Excited to have traded into this LAPD roll marked 68-2. Came with an original box with mismatched serial number. Haven't seen one for sale for a while so jumped on it pretty quickly

If I recall correctly, they could be purchased by officers from the LA Police and Revolver Club, at the police academy in Elysian Park. CHP used them as well.

Is it an overstamped 66 ?

Very nice!

Cool gun. I’ve seen a few with a badge and number engraved on the sideplate, and those that were carried on duty were altered to DAO. I believe the LAPD veterans here referred to this as “denutting”. Enjoy!

__________________
Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Yes, it is

LOL, I read the same thing. Mine remains fully intact with SA/DA still functioning

Can you post a picture of the overstamped model number behind the yoke?

Factory overstamped revolvers aren't very common, so some of us are really interested in seeing pictures of the actual overstamped model number markings.

__________________
Send lawyers, guns & money...

Sure, here you go

Saw a used one for sale in a gun store many years ago, Trying to remember the weird thing about them, IIRC they didnt just use a standard Model 66 barrel and cylinder bored for .38 ,
Is it correct that they used the shorter model 67 cylinder and made the forcing cone longer than a Model 66 barrel ?
If so it's the closest thing to a stainless version of a Model 14 with ejector rod shroud and you can't just fit a .357 cylinder without making the forcing cone shorter.
Maybe I'm remembering wrong it's been many years.

Thanks!
I can definitely see the 6 stamped behind the larger (and different font) of the 8.
Very cool!
It also looks like the "S" in the serial number was over-stamped, but I can't make out what the previous stamping was...

EDIT: Upon closer examination it appears that the S wasn't actually OVER-stamped, but more like it may have been DOUBLE-stamped.
I also noticed that the 0 between the S and the 9 looks like a smaller or different font. Whoever stamped that one wasn't having their best day.

__________________
Send lawyers, guns & money...

Engine49guy,
You are correct, a shorter cylinder is used in place of the standard length model 66 357mag cylinder.

__________________
Ken

Yep, definitely chambered in 38 Special, that cylinder is not long enough for 357 Magnum. Very interesting, not really sure what the thinking was behind the Model 68 other than it was a six inch barrel, stainless steel revolver and S&W did not have a standard production revolver in such a configuration.

__________________
VCDL, GOA, NRA

I would really like to have one with or without a PD marking.

Ed

There was an aversion for issuing “Magnum” revolvers or ammunition. LAPD never went to the .357 but other agencies (CHP) were also stuck with .38 Special model 66s, in essence.

__________________
Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Very COOL! The grips have beautiful grain and look great too!
Larry

__________________
Miss Buddies crsides & fat tom

The only Model 68 I have seen was carried by the Forum's own OIF 2 when he was a LAPD Lieutenant. He was also an Army Master Sergeant who did several combat deployments. I saw him and his 68 at a major Fort Benning
shooting match. OIF 2 is a deadly shot who won many matches.

"Neutered" was the proper term.

A few smaller Police Departments had the same policy because their Chiefs were former LAPD Captains or Lieutenants.

I remember those model 68s. I worked for a large PD back in those days. As murphydog indicated, there was an aversion by the top brass to anything labeled "Magnum". We were issued .38 revolvers, could qualify with and carry personally owned .357s, but were only allowed department issued .38 Special ammunition. We lobbied for .41 Magnums, knowing management would never approve such a big, scary, MAGNUM thing, but would perhaps compromise and allow us .357s. It worked

__________________
NRA Life, COTEP 640

Nice piece, jealous !

Very cool! Don't see these often. Thanks for sharing and congrats on the new pickup!

SCS&W 4th e tell:
Model 68-2 .38 Special California Highway Patrol
Prototype model 66-2 with 68-2 overstamp serial number AES0001 with Los Angeles Police Department on the right side of the barrel with Maple wood stock in 6" barrel configuration in .38 Spl

The rollmarks on that gun are super crisp! Love the craftmnaship there is just something so right about it.

So Essentially, this is a M27 (Highway Patrolman) in SS and rechambered in .38 Special?

Looks beautiful and if it shoots anything like my 27, it’s a winner!

__________________
Shoot safe.

MDR

Certified NRA Instructor
Certified NRA Range Safety Officer
NRA Life Member

When I die, I want to go like my Grandfather did, in his sleep--not screaming, like the passengers in his car.

No, it's a K frame, so it's a M66 frame (overstamped) with the shorter 38 Special cylinder....

__________________
.............SmithNut

Watched Adam 12 as a kid,
Seem to recall they had 6" Model 14"s and changed to 4" Model 15's later or do I have that backwards? Kinda fuzzy, maybe Reed had a 4" and Maloy had a 6" at one point,

Im guessing both length. 38's were in service at some point, think I've also seen pics of LAPD cops holding 6" full lug blue 14-6's too.

This has me wondering if they wanted a 6" stainless 38 that the factory didn't just make a run of 6" narrow rib Model 67 barrels and install them on standard 67 frames.
Something tells me it was easier to make a batch of 6" Model 66 barrels with the longer forcing cone and dept rollstamp or they specified that they wanted an ejector rod shroud.

Police Management especially in the old days came down to what the Chief wanted.

We lobbied for .45 Colt and .45 ACP revolvers which is great improvement over the .38 Special.

You have it correct, LAPD was using 6 inch Model 14's when Adam-12 went into production. During the run of Adam-12, LAPD transitioned to 4 inch Model 15's, but I think I read that they also cut the barrels of some Model 14's to four inches too. I suspect your reasoning for making Model 66's with a longer barrel shank is most likely correct, easier and cheaper to make Model 66 barrels with a longer shank and fit a Model 67 cylinder than to make a run of 6 inch Model 67 barrels.

__________________
VCDL, GOA, NRA

I have CHP and LAPD marked.

CHP has been polished (Mothers Mag??

LAPD has an officers Name and Badge Number engraved into the side plate.
Does not appear to have every been carried.
Still has Single Action

Bekeart

An online search located an article that nicely explains the history of the Model 68. Here's my recollection:

The CHP changed their issue ammo to 110 grain .38 Special +P+ to get higher performance. They followed up with a revolver that could withstand the higher demands of that ammo. That was the S&W Model 68-2. The barrel was 6" to get higher velocity to better penetrate into a vehicle. The frame was the same as the Model 66, since it was capable of withstanding magnum loads.

The Smith & Wesson Model 68 | RevolverGuy.com

Well, ok, there's the logic, I'm not convinced the logic was truly sound.

__________________
VCDL, GOA, NRA

The article mentioned there was public opposition to .357 Magnum ammunition (which had been used by some law enforcement personnel). That probably influenced the CHP to stay with .38 Special ammunition.