"Revolverguy" Mike Wood explained it to me. The tan uniform was for motor officers.
LAPD and the 1917
- Thread starter Muley Gil
- Start date
"Revolverguy" Mike Wood explained it to me. The tan uniform was for motor officers.
OIF2
Member
That is way out of line. You don't know "Most cops," despite sounding like a police chief I knew. I've got a lot more to say (use your imagination) but there are a few hundred, at least, of us on this Forum and you owe every one of us an apology.
I received my letter info. on my 1917 Commercial Ser # 177939. It shipped on Feb. 21, 1926 to William Hoegee Company, Los Angeles, CA.
No proof of being an LAPD gun though. Although I did find an auction listing that had a Colt 1917 that claimed it was shipped to this Company for the LAPD in 1929. And that company did do badges and uniforms. But no hard proof of LAPD or LASD. But mine might be too early. Or sat on the shelf for awhile.
I do have the original numbered grips, but added these faux stag.
No proof of being an LAPD gun though. Although I did find an auction listing that had a Colt 1917 that claimed it was shipped to this Company for the LAPD in 1929. And that company did do badges and uniforms. But no hard proof of LAPD or LASD. But mine might be too early. Or sat on the shelf for awhile.
I do have the original numbered grips, but added these faux stag.
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I did the same... One "senior" officer handed me his 4006 and said 'good luck'. Neither of us could rack the slide and he'd KNOWINGLY carried it in that condition for almost a year when he last qualified.Most I worked with on the PD knew I was the resident 'gun geek'.
Our quals would usually come on the last day of a shift rotation, with a weekend off before starting back on Monday.
There were several guys that'd hand me their issued M66 or 870 shotgun after quals and I'd take them home, clean them thoroughly and return to them at work. IIRC, think I got $10 per gun, and I enjoyed doing it.
Win-win.
It took me several hours to restore his gun to pristine condition and has to get him all new duty ammo.[emoji1751]
I don't get it. Most of these officers keep their uniforms and other equipment in decent to good condition, perform scheduled maintenance on their personal vehicles, etc...
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Actually, the William H. Hoegee Company, in business for almost a hundred years, was a giant among SoCal gun dealers and advertised itself as "the greatest sporting goods house on the Pacific coast". They not only sold wholesale, retail and mail-order, but also bragged with their gunsmiths and built custom rifles.
Before WW II, nationally it was much more common for departments to order guns through a local dealer or wholesaler, not factory-direct. And for the LAPD, Hoegee, whose L.A. main store was only a couple blocks from the LAPD's Central Station, would have been the obvious choice for procuring guns.
That's not proof, but I'd say at least a compelling likelihood.
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Actually, the William H. Hoegee Company, in business for almost a hundred years, was a giant among SoCal gun dealers and advertised itself as "the greatest sporting goods house on the Pacific coast". They not only sold wholesale, retail and mail-order, but also bragged with their gunsmiths and built custom rifles.
Before WW II, nationally it was much more common for departments to order guns through a local dealer or wholesaler, not factory-direct. And for the LAPD, Hoegee, whose L.A. main store was only a couple blocks from the LAPD's Central Station, would have been the obvious choice for procuring guns.
That's not proof, but I'd say at least a compelling likelihood.
Thanks for the info. Based on the outside condition vs. the inside condition, I would say it was an LEO gun. But again no proof. Just speculation.
I owned a S&W 1917 that lettered as 1 of 25 shipped to L.A.P.D. in May 1930 or May 1931, I can not remember the year for sure. In Tim Mullins Colt New Service book there is a notation that Colt shipped 25 New Service revolvers in 45 ACP to L.A.P.D. near the same date as S&W.
mscampbell2734
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AJ
US Veteran
PD, SD, which agency or military? I was the Guard Chief for the Marine Barracks and the senior firearms instructor for the Marines. Then went to Naval Station Long Beach as the Marine Cadre for the Marine Corps Security Force Battalion. We were classified "Combat Pistol' & "Combat Shotgun" Instructors. Went to the FBI Firearms Instructor Course while stationed there. Shot a bit with LASO SEB while stationed there too.
VASCAR2
Member
In regards to keeping your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot was becoming more common when I went to the Police Academy in 1977. My Agency used Jordan style Border Patrol holsters with a safety strap that had the snap on the outside body of the holster. The strap went over the hammer and made for pretty fast draw.
Safariland sold some of the first duty holsters with thumb snap and covered trigger guard. These holsters were the first in the trend for better firearm retention holsters. It seemed it was getting more common for Officers to be disarmed and there was a move to make more secure duty holsters. There was also a lot more attention on deadly force. It was changed to where an Officer could not shoot a fleeing felon. There were a few publicized cases of a teenager being shot after fleeing the scene of a crime and being shot as a fleeing felon.
The argument was your killing someone for a crime where they might only serve a couple years in jail. A lot of the major court decisions on search and seizure came in the late 60's and early 70's. The mandatory police training for local Officers in Illinois started around 1970 and the first required Academy was in approximately 1972. When I came on in 1977 our Academy was six weeks for municipal police and Sheriff's deputies.
Safariland sold some of the first duty holsters with thumb snap and covered trigger guard. These holsters were the first in the trend for better firearm retention holsters. It seemed it was getting more common for Officers to be disarmed and there was a move to make more secure duty holsters. There was also a lot more attention on deadly force. It was changed to where an Officer could not shoot a fleeing felon. There were a few publicized cases of a teenager being shot after fleeing the scene of a crime and being shot as a fleeing felon.
The argument was your killing someone for a crime where they might only serve a couple years in jail. A lot of the major court decisions on search and seizure came in the late 60's and early 70's. The mandatory police training for local Officers in Illinois started around 1970 and the first required Academy was in approximately 1972. When I came on in 1977 our Academy was six weeks for municipal police and Sheriff's deputies.
StrawHat
Member
In the 80s, I remember attending a training session for Range Officers and being told the reason for the "finger off the trigger" was there were several instances of Officers with drawn handguns trying to breech doors with their shoulders and when the door did not give, the hand involuntarily convulsed, pulling the trigger. Inertia, unfortunately, caused the muzzle to incline towards the Officers head…
At least, that is what we were told.
Kevin
At least, that is what we were told.
Kevin
AJ
US Veteran
We were trained with Cooper's rules pounded into our heads! Note the third rule.
"Cooper advocated four basic rules of gun safety :
1.)All guns are always loaded. Even if they are not, treat them as if they are.
2.)Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy. (For those who insist that this particular gun is unloaded, see Rule 1.)
3.)Keep your finger off the trigger till your sights are on the target. This is the Golden Rule.
4.)Identify your target, and what is behind it. Never shoot at anything that you have not positively identified.
Pantherclass2004
Member
I re-found another picture I remembered I had in my random files of historical photos somewhere.
Chief Davis created a 50-member "Gun Squad". His declared intention was to make war on violent criminals and radicals, but his critics accused him of just making war on the competition. The LAPD became mired in the rackets itself when the East Coast mob with Benny "Bugsy" Siegel and Mickey Cohen moved into L.A. during Davis' second term (1933-1939).
This photo from 1935 supposedly shows members of the Gun Squad. It's hard to say, but unless these guys all have really big hands, these revolvers appear .38-sized to me. Note the California preference for long barrels.
Bet those guys did some a** kicking of thugs back in the day
OP
AJ
US Veteran
I would call that the K.I.S.S. method! Keep It Simple Stupid..........
OP
Here's another tidbit about Davis, supporting your observations:
Davis and two policewomen in July 1935 with confiscated guns. The blurb with the photo says in part:
The June 21, 1949, Los Angeles Times obituary on Chief James Davis mentioned that, "In 1932 he won both the right-hand and left-hand pistol championship of the United States."
Good catch. I'd completely forgotten about this. And I've read Buntin's book a few times, the only place where the whole context is actually explained. Davidson was acting chief after Davis resigned and refused to apply for the permanent position, which is probably why Davis' term is usually given as going until 1939, when Hohmann started.
The Chief looks a little cross-eyed. Perhaps that's what the "two guns" were for: he was bound to hit with one of 'em.
I received my letter info. on my 1917 Commercial Ser # 177939. It shipped on Feb. 21, 1926 to William Hoegee Company, Los Angeles, CA.
No proof of being an LAPD gun though. Although I did find an auction listing that had a Colt 1917 that claimed it was shipped to this Company for the LAPD in 1929. And that company did do badges and uniforms. But no hard proof of LAPD or LASD. But mine might be too early. Or sat on the shelf for awhile.
I do have the original numbered grips, but added these faux stag.
Here's the whole story on mine. Looks like 5 1917's were in my shipment. And Chief Davis started his first term in 1926. During his first term as LAPD chief, Davis emphasized firearms training.
Also noticed it states silver medallion grips. My stocks don't have the medallion and are penciled serial numbered to my gun.
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