"Regulation Police" History Questions.

[3/4Flap]

I have a number of S&W books and am still at a loss as to the actual origin of the long lasting "Regulation Police" moniker.

Was the original model intended to serve as a sort of "standard" police service weapon? Did it, ever?

What law enforcement agencies I(if any) actually issued these wheelguns? Anybody know?

Or was the catchy model designation just a marketing shingle during a time when naming as opposed to numbering models was the norm and the mystery is no more mysterious than that they had to cook some name up so they cooked that one up?

(I own no pre-war RP's, just a 3" .32 cal and 3" .38 cal but I'm a fan of the type. And the history is always of interest).

 

[22hipower]

I have no idea but I'll take a SWAG at it.

"The New Police .32 came out in 1896. Teddy Roosevelt, Commissioner of the New York Police Department, ordered 4500 of these guns for the New York police department and shipments began in 1896. Serial number 1 was sent to the department for the commissioner's examination."

I wonder if S&W named their's as the Regulation Police to be in competition with the Colt?

Someone will hopefully be along soon with a better answer.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[3/4Flap]

That sounds to me like a pretty solid swag!

Service issue weapons have always had a following. So the idea (in fact or not) that a weapon has been accepted "for issue" is a prime marketing tool.

Was THAT all there was to the "Regulation Police"? In scanning over RP posts here something is found lacking:
Citations of LE "issue" RP's.

Hmmm...

 

[walter o]

I believe that the 38 s&w model is marked as Regulation Police , The 32 cal was never marked as Regulation Police.,

 

[3/4Flap]

I believe that the 38 s&w model is marked as Regulation Police , The 32 cal was never marked as Regulation Police.,

Correct AFAIK.

 

[Hondo44]

It was all about marketing back in the day.

Same as their .44 Military (the New Century ‘triple lock’), and their.38 Military and Police.

 

[larryofcc]

I, for one, have a 1930 shipped and marked Reg. Police to the Chelsea MA Police Dept. 15 guns in shipment marked 100 to 114, and C.P.D. They were all .38 S&W cal. Big Larry

 

[3/4Flap]

I, for one, have a 1930 shipped and marked Reg. Police to the Chelsea MA Police Dept. 15 guns in shipment marked 100 to 114, and C.P.D. They were all .38 S&W cal. Big Larry

AWESOME!
That's the kind of thing I see so rarely.
Have you ever posted a pic? Is it marked on the backstrap?

 

[larryofcc]

AWESOME!
That's the kind of thing I see so rarely.
Have you ever posted a pic? Is it marked on the backstrap?

For the love of me, I cannot do pictures on this forum.
Yes, it is marked on the backstrap.
Shoot me an email to [email protected] and I will attach pics to your email. Big Larry

 

[3/4Flap]

For the love of me, I cannot do pictures on this forum.
Yes, it is marked on the backstrap.
Shoot me an email to [email protected] and I will attach pics to your email. Big Larry

Sent & thanks!

 

[charlie sherrill]

For the love of me, I cannot do pictures on this forum.
Yes, it is marked on the backstrap.
Shoot me an email to [email protected] and I will attach pics to your email. Big Larry

....and when you get the pics post them here.

 

[charlie sherrill]

I love the 38 S&W caliber. I have several, including a 5" lend/lease Victory, an old top break with a sawed off barrel and hammer that my grandfather carried as a bug when he was a beat cop back in the 30's, (you can hit a target at seven feet if you're lucky) and a five shot RP with a 4" barrel. I don't carry any of them for SD but I wouldn't want to get hit by one either. Back in the early 70's I was part of a homicide investigation where the weapon used was a .38 S&W top break. The round went through the victim's heart, out his back, apparently without hitting any bones,and was stuck about half way into a door molding. We did the crime scene thing and turned the body over near the end of the crime scene investigation. He was lying on an open switchblade knife. My first thought was "never bring a knife to a gun fight", but this poor guy learned that lesson the hard way. It was the victim's birthday party. The suspect was arrested and jailed on a manslaughter charge which he would have probably not been convicted on if it had made it to court. He bailed out and was himself shot and killed two weeks later in another shooting, ironically by another .38 S&W caliber. Retribution was pretty much ruled out as that shooting had nothing to do with the first one. Bottom line: It was a trusted police caliber at one time. The Brits loved them also and used them in S&W lend/lease and Webley as the 38/200.

 

[3/4Flap]

Did this all happen in MS?
Was the .38 S&W a pretty popular caliber there?

 

[Retired W4]

Marketing in the firearms industry can be funny. The Army never bought Colt's Army Special but what the heck. Colt was the king of fancy names.

 

[Model19man]

I have a number of S&W books and am still at a loss as to the actual origin of the long lasting "Regulation Police" moniker.

Was the original model intended to serve as a sort of "standard" police service weapon? Did it, ever?

What law enforcement agencies I(if any) actually issued these wheelguns? Anybody know?

The name was just a name - for every one purchased by a real police department there were 1000 others purchased by a non - police officer. Colt and S&W and many other companies used those names for marketing and it might have helped - or not. You have to spend money for a letter to be sure.

 

[charlie sherrill]

Did this all happen in MS?
Was the .38 S&W a pretty popular caliber there?

It happened near downtown Hattiesburg around 1971. I still remember the names of both of the guys involved. I think the .38 S&W caliber was down and pretty much on the way out when I started as a LEO in 1969. Ammo was still available and a lot of these old guns were still laying around in Grandpa's sock drawer for his kids and grand kids to find. By the time I started as a LEO the most popular calibers were .38 special followed by the .357 magnum and used in steel revolvers. Now it's fantastic plastic and 9 mm.

 

[SouthNarc]

It happened near downtown Hattiesburg around 1971. I still remember the names of both of the guys involved. I think the .38 S&W caliber was down and pretty much on the way out when I started as a LEO in 1969. Ammo was still available and a lot of these old guns were still laying around in Grandpa's sock drawer for his kids and grand kids to find. By the time I started as a LEO the most popular calibers were .38 special followed by the .357 magnum and used in steel revolvers. Now it's fantastic plastic and 9 mm.

Charlie were you a Hattiesburg/Forrest County cop? Do remember a big guy by the name of Ronnie Wilson?

 

[3/4Flap]

For the love of me, I cannot do pictures on this forum.
Yes, it is marked on the backstrap.
Shoot me an email to [email protected] and I will attach pics to your email. Big Larry

Big Larry's RP's. Dandy wheelguns!
And proof positive that some were department issued!

 

[larryofcc]

The above gun is # 108. Unused. No letter. I also have #505426, shipped 7-1929 .32 S&W Long, 3 1/4" bbl. also unused. This gun is not marked Reg. Police. No letter. Big Larry

 

[3/4Flap]

Another from Big Larry. 3 1/4" 32 S&W Long.
Larry: Is is also a Chelsea PD gun?