for your service! I'm really surprised, and impressed, that so many of you actually carried .44 Magnums (Pre- or Model 29s)! And our own "Dirty Jimmy" started all of this in 1963, LOL! I'm a big fan of .44 Magnum, and of the Dirty Harry films. Due to the popularity (the movies and the revolver!) I was unable to find a Model 29 in the late 70s, but I did locate and purchase a NIB Model 57 (another favorite). Later in life I have been fortunate enough to put together a modest collection of .44s, which I enjoy a great deal!
Attachments
1963 was the beginning of the end of the "mail order" guns. I have a few guns that were shipped to Klein's.
larryofcc
Member
Eldon Carl was a San Diego County Deputy Sheriff. He was Sheriff O'Connor's fair hair boy. At the time, only 38 Specials were authorized. He carried two 45 auto's. One slung low. Two other Deputy's of note were Sgt. Fred Lee and Sgt. Woods. Lee carried a 45 and Woods carried a 44 Magnum.
Another Deputy of note was Lt. Col. Bill Mc Millan, USMC ret. He had won gold in the 1960's Olympics.
Lee and Woods put me through the shooting aspect of my training as a Reserve. Came the night for qualifications, They handed me a 6" K38 and they proceeded to show us how to shoot. When the smoke cleared, they both shot a 149 out of 150. Only one shot a perfect score that night. I shot a 150 with that K38. Big Larry
Another Deputy of note was Lt. Col. Bill Mc Millan, USMC ret. He had won gold in the 1960's Olympics.
Lee and Woods put me through the shooting aspect of my training as a Reserve. Came the night for qualifications, They handed me a 6" K38 and they proceeded to show us how to shoot. When the smoke cleared, they both shot a 149 out of 150. Only one shot a perfect score that night. I shot a 150 with that K38. Big Larry
Yes, but that was after he left the El Cajon Police Department. When I first met him, he was at ECPD and carried the .44 Magnum. This would have been in the early to mid 1960s. I'm pretty sure he was still at ECPD in 1967, because that's the year I had my '51 Chevy on the road and I remember driving it over to the PD one time to see Eldon about something.
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