New LEO Service Revolver

Obviously the best choice is the yet to be announced new 7 shot L frame cap and ball .38 caliber percussion revolver. They will have push button yoke removal, a feature stolen from Taurus. DA combined with quick cylinder swaps will give the good guys a firepower advantage over the bad guys who of course will eagerly trade in all their automatics for Italian cap and ball Colt reproductions.

Just like during the good old days non-LEO buyers will bid the price of also yet to be announced cap and ball N frame .44s up to double retail. A grocery store gun magazine column writer wearing a huge cowboy hat and his peers will talk S&W into making the ideal LEO pistol, a cap and ball N frame .41.
 
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k22fan said:
Obviously the best choice is the yet to be announced new 7 shot L frame cap and ball .38 caliber percussion revolver. They will have push button yoke removal, a feature stolen from Taurus. DA combined with quick cylinder swaps will give the good guys a firepower advantage over the bad guys who of course will eagerly trade in all their automatics for Italian cap and ball Colt reproductions.

Just like during the good old days non-LEO buyers will bid the price of also yet to be announced cap and ball N frame .44s up to double retail.
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I dunno...I think cops walking around with half-a-dozen flintlock pistols stuck in their duty belts would be cooler. :D
 
Another been there, done with that.

The first department I worked for had 4" K-Frame 38 Spl. Those of us that could afford it brought our own revolvers as the issue ones had lot of wear on them.

Later the department exchanged them for new S&W N-Frames. From a administrative point of view they were great guns because they were larger and would have a longer service life than the K-Frame. However N-Frames are not fun to carry for eight hours due to their weight. They also have a larger grip making it more difficult for Officers with small hands to shoot.

The L-Frame is a compromise. K-Frame size grip and beefed up where needed to handle Magnum rounds longer. The downside is L-Frames weigh as much as N-Frame. The weight is just distributed different.

So this is a long winded explanation as why a 100 year old gun design is still the best general issue revolver...the Model 10 and it's redheaded brother Model 64.
 
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Under these specs I think the 686 seven shot would be the best. I very comfortably carried the six shot for several years and the extra round of the plus doesn't add enough weight to matter any. I'm retired now but still carry my 4" 686 plus while working on my little farm or riding in the woods. It's an accurate, durable firearm that is easy to shoot and maintain.
 
If the dept was big enough for a sizable order, I would have S&W make a special run gun for my guys. Would be all stainless with 3" barrel, 8 shot with NO INTERNAL LOCK and bobbed hammer so NO single action set up with some sort of night sight combination on top.
 
Eagle1* said:
If the dept was big enough for a sizable order, I would have S&W make a special run gun for my guys. Would be all stainless with 3" barrel, 8 shot with NO INTERNAL LOCK and bobbed hammer so NO single action set up with some sort of night sight combination on top.
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I'd be good with a 6 or 7 shot, all SS, 3" and 4" barrels available, no IL, standard S&W RB, ample fixed sights with front easily adaptable to tritium sight, bobbed hammer, DAO and a compact standard flashlight rail underneath.

The RB would allow officers to select a broad variety of grips to fit their hands.
 
A revolver of this type is going to put the officer at a disadvantage when confronted with a long gun armed adversary. To enable a measured response to such a threat, I'd add a quality 16" barrel folding stock AR with light and red dot to each patrol unit's standard load out, in a lock rack between the front seats.
 
minconrevo said:
A revolver of this type is going to put the officer at a disadvantage when confronted with a long gun armed adversary. To enable a measured response to such a threat, I'd add a quality 16" barrel folding stock AR with light and red dot to each patrol unit's standard load out, in a lock rack between the front seats.
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They'd be at a disadvantage with ANY handgun against a long-gun-armed adversary.
 
minconrevo said:
A revolver of this type is going to put the officer at a disadvantage when confronted with a long gun armed adversary. To enable a measured response to such a threat, I'd add a quality 16" barrel folding stock AR with light and red dot to each patrol unit's standard load out, in a lock rack between the front seats.
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All handguns are at a disadvantage to a long gun.
 
S&W Model CS-1

wm_2796964.jpg
 
1) A 3.5"-4" Model 64, 65, or 66-8 with fixed rear sight.

Option 2) A 3.5"-4" Half-Shroud Ruger GP100.

A nitrited stainless steel would allow for a matte, non-reflective, finish, that is durable and a lot cheaper than bluing.

In all cases, sights should be quick acquisition big dot type front sight, with a tritium center and orange contour, and a U-notch fixed rear. All police model destined guns should include at least two different grip sizes and 2-3 speedloaders.

With that said, if the Reds get it their way, there will be no police, and the world will be one big, peaceful-assembling, government-subsidized, happy place, just like Portland, Seattle, and Los Angeles today!
 
M-15. If it needs to be current prod. then M-10. Given the .38 Spl. limitation, I think you can't go wrong with the quintessential "cop's gun".

But then I would authorize the use of a 1911 for a "back up gun". And I'd also have each vehicle fitted with 3 long guns. 5.56 patrol rifle or carbine, 9MM sub or carbine, and a 12GA riot gun. Let'em fire me.
 
ContinentalOp said:
I didn't see it [the 619] on S&W's website. Is it still in production?
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The 619 and 620 were very short lived 1990s L frames. The 619 had fixed sights, the 620 adjustable. Unusual for L frames neither had full lugs. There was talk they might supersede the Models 65 and 66 but the market was not buying. Both had tube barrels with shrouds. So called two piece barrels were still new in S&W's line and many revolver buyers didn't want that construction.
 
crazyphil said:
sjs - you had the answer to your question in the first sentence. In the early
1950's a new FBI Agent showing up for training was given a choice
of either a S&W M&P with heavy 4" barrel or Colts Official Police with the
4" barrel. Either one would still be a good choice today. By the way, the
issue holster was either a Heiser model 457 or a similar one by Crump.
Heiser on the left and Crump on the right, both with my S&W Model 10.
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Just for show and tell. For those of us who carried revolvers in the line of duty, I wonder if current production quality is as good as it once was? I don't have any revolvers newer than 1981.

Colt Official Police (1956) and S&W Model 10 Nickel (1978). I carried the Model 10. The Colt OP has a little larger frame but the service grips and double action on the Model 10 are better. The OP feels too slim in my hands.
 

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Kimber 3 inch K6S, 6 shot, 26 oz, DAO, any 38 +++P, up to 35 KPSI.
I suspect that their 4 inch barrel could be grafted on. The 4 inch K6S is DASA. With the 4 inch tube, the weight would be about 3 oz heavier.
I think the the revolver would be very shootable with 38 SPL +P. Even Buffalo Bore.

73,
Rick
 
k22fan said:
I'd have sworn the stork brings them in a blanket but I might have skipped too many high school health ed. classes.
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If you had remembered to obtain your parent's written consent, you would've likely had sat through one of the most enlightening classes in junior high. Of course, if you had older brothers, and access to a VCR, then you would've likely seen much more than that unfortunate female coach who was assigned the task of teaching it. I had two older brothers, and watched enough Swedish short films to last a lifetime.
 
I am a S&W lover but I would have to pick the Ruger SP101 for plain clothes Officers. The Ruger GP100 3 and 4 inch for uniform officers. Then S&W model 60 and 640 and the light weight versions of those revolvers for off duty and back up weapons.
 
#1 choice would be a 2020 Python
#2 choice would be a Ruger GP100
The Ruger is pretty robust,in the long run I think either would be sufficient.I may be a little biased since I carried both for a duty side arm 60 pounds ago.
 
Groo here
Had a gold star for a "few" years.
This is not as far feched as it seems.
The main reason for the "wonder 9's" was cops getting killed with empty guns and cases in there hands.[incorrect or no training ]
With modern speed loaders/moon clips ect that would be much less of a problem.
Fewer rounds causes you to be sure of hits and reduces the hail of bullets problems.
Revolvers are not ammo depend like an auto and can use most any type weight or materal of bullet with out feed problems.[also lowest bid ammo]
The important thing is to fit the gun to the shooter.
Too big a grip is hard to fix to small , change wood..
Sights need to be big and fixed is nice "IF" the factory sights them in[like they use to]
A good trigger in double action, [I DO NOT like a DAO though as aimed fire or longer range hitting may be needed]
The number of shots is not as important as where the hit is and the ammo,[cops miss with 80% of there shots, TRAINING]
The barrel should be around 3in +- as most cops are in cars alot.
and and a grip in the ribs is not fun.
As hands come in all sizes and as this is 38/357 any 3in J fram to a 3in
Gp 100 /686 would work.
N frames are out "unless" the officer has larger hands and a larger round is used,
Weight is in the mix but removing n frames helps along with lighter ammo and lighter holsters.
Most officers would be better served with revolvers and remember
most officers NEVER draw let alone fire a gun on duty..
 
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Since we're talking today, I'd go with an old school RG to get ahead of the defund me crowd. Then they'd like me, and I could hopefully keep my job down the line.

They ain't pretty to look at, but I've seen them used successfully on suicides. So, sometimes they work.
 
tflt said:
To properly outfit a large Department with revolvers, you need to look at the whole job, not just the shooters. I'm a retired guy from the NYPD. The good shooters, who take it seriously will do well with whatever you give them. The reality is that a LARGE percentage will show up at the range twice a year, attain a passing score, then go back to spilling coffee into their holsters until next time. In 1990 when I went on patrol with a 4" NY-1 loaded with 158 grain LSWC's, (pre NYCLAD),and a 2" NY-1 in my belt, I was complaining about not having a 9MM, but never felt I couldn't address anything that came up during the tour. The 64's available in 4" and 3" as a patrol gun allowed a broad range of average shooters to do fairly well on the range as well as on the road.


Give'em K frame's!
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Yeah. I remember a guy in front of me at Rodman's Neck drawing and presenting his revolver from his Jay Pee holster and a few petrified French fries fell out as he drew the gun. I still have a few boxes of Nyclad ammo. Matter of fact, they're still in the speedloaders I have in my safe. In this day and age, .38 ammo is hard enough to find, much less quality self defense ammo. Hell, I still shoot ammo from the 50's in my Garand's.
 
sjs said:
OK, this is a fantasy question for revolver enthusiasts. I am a reading a book about classic revolvers and am on a chapter about the old SW M&P and the Colt OP revolvers and a question came to mind.

Assume you are the man in charge of firearm procurement for a large city PD and your local government has lost its mind (that could never happen, right?). You have been ordered to replace all current service pistols with a revolver. Must be 38 SP (or .357 but only 38 ammo would be allowed) double action, US manufacture, and box stock, no modifications of any kind. You have some budget flexibility but can't go crazy with the cost, and PC models are out (not that it has to be a S&W at all).

What revolver would you pick from the current stable of products, and why?
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Okey Dokey!!! I'll play!!!

Revolvers! I'm 40 years past the first one I bought. Love good revolvers. So ... if I were in the position of procuring revolvers to arm a large city PD ... if I were limited to .38 Special ammo ... if only allowed DA ... US manufacturer ... box stock ... no modifications permitted ... I'd order up a great big pile of S&W 686's. Officers would get four inch barrels. Detectives would get 2.5 inch barrels. All of the revolvers would be closely inspected to prevent any being accepted with manufacturing problems, etc.

Rational? Easy. There is not a current US manufacturer who produces a .38/.357 revolver of the quality and durability of the S&W L-frame revolver. It offers the very best in fit, finish, trigger pull, sights, stocks, and weight. It has nothing that is not needed. It lacks nothing that is needed. Factory service and target stocks are excellent. Aftermarket stocks are plentiful and adaptable to any need and taste. The revolver is easily serviced. It is rugged as a tank. With reasonable practice any recruit can master its use. Any person with a normal hand size will not have any problems with the grip.

What else is there to say? After all, we are talking revolvers. And, when talking revolvers ... it's always Smith and Wesson. Everything else is of course ... everything else. I am tempted. Oh I am so tempted to say ... when it comes to revolvers, S&W is the pinnacle of ... "Perfection!!!" Oh!!! I did it!!! Apologies to one an all and of course Gaston and company! Sincerely. bruce.
 
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