My old duty guns

[Barsch]

Thought I'd post a photo of my retired (NYPD) duty and off-duty guns. Model 10 and model 36. Grips on 36 are not original, unfortunately they cracked some time ago and I replaced them with similar ones I picked up at a local shop.

Carried a lot, shot regularly, lots of wear, locks up tight. My kind of guns. Still carry the 36 on occasion.

I remember how in the academy we walked to a table and held the approved firearms, then selected which one we wanted for both duty and off-duty use. For some reason, I went with a square butt 36 for off-duty...I still like the way it feels in my hand.

 

[C Islander]

Very nice. They are both still capable today.

 

[TACC1]

Glad you've still got them, and that you're here. Thanks, TACC1.

 

[bronco45]

Congratulations on your retirement. How cool, to be able to have your weapons retire with you.

Icons of a great PD and the men and women who made and make that organization dynamic.

 

[Barsch]

I look at the 36, and it is beyond reliable. It has about, well, at least 6,000 rounds through it, probably more. Never a hiccup of any kind. Aside from the grip replacement, never a mechanical problem, original everything.

 

[captken]

Lots of stories to go with those guns I bet. I look at my old 28-2 duty gun and my old flat latch model 36 and think the same. I see those with pretty like new guns of the same model and think, bet you never rolled around a parking lot or bar floor wearing your gun. Those scratches give them character. I've got a dent in the handle of my 28-2 that is from getting run over by a pickup truck while directing traffic one day. If it hadn't fractured my wrist, I could have shot that kid.

 

[pharmer]

Can't be true. Nobody could survive a career on the street in NYC with funny looking "round thingy" guns. Nice choice of retirement location. Joe

 

[Barsch]

Yeah, I never did like the snow. My 642 is often finds its way with me, though my Seecamp 32 is my current favorite to haul around.

Those on the job with advanced age had the option to keep using a revolver, though many of us did transition to semi's. (glock, sig, SW)

 

[jimmyj]

Hi:
Were you required to purchase your duty and off-duty weapons?

 

[Broadside]

I remember how in the academy we walked to a table and held the approved firearms, then selected which one we wanted for both duty and off-duty use. For some reason, I went with a square butt 36 for off-duty...I still like the way it feels in my hand.

Barsch,

My apologies for being nosey, but what year did you graduate from the academy and what were the other choices available to you at that time?

Are your revolvers DA/SA or DAO?

Thank you so much for sharing.

 

[jbull380]

I'm still stuck on the part where you get to go to a table and select guns you want! I think Heaven will be something like that.

 

[missfire]

I too am a retired police detective from Nassau County, N.Y. (1959 - 1988) We had to purchase our own weapons, I carried a Model 10 while in uniform and a Model 36 as a detective. We had a choise of a S & W Model 10, 4" or Colt Official Police in 4". I too still have my weapons and except for some holster wear, the are in exc. condition.....Jim

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

For some reason, I went with a square butt 36 for off-duty...I still like the way it feels in my hand.

Makes sense to me. SB J-frame with a Tyler always fit me better than any other reasonable-size J-frame grip, yet was almost as pocketable as a RB.

 

[Frank237]

We should start a duty gun photo thread.

While a cop in NJ in the early 1970's I had Dept issued weapons; 4" blued M-19. Our off duty guns were personally owned and they were rather lenient in what you could carry.

After I moved to MT and joined the Highway Patrol I was issued a brand new 4" M-28. Carried that gun until the late 80's when we went to 5903's in 9mm. We then moved to SIG 229's in .357 SIG.

Each time weapons were upgraded we had the option to buy our own guns back...and at a very reasonable price too. I've got the M-28, the 5903 and both 229's I carried. Gotta love a State thats not Gunphobic.

FN in MT

 

[Old Corp]

Yep, still have 3 of the 4 duty guns I was issued. The first was a Colt Trooper MkIII that meant little to me, since I went through 3 of them with different breakages and issues. I chose not to keep the Colt.
Next in line was the 4" M66, then our first auto, the 10mm M1076 and then the 4566 that I retired with. I just missed the most recent, the M&P .45.

 

[oldafsp]

Most of our duty issued weapons had been purchased back in the early 1960's.

There were 19's for patrol deputies, 10's for the corrections division. By the time my 19 got to me (a -1) it was pretty well worn, but serviceable.

We evaulated a couple of different patrol weapons in 1980. These were issued to Sergeants for field use. Plus two days a month on the range. It was a pretty good program to see how they would hold up.

Sadly you didn't have a choice of what they gave you in the program. I wanted another Smith, I needed another Smith.

I was still carrying a Model 15 in the Air Force on Reserve duty.

Imagine my distress when the armorer handed me a brand new in the box RUGER.....

His only words were...Sorry, you get the first one of these.

As it were, my fears were totally unfounded. It was (and I have it today) and still is a fine revolver. The department finally chose Model 65's, which stayed until 1999. They would not allow us to purchase our 65's, they were traded in on a unamed black gun....ugh.

We were allowed to purchase the test guns if we wished. I couldn't gripe about the price....$75.

 

[Barsch]

1984

We purchased our guns, we owned them. During the academy, before we began firearms training, we were paraded through a hallway, where there were a few guns on a table. You held each for a second or two, and simply selected one. I know there was a Ruger there, I wasn't into guns at all back then, so I just said I'll take the Smith & Wesson. Glad I did. Same thing with the square butt 36, it felt better than the round butt. I ended up carrying the 36 much more, as it served as a duty gun for most of my time.

When we began firearms training, we went to Rodmans Neck...and the guns we bought were there waiting for us.

 

[DrDremel]

I like the idea of your service firearm being given to you at retirement. Now most polymer autos won't last a cops entire career. Congrats on your retirement.

 

[gruntdeputy]

My S&W Model 19-3 and a Hyott breakfront holster that I carried as a deputy marshal. The Model 19 came with target hammer, target trigger and target stocks, but I replaced the grips for Mustangs.

We were issued 4" Model 66s, but even as good as my issued pistol was my Model 19 was an even better shooter!

I carried this revolver until we transitioned to semiautomatics in 1989. Carried a lot and shot a lot. But it still works and it is still one of my favorites.

 

[gruntdeputy]

S&W Moel 19

S&W Model 19 that I carried on-duty as a deputy marshal.