I've noted that a lot of the folks on this forum like to discuss the handguns associated with the NYPD. Here are the ones which I personally purchased from the NYPD's Equipment Section, which was located at 1 Police Plaza in Manhattan.

Colt Detective Special, purchased around 1972 or so. Came with a pencil barrel which I had replaced with the newer heavier barrel (no cost to me -- done at the Firearms and Tactics Outdoor Range by dept gunsmiths). Used it as my back-up handgun as well as my "off-duty" handgun.


My service handgun, a model 10 heavy barrel. Carried that handgun virtually every day as a police officer, detective, sgt and lt. As a detective I carried the handgun in a Seventrees holster/belt combo along with my Colt Detective Special, plus a 3X3 Seventrees pouch of extra ammo.


S&W 36 3" heavy barrel. Bought it for around $76 bucks. Put Fuzzy Farrant grips on her. For some reason I almost never carried this fine handgun. No reason.


Technically I purchased this gun from the Equipment Section. This little J-frame has my initials as the serial numbers. It's a long (very) story. If you have a copy of the Standard Catalog of S&W go to page 227 (bottom part) and read the letter from the S&W factory explaining how these handguns came about. I'm the lt. mentioned in the letter.




This gun came in a mahogany case. I've never so much as cracked open the cylinder.


I "think" I purchased this 4" heavy barrel Colt Police Positive from the Equipment Section. Had it tefloned coated and put Fuzzy Farrant grips on it. Hardly ever carried the little handgun.


Close up of my model 36 2" square-butt handgun I won while at the Police Academy. Never carried the little gun.

Thanks, great display!

A question about the adapters in pictures 1 and 2. Are those Mershons or Pachmayrs? And did you guys get those through the department, too? They seem to be very common. I have somewhat of an interest in adapters. A 1968 Model 10-6 that I just got lettered to the Equipment Bureau came with a nicely fitted Mershon, which is a bit interesting since Mershon had been out of business (bought up by Pachmayr) for about 10 years by the time the gun was born. But since I see them on a lot of older NYPD guns, I've been wondering whether they maybe came from a common source.

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Thanks for the post, photos, and your service! There are many references to police officers not being "gun people" but you are obviously one .

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Did you get the model 10 refinished? It looks very good for being a long time duty gun.

Very nice.
As a leather guy, I'm also interested in seeing the Seventrees rig you used.

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John

S&W model 36 with 3 inch barrel and Fuzzy Farrant grips.
I will take it.
Would also like to see the leather.

Hey bud, the one with your initials, it looks like a double action only. What model is that? Before I got on the job I remember they had a problem with some frames cracking on a light weight Smith off duty. When I bought my off duty they had a choice of S&W or Ruger. I picked a Smith 640. Great little revolver. I'm impressed with your collection. Very nice.

Pachs, bought privately. They were a common add-on for dept revolvers. In point of fact, all the really competent shots just used these adapters on their handguns and were able to put slug after slug in the same hole!!

Rich

Sure did! I wore that handgun out. Honest. While a sgt. and the Firearms and Tactics Unit I was on the line firing the handgun. The lead spitting was so bad by then I couldn't stand it. Took it in to the dept gunsmith. They couldn't repair the handgun! I was told I wore the hole in the recoil plate where the center cylinder pin (I'm sure there's a tech term for this part...) wore to an egg shape.

S&W rep was on the range that day. Took my gun and I got it back three weeks later. New barrel (my old one was bulged a bit...), new cylinder (my old one had some bulged chambers...) and a press fit hole for my center pin, plus a new blue job!

Rich

I don't have photos of that gear. The model ten was in a Speed Scabbard (I think that was the name), the Detective Special in a VAM cross-draw holster. My belt was a horsehide, double layer, nylon stiched 1 1/4" wide one. Held all that **** and more quite comfortably.

Rich

The only photos of leather gear I have are some of the newer model items I took for a gun book I wrote:


I'll try and get around to taking photos of the old stuff someday. Promise to post it when I do.

Rich

It is DA only. It's a very long story, but I was the guy that finally got the NYPD to go stainless with their revolvers. Just in time to transition to semi-autos. Timing is everything. Oh, and I had S&W stop turning out J-frames with those 1/10" front sights and had them put full size sight on the little handguns.

Rich

Now, that is about as good as it gets. Having a gun serial numbered (on purpose) to your initials is arguably more impressive than a one-of-a-kind, Gun Club, serial #1, or celebrity owned gun. I've read that paragraph on p. 227 a couple of times before and went back one more time tonight. My best to you and your service. THANKS!

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Scoundrel & Ne'er-Do-Well

Rich, you have a great collection.

A few years back I saw a Colt DS inscribed just like yours, with a different name of course , at a gun shop in Rockland County.
I had no idea what the Masback trophy was or what it signified. the Colt was well worn and somewhat overpriced, imo.
The gun, actually there were 2 well worn DS's in the case, sat there for many months. I looked at the DS at least twice.
I finally got around to researching the inscription, and decided if it were still there it would be mine.
Of course, it was gone.

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I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

Rich thank you for sharing your Photos! That is a very nice collection!
And Thank You for your service!

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9mm Shield

Interesting when others share their service and affection for their firearms. Thanks for sharing Rich

Very nice!!

I have to ask - does the NYPD ever sell guns to non-police officers?

Wow! What a career and what a story! I remember when Officer Marvin Yearwood shot that kid on the train platform with his Model 10 that he had cocked, supposedly because the kid was mouthing off and Yearwood did the "cock the hammer so you know I mean business" Hollywood move. BOOM! DAO revolvers came soon after that. I wasn't on the job yet, but remember it vividly.

If anybody with the Smith book can scan that page I'd love to read the story.

I found my notes on that one...

It was a Harry Hersfeld Trophy, awarded in September 1960

In hindsight I should have bought it, but it was well carried as I recall.

I have seen pictures of the Bloomingdale Trophy also.

Rich, if you ever want to sell any of those I know of a good home for them

You take notes?

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I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

Someone is currently selling a Colt DS Masback trophy from 1960, someplace obvious I can't mention here

Looks from the pictures like that gun was used for carry.

Is this a factory bobbed hammer? I have tried to find such for my ol' model 60 for years - no luck.

Any help locating one would be appreciated.

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Yata hey

You have good taste in duty and OD guns. My usual carry gun was a nickel plated S&W M15, my favorite OD was a Dick Special, Cobra variant w/the bigger grips and the better barrel. Hard to beat a good wheel gun.

Try this. If too small I can post two halfs (top and bottom).

Rich

Nope!

Rich

Came from the factory that way.

Rich

This post has me on a roll! Anyway, here is another "trophy" handgun. This one from the 1920s. Appears to be unfired. Would you believe, someone gave it to me around 35 years ago!

Rich

very nice to see the working guns.. thanks

since the thread mentioned the rigs of the timeframe, I always wondered if S&W used real LEO's for their catalogs..

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What a great thing to have, and what a great career! I am super impressed!

My uncle came on in 1970 and carried his Model 10 over 35 years. Had 2 shootings I am aware of.

When he retired, he gave me his gun. His son was having drug issues and still living at home. I had that gun for a few years, and saw my uncle at a family gathering. He casually asked if I still had the gun. I told him did. He remarked that he missed that old gun, and I changed the subject. His son (my cousin) had cleaned up and moved out.

So the next day I googled the nearest FFL to him in Staten Island, NY. Sent it that day and called my uncle. Told him to go get his gun. He was so happy. Told me it wasn't necessary. It absolutely was.

His kids aren't gun guys. I might get that Model 10 back one day after he passes. If I do, it'll never be sold. Until that happens, it's where it belongs.

There are less than 100 NYPD cops carrying a revolver as a duty gun. Of that, probably 25 are carrying spurred hammer revolvers like the Model 10. It'll be a sad day when the last one goes End of Tour.

For your amusement. A very old picture of me holding a Ruger Mini-14 when a detective in Bronx Central Robbery. Our job was go after heavily armed robbery teams. I carried a 13" barrel Ithaca 12 gauge loaded with slugs. Also my model 10 and my Colt DS.

The Mini served ESU into the late 90's. I remember being "volunteered" to get rifle qualified after 9/11. They sent me to Rodman's Neck, gave me 20 rounds, and had me hit a target at 25 yards.

Then I stood a foot post on top of 1 Police Plaza with it, mag in rifle but not allowed to chamber a round. Total showcase.

I was wondering how many were still carrying revolvers.

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Wheel guns are real guns too.

Actually I was wrong. At last count I am aware of there were about 70, most of them being the stainless DAO revolvers Rich was instrumental in bringing to the job. A blued spurred hammer revolver like the Model 10 is even more rare. I bet less than 20. And I am sure the number is far less than 70 now.

A REAL rare bird would be a blued spurred hammer Ruger Service Six. They were only offered for a couple of years and not nearly as common as the Model 10. Of course, Colt duty revolvers are long aged out. Rich would know when they were phased out but I never saw one in a duty holster. Saw some detectives carrying a 2" Colt but never a duty gun.

"...blued spurred hammer Ruger Service Six."

I think you meant a spurless hammer and I don't recall ever seeing one. Well, I have a custom Ruger Speed Six in .44 Special with a spurless hammer, but that wasn't the question.

"Rich would know when they were phased out but I never saw one in a duty holster."

You guys are killing me with these issues! I do recall quite a few guys carrying Colt duty handguns when I first came on, and to be honest, I don't recall all the model types. Those guys weren't "shooters."

Colt made a pretty ****** (sorry Colt guys) police service revolver before they threw in the towel, Official Police MKIII??, I forget. Their earlier revolvers were OK. I much preferred the S&W double-action as did all serious shooters.

Rich

Rich, in one of posts you mention you had a revolver "Teflon coated." What type of process is that? protective coating?

Bob0101

Nope. The blued Service Six with spurred hammer was first. Check out the link. it's the trailer for the Michael Dowd documentary "The Seven Five". Pause it at 28 seconds. You see a cop with one drawn. Gotta be quick, but I spotted it immediately. You can see the distinctive hammer and underlug of the Six revolvers.


And my first partner had the stainless spurless Service Six. They were around for maybe 2 years before the GPNY. We had a contract with Ruger and when they stopped with the Six series they gave us the .38 spurless GP100 and called it the GPNY. I know you know that Rich but the other guys probably don't. Just like the off duty Sp101 became the SPNY spurless hammer.

I think the last Colt revolver to serve as a duty gun in any sizable numbers was the Colt Official Police (in production 1927 to 1969). One comes across one of those, stamped with a shield number, usually from the 40s or 50s as dated by serial, not infrequently in the collector's market.

Love that desk phone! Lol!!

Thanks for sharing all this info. I find it facinating.

Here's the NY Times article about it. The Service Six is mentioned more than once. This article is 11 years old.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/16/ny...ishing-38.html

This the DAO Ruger choices that were approved

Yep. The Service Six is the top right, and I believe the second one down is the Speed Six, or was it just a 3" Service Six?

That is a Service Six, actually marked Police Service Six.

The one below is a Speed Six, its a round butt 3".

Great story and great photos, thanks for posting.

Ruger is really good about hooking up their customers. I would bet you could send an NYPD DAO gun to them and they'd convert it to DA/SA. Some guys wouldn't want to do that to their duty guns, but I wouldn't hesitate if I still had the SPNY I stupidly sold. Makes a great gun even better.

Thanks kbm6893. Very interesting detail I was never aware of...the first Service Six was blued with a hammer. I collect NYPD guns and never came across that information. From the video it appears to be a 4" barrel.

Yeah. 4" barrel. RM Rivas, a member here, could tell you how long they were in service, but it wasn't long, and the Model 10 was by far more popular. I don't think it had any NYPD markings like the spurless hammer's did, so it would be hard to tell if one was a true NYPD gun, unless you bought it from a retired cop. The .38 chambering would be a good indicator, but I'd imagine other agencies wanted .38 only.

On a different note, I worked with a dirty cop. He was always shady. Don't wanna print his name. He had a kid with medical issues and became corrupt. He formed a robbery crew and did high end jewelry stores. Never hurt anybody other than pushing them around during the robberies. Not excusing him, just saying.

So they do a robbery of a shop in Garden City, Long Island, in Nassau County. Right over the city border and big bucks area. Susan Lucci lived there (soap opera actress). So the Nassau cops are watching the video of a successful robbery and one of them was former NYPD. He looks at the screen and he says "that looks like an NYPD gun". Spurless hammer and stainless 4" revolver. He had gotten the 9MM and had his old .38. Never fired it. Not dumb enough to leave ballistic evidence. Just waved it.

I'm sure there were other things that pointed them to him but seeing that revolver on a screen absolutely got them looking at NYC cops. The knowledge of crime scenes and police response factored in, too. They did their robberies during shift changes when response would be slower. The days of the robberies were either on his day off, or several of them were on days he took Lost Time (using personal leave to leave early). His UF-28's (form a cop used to request time off) were part of the evidence used to get his arrest warrant.

Rich, no one has referred to your 1970s-era 4" Colt Police Positive. Never knew the Equipment Section bothered with that one. Wonder if it was intended for female uniformed officers, the way the 3" SB HB 36 was in the early 70s. Know anything about the reasoning behind it? Great collection. Great cop, by the way.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103