Post Office & Handguns

everReady Rob

everReady Rob

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I recently have read references to Post Offices using handguns, usually in the 19-teens or twenties. (Such as the M1917 in 'US Handguns of WWII' which uses the example of the Army to the PO formal transfer in May 1951, p 68-69). Was it common for postal employees to 'carry' in this era?
 
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I would think that "area" rather than "era" is the question. I would imagine that in the western states and in rural areas in the east it would not be uncommon for postal carriers to pack a pistol back in the day. I am just speculating. However, with this being the smith and wesson forum someone is going to come on here with documentation, examples of weapons carried, holsters used, and a first person account of a postal employee killing a mountain lion in Idaho while on his route with a fine triple lock .44. I can't wait to see what we find out.:D
 
Not sure what they carried but here is a gun commonly called the "Post Office" model. It is a Model 45, basically an M&P in 22 lr. that was ordered by the P.O. for training purposes. Also, here is a thread about some Post Office guns. http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/65640-us-post-office-holster.html

IMG_3219.jpg

IMG_3217.jpg
 
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At one time, it was common for USPS workers to carry very high value packages... the Hope Diamond was delivered to the Smithsonian by Parcel Post, insured for a princely $1 Million, IIRC. At one time, each PO had a couple of revolvers in their safe for just such occasions. I'm looking for one of the so-called Post Office Models of the late '20s or early '30s... essentially a 2" barreled .32 Regulation Police. I have never seen one, but I'm assuming it will be like a square butt version of my 2" post-War .32 HE.

Froggie
 
Man has the world changed. Can you imagine how many of our politicians would faint dead-to-the-floor at the suggestion of a bill to allow mail carriers to 'carry'. :cool:
 
At one time mail carriers were allowed to carry guns. That ended during LBJ's term in office.
 
RR Express cars on trains were armed. Some postmen carried their own guns on rural routes. The late Skeeter Skelton told in, Shooting Times how an older relative carried an artillery model Luger and shot standing geese with it from his delivery vehicle.

And USPS Inspectors are law enforcement personnel who still carry. My ex-wife married one, who said they had stainless Ruger Security-Sixes and Federal 125 grain JHP ammo when he did that. I believe he mentioned three-inch barrels and round butts. Probably Speed-Sixes.

In the old days, a lot of Colts like the Banker's Special saw use.

Now, I don't think that postal empolyees can even carry a pocketknife.
 
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Bear in mind that the Postal Service, in addition to Post Office workers and letter carriers, had (and still has) an investigative division staffed by inspectors charged with investigating postal theft, mail fraud and other crimes. These inspectors have power of arrest and are armed.

Bob
 
In the late 50s and early 60s my...........

Father was issued and had to carry a S&W model 1917 in a tan flap style holster that was embossed on the front in an oval, USPO.

He was a rural mail carrier.
 
Inspectors of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) are all assigned all around the world. I have one who works with me now from time to time and he investigated complex financial cases involving the crime of mail fraud. (I'll ask him about this but I don't think he carried a gun on his type of duty.) I knew another, a young woman assigned to an office in Brussels for US-European narcotics interdiction.

The last gun I heard of that was government issue to USPIS inspectors was a 3" bbl stainless Ruger, not my kind of gun but perhaps worthwhile for the novelty. Of course there's the beautiful "Post Office Model" above and I had heard of Model 1917's being issued to post offices, but I don't know if that's true. It would seem to me that since there was a Post Office Model 45 for training, then Postal Inspectors must have been issued field weapons otherwise they would not have been training.

I would really like to know what 1896-1961 S+W's were post office issue. Does anyone have good information on that?
 
A friend of my Dad was working as a window clerk in the early '70s told me there was one .38 on the window line, he said he voulenteered to be the "shooter". Also the Auto Ordinance co. would have gone bankrupt without an order for Thompsons before the Navy order in the '20s
 
everReady Rob said:
Man has the world changed. Can you imagine how many of our politicians would faint dead-to-the-floor at the suggestion of a bill to allow mail carriers to 'carry'. :cool:
Click to expand...

The only thing that "our politicians" care about is being re-elected......if they thought it would get them more votes they would be stumbling all over themselves to make sure the Post Office had the best guns money could buy!!

Don
 
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He managed to hang on to the holster when the revolvers were sent back and he gave it to me.

It was one of many treasures lost in a house fire in 1993.
 
44R said:
The last gun I heard of that was government issue to USPIS inspectors was a 3" bbl stainless Ruger, not my kind of gun but perhaps worthwhile for the novelty.
Click to expand...

FYI, the current standard issue sidearm for Postal Inspectors is the Sig P229R DAK in .40S&W. Inspectors assigned overseas as liasons or attaches would not be armed, as is the case with most federal law enforcement agencies.
 
I saw one of the Ruger "post office" revolvers in a local gun shop many years ago. It was a stainless, Ruger Speed Six with a unique 3" bbl.

Just about every federal agency has an armed law enforcemnt unit - even the Bureau of Land Management.
 
My grandfather was a small town postmaster in northern Michigan in the 20s & early 30s. He sold his general store to a cousin and the PM job went with it. When the cousin died his widow succeeded him until she closed the store and retired sometime in the late 50s. As of the early 70s she was still driving her 1947 Chevy pickup out to California for the winter each year. Beside her on the seat was a folded army blanket. In the blanket was a S&W 1917. I am quite certain she didn't buy it at the local hardware store.

I'm sure Edna has long since been canceled and delivered, but I wouldn't mind finding the Smith or the Chevy .
 
There is a very famous photograph of postal employees delivering the Hope diamond to the Smithsonian Institution with drawn revolvers. The Hope diamond was shipped to the Smithsonian by registered mail, which was considerd as ultra secure shipment in those days.
 
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