KCPD issued ammunition

[MRH]

Curious, what was the issued/approved ammunition for the KCPD in the Magnum era?

I’ve got a Magnum that has seen so much 38 that chambering 357 is nearly a lost cause. I don’t believe the FBI issued 357 except in special cases. Not sure about KCPD?

 

[H Richard]

That would build up of " crud", it can be removed by cleaning. As you state, it has been there for
"awhile". A soaking in Kroil for a couple days, then put a chamber brush on your cordless drill and see what that will do. Some are so bad you may need a chamber cutter to ream it out and get the chambers back to spec. Back in the 80's when most sheriff's deputy's carried .357 it was the same story, seldom if ever used with .357, only 38's. I bought a Clymer "de-leader". Basically a chamber reamer to cut the crud out. On the Qualification times it was borrowed frequently.

 

[Nightowl]

I have some stainless chamber brushes that I use only when the buildup is so bad that the bronze brushes cannot readily remove it.

 

[duke2002]

Most big depts around here issued 38 in their 357's interesting story on how the model 68 came into existence just because of that.

 

[robertrwalsh]

Try using a fired .357 unresized case as a "cookie cuttter" and press it firmly into the chambers. That may help remove a significant amount of crud.

 

[Muley Gil]

Many departments didn't issue ammo.

 

[MRH]

Sorry, I’m not asking about how to clean it, I am more curious whether KCPD issued 357 Magnum. As much as these guns have been shot, I would think that there would be some chambering difficulty with 357 and there isn’t in my KCPD.

Or maybe they were shot a fraction of what the carry wear would suggest.

Just a historical question, really.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

Curious, what was the issued/approved ammunition for the KCPD in the Magnum era?

I am sure it was likely the 158 grain LSWC.

By the 1970s the Federal and Remington 125 grain JHP got a big following because of magazine articles about the one shot stop probability. The 158 grain JHP has a following too.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

. As much as these guns have been shot, I would think that there would be some chambering difficulty with 357 and there isn’t in my KCPD.

Just a historical question, really.

The chambering issue comes up when you shoot a lot of the shorter 38 Special in a 357 Magnum revolver and do not clean the cylinder chambers.

When we went to the Police Academy we had quite intensive revolver inspections.

When I look at used 357 Magnum revolvers for sale about half of them have very filthy cylinder chambers because most people only shoot 38 Special in them.

 

[lestert357]

Not sure what was issued, but the KCPD Registered Magnums were sighted in at 50 yards with .38 Special mid-range wad cutter ammunition as was requested on their order…..

 

[lestert357]

Found a 2015 post related to this question from member jimmyj as follows: “In that era .38 Special was 158 grain LRN standard velocity service round and "Mid Range" was 148 grain wad cutter target load."