LEO carrying a 686 Plus

turnerriver

turnerriver

Moderator
Staff member
Gold Supporter
Joined
Apr 9, 2002
Messages
3,724
Reaction score
18,359
Location
Miami,Fl
My wife & I were at the roll call for a multi-agency DUI checkpoint last night & I told our friend who is a DUI specialist for the county department that the forum would want the details on his revolver.The county dept. allows revolver carry although I see very few-the Block & it's spawn are omnipresent.His is a 686 Plus-he explained that his father taught him to shoot with a revolver & he didn't see any reason to change.He then opened his shirt & showed me a model 60 tucked in a holster affixed to his body armor.Well armed & well prepared.
Regards,
 
Register to hide this ad
Way cool, I wish more agencies would allow revolver carry. What are they going to say, That thing holds too many rounds? Or that thing is to controversial...very cool to see more of us out there with revolvers.
 
Nothing new to me been carrying a 686 and 642. Used to be a M19 and m-38. Whats not to like??? Did the 1911 and High-power thing last 1/4 of the last century. Glad I got away from the dread full bottom feeders.
 
Thanks so much for relating that heart warming story!
There were only 2 LEO's (late 80's) in the mid sized city department I worked support for that carried wheel guns. One was the K-9 officer, (686) the other was by then a Captain and soon to become Chief (Mod.25 .45ACP). I recall wonderful people, from a wonderful time due to your story, thanks!
The outgoing Chief and Deputy Chief were instrumental in going to the 1911' for uniformed rank and file. It actually was one of the first department's in the area to go with the 1911'. The "Block" had just begun it's inroads. Thanks again!
 
Been a LEO for forty four years. My agency issued revolvers until 1990, then we went with the 4046. Now we are using the M&P 40.However my BUG has always been a model 37 or model 38 and will always be.
 
I wish we could carry revolvers as duty guns. We have a uniform policy for the purpose of insurance. But the agency soes allow us to carry a back-up/ alternate duty gun ...so I carry 2 extra guns on duty both revolvers.
 
Good to see some LEOs carrying revolvers as their primaries. At my last agency from 05-06 I carried a 4" 610 in a Bladetech holster. I could carry 4 moonclips in a HKS double speedloader case.
 
Hi Guys.I am not a LEO,just a humble nurse who loves to shoot.I became a NRA Certified RSO and CFI last year and got my first bottom feeder after 20 + Years of Double Action Revolver Shooting to become totally comfortable with pistol instruction.My instructor was a LEO and LEO Instructor who carried a model 64 and a Detective Special as a BUG.He always rammed the point home that you know exactly where each round fired was going because a miss could kill a little kid or other innocent person.He also said that once you can fire a double action revolver well you can pick up any gun and shoot it well.As I have seen departments switch to semi-autos I also have seen markmanship give way to capacity.I smile every time I see a LEO carrying a wheelgun because rest assured he/she knows how to use it and if God Forbid he/she has to shoot the perp will go down without multiple shots being fired.My instructor recently passed from Pancreatic Cancer and when I teach a class his Detective Special is proudly on my hip.May God Bless all of you in the discharge of your duties........Mike
 
I do a lot of flying out of Philadelphia International and it helps pass the time to look at the weapons on the Philly Airport Police (all of whom are Philadelphia cops, even though half of the airport is in the suburbs). What is noticeable is that the older members and the senior cops (in White not Blue shirts) are usually wearing revolvers, the younger ones, a variety of tupperware. Dave_n
 
LEO revolvers

I traveled to Pittsburgh this last July for some work related training. We had a 90 minute layover in Chicago. I was trying to find the smoking area and asked a cop on the escalator for directions. He told me that he was on his way to that very place and to follow him. He was wearing a huge revolver and I asked him about it. He told me he was a 30 yr veteran of the Chicago PD and the old guy's got to carry revolvers. He then proceeds to pull it out of his holster and show it to me in the elavator. It must have been at least a six inch barrel because it seemed like it just kept coming out of his holster. He complained about only being able to carry "special" ammo and not the "magnum" ammo. This was before I became aware of S&W revolver model numbers. I seem to recollect he called it a 19 (.357), but I swear he he said it was a .44. Anyway since that meeting I have bought or traded for a 586 6", a 686 3" and recently a 29 6.5". Does anyone know what Chicago PD carried for sure?
 
My department is a Glock issuing department, but with that said, I am currently carrying a S&W 681 law enforcement trade in I picked up 22 months ago as my off duty carry. I also carry two speed loaders. I have not been successful trying to convince the powers that be to allow me to carry my 681 on duty.
 
686+ carrys 7 shots and HKS Speedloaders are the 587s incase you need that info. I have 3 686+s one,in 4 inch,3 inch,and 2.5 inch barrels w/adjust sights. rz625-8 I enjoy my 686s just as I do my ruger revolvers.
 
I'm not a LEO either, but I almost bought a Block the other day. Then I came to my senses when I saw a nickel model 29 and just about tripped at the sight of it. Every time I'm at the range and I hear somebody rapid firing their Block, I wonder if high capacity is such a good thing? Makes a lot of noise, but that's about all they accomplish over me with a five or 6 shot revolver. I thought it was a status symbol as you move up in a police dept to drop down to a 5 shot revolver? Isn't it always the captains and whatnot who have the nickel plated snubs? Or maybe I've been watching too much TV. :)
 
Last edited:
from 75-95 we were issued revolvers...i carried a colt trooper/a model 10/model 15/ruger security six...then off we went to the 92d beretta (auto) i certainly liked the revolvers better
 
All uniformed officers that work for my agency at my post carry issued Glock 22s except me. I carry an issued S&W Model 686-6 with Speer 135 grain Gold Dot .357 Magnum ammo (a recent change from the old standby 1450 fps Remington 125 grain SJHP .357 Magnum ammo) with four speedloaders. I carry a S&W Model 37 in my pocket, too. I'm CLEET-certified to carry a revolver, so they had to issue one to me or pay for the semiautomatic class for me. There was some grumbling about that until I fired 100% during qualifications on the same course that the Glocksters weren't.

ECS
 
I'm currently going through the Police Academy for a local agency here in the DFW Metroplex, our policy states that we can carry whatever we qualify with. Out of my 25 person class I'd say 18-19 of them are carrying Glock's of all stripes, 3-4 people are carrying Sig's/XD's, and then there's little ole me with my 686-3.

We haven't been to qualification yet, but some of my classmates and I went shooting last weekend to warm up, and suffice to say they couldn't wrap their minds around how I could reload my 686 faster than most of them could reload their Glock/Sig's. I tried to tell them that's it's all muscle-memory and practice, but I just got dumbfounded looks.

I currently have a Safariland 070 Level III and quad-speedloader pouches which for me works out pretty damn well (although I wish they made Clam-shell holsters for L-frames!). I'll report back when we head to qualifications!
 
I carry a 686 as my duty gun and have posted this picture on here many times. As it has been stated muscle memory is the key for me to reloading the revolver. I have no problem keeping up during qualification with the Glock shooters and I do not have to worry about FTF,FTE or stove pipes. If I have a fail to fire I just pull the trigger again.

Ounce I was walking past a man and young boy and I heard the man say

"That's how you can tell he's a old Cop, He carry's a Revolver."

Another time I was serving some papers and as I was leaving the gentleman asks me what the two little pouches were on my duty belt. I said that they were pouches for my speed loaders. " Oh he said I thought the were for Hand Grenades."

DeputySheriff025.jpg
 
Last edited:
I went on the Chicago PD in 1971 and we carried either Colt or S&W revolvers chambered in 38/357 and at that time our duty load was the 158 RNL 38 Special. Years later we went to the truly excellent 158 grn LHP +P 38 Special at which time it became known as the Chicago Police/FBI load. Officers that came on before the adaption of semi auto pistols were allowed to still use their revolvers as duty guns. The new kids referred to us old guys as the "Wheel Police". So by attrition as old timers retire there are fewer and fewer CPD officers seen carrying revolvers, occassionally one can still be spotted.



robsonrider said:
I traveled to Pittsburgh this last July for some work related training. We had a 90 minute layover in Chicago. I was trying to find the smoking area and asked a cop on the escalator for directions. He told me that he was on his way to that very place and to follow him. He was wearing a huge revolver and I asked him about it. He told me he was a 30 yr veteran of the Chicago PD and the old guy's got to carry revolvers. He then proceeds to pull it out of his holster and show it to me in the elavator. It must have been at least a six inch barrel because it seemed like it just kept coming out of his holster. He complained about only being able to carry "special" ammo and not the "magnum" ammo. This was before I became aware of S&W revolver model numbers. I seem to recollect he called it a 19 (.357), but I swear he he said it was a .44. Anyway since that meeting I have bought or traded for a 586 6", a 686 3" and recently a 29 6.5". Does anyone know what Chicago PD carried for sure?
Click to expand...
 
LEO and 686 Plus

When the Model 686 Plus Mountain Gun came out I lamented, "Why in the heck didn't this come out back in the day when I could have carried it!?" My outfit used to allow personal handguns until an ex-NYPD commissioner took command, then we went to Tactical Tupperware. My personal 686 Plus MG shoots great and I would not feel undergunned if I could carry it on duty today, stoked with 125 gr. JHP .357 Magnum loads.
 

Attachments

  • 1378606324.jpg
    1378606324.jpg
    99.1 KB · Views: 223
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

turnerriver
LEO carrying a 686 Plus
Replies
3
Views
2K
michael thornton
michael thornton
B
My old duty guns
2
Replies
21
Views
4K
John P.
J
M
choosing a back up gun for a private detective
2 3
Replies
40
Views
7K
tom turner
tom turner
zzclancy
Any Police Departmens still using revolvers?
2 3
Replies
53
Views
37K
DonJack100
D
bulletproof-791
old School L.E.O's
2 3 4
Replies
78
Views
27K
Kilo66
K

Latest posts

Back
Top