Police Usage of 6" Revolvers?

[MG34/bar]

Carried a pre-27 with a 6.5" barrel in the early 1970s, mostly on motors ( first on Harley then Kawasaki) usually in a swivel holster (think it was by Tex Shoemaker).

 

[mrchuck]

When I came out of the Quantico US Marshal Academy in 1965, we graduated with our service weapon which was a Model 13 with a six and 1/2" long barrel.
We were trained to use this barrel as a baton.
But as an Air Marshal in a Brooks Brothers suit and tie, never got a chance to use this technique. Took a few years to get enough time in to get on a FA Team.(fugitive apprehension), which all training got applied in real arrests.
Batons were only issued when protecting a Federal Judge in court proceedings, which was our major job description.
For office duty doing paper work, a Model 10 3"barrel, was carried under our suit coat in a belt holster. Suit and tie was mandatory at all times.
And yes,, I still have my "office" three inch.

 

[dpsmousegunner]

Regarding six inch service revolver question

I can only go back to the early 70's in Arizona, I never saw anything longer then a four inch in a police holster. With one exception, that was a BIA officer who had a single action that I took note of around 1973. Arizona DPS used a S&W model 15 as the issued side arm with 110 grain Super Vel ammunition.

 

[Jerry M]

Was issued a 6 in Model 10 at the MD State Police Academy August 1978. Heavy barrelled 4 inch model 13s were issued to many Troopers in the field replacing their Colt Official police revolvers. Most not all of the Colts were retired by then.

Good Luck
Jerry

 

[LoboGunLeather]

The comments of others should clearly show that the 4" revolvers reigned supreme from the time officers had to drive automobiles and get into and out of those cars frequently.

I have carried 6" revolvers, but it was always a chore to do so when working uniformed patrol, other than foot beats.

 

[xray97]

We were issued 4" m66's but could carry personally owned revolvers, .38 special and larger, that passed an inspection by the dept's armorer. There were a few 6" m66's & m29's.

 

[Bert Man]

In the early 1970s I was issued and carried a M19 6 inch for a couple of years. I was on the pistol team and all team members were issued the 6 inch as at that time the department didn't have enough of the regular issue M19 4 inch to issue us both. I carried in a Don Hume Border Patrol holster which did dig into the patrol car a bit. Not real comfortable but definitely comforting.

 

[jimmyj]

Police 6'' Revolvers

When I came out of the Quantico US Marshal Academy in 1965, we graduated with our service weapon which was a Model 13 with a six and 1/2" long barrel.
We were trained to use this barrel as a baton.
But as an Air Marshal in a Brooks Brothers suit and tie, never got a chance to use this technique. Took a few years to get enough time in to get on a FA Team.(fugitive apprehension), which all training got applied in real arrests.
Batons were only issued when protecting a Federal Judge in court proceedings, which was our major job description.
For office duty doing paper work, a Model 10 3"barrel, was carried under our suit coat in a belt holster. Suit and tie was mandatory at all times.
And yes,, I still have my "office" three inch.

I was unaware that Model 13s were made with 6 1/2" barrels

 

[ASA335]

I carried a 6" M19 for some time before switching to a 4" M58. My best friend carried a 6.5" M29. A good number, though not the majority, of Deputies in our department did have 6" barrelled handguns. We were allowed any S&W, Colt, Ruger, or Dan Wesson double action revolver we wanted to carry back then, .38 special or larger.

Edit: I just recalled that the 6" M28 was very popular with the Oregon State Police back then also.

 

[S&WsRsweet]

My dad 5ft9in carried a 4 inch model 10 with a j frame back up but his brother uncle James carried a 6 in highway patrolman in a swivel type holster with stag grips . He was renound as an old school officer back in tne seventies . He had to chase a guy who broke into a store downtown store chased him up on tne roof the guy decided to give up uncle James ( true story) pulled that hyway patrolman and said hexx no you ain't givin up you either jump or I'm gonna blow you off this building .He probabaly would have done it to ,yea the guy jumped broke his legs but he lived by the time the ambulance got there uncle James had convinced him he had fell accidently off that 2 story building .Most of the older guys I grew up around carried either 357 6 inch guns and a few carried 41 mags in 6 inch but they were old school actual beat cops most had been there and done that and we're not to be fooled with and the bad guys knew it .Oh yea uncle James was 6 ft ,and built like a bull ,he was on the ( oh **** ) crew .I went on a couple of ride alongside with him and I must say I was impressed he was respected by good people feared by the bad ,I didn't meen to rant on but I just remember when a woman or kid could walk to the store after dark in my hometown and no one would dare even say anything other than good evening because of fear of those old school type cops .So thanks for starting this thread and to all you old school cops I salute you .

 

[cmort666]

A friend's stepfather carried a 6" M&P as when he was a Cleveland cop. My friend still has it.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I was unaware that Model 13s were made with 6 1/2" barrels

According to the SCSW, they weren't . . .

 

[Capt. F.]

Not in LE, but had a small town officer that became a friend, and carried a 6" Model 28. Just before his retirement I saw him in town and he offered to sell me his gun. Two weeks after he retired I picked it up and still have it.
It shows what you'd expect for wear, but is still tight and a great shooter.

 

[badge]

I carried a 6" Model 19 in the late 70's. Several NJSP Trooper friends carried either the 6" Colt OP or later the 6" Smith K-38's. Both men stated they were excellent weapons. XTrooper could probable shed more light on this ref. that agency. Swivel Holsters make the 6" weapon very comfortable to carry and if your a Footman it's really not an issue.

 

[daddy bear]

TXDPS carried 1911s in the thirties. Switched to S&W .38 HD and Colt NS depending on bids, then were instrumental in the 28s for uniformed personnel after purchasing some 3.5" pre-war unregistered .357s for the Rangers. Also some early Colt Troopers made the bid for a time. All .38 HD and NS, and .357 revolvers were 4" other than the Ranger order.

I have one of the 1940 Texas Ranger issue .357s and an early 60s 27 that I carried for years.

Jack

 

[wrkerr]

In the 60's and 70's I carried a 6" K38 in a Border Patrol swivel holster. Then in the early 80's, Colt .45 Autos were authorized, so a few of us convinced the Chief that since the Model 25-2 took the same ammo we should be allowed to carry it. So I did! 6 1/2" M25-2 in a swivel again.

Those were good times......

 

[Golddollar]

BUT GEORGE (WHO CARRIED THE 8 3/8") WAS 6'6" TALL.

I'll bet the bad guys probably wet their pants when he pulled that gun!

 

[CW3RDL]

I carried a 6" Model 66 S&W for a year in 1980-81. My partner carried a 6" Colt Python, as did several others who had more money than I. I loved that revolver until I bent it over a guy's head on a DUI traffic stop when he tried to disarm me. I literally warped the frame to the point that I had to get a gunsmith to unload it (took 14 stitches to close up the gash in the guys head. The gun carried well in a high-rise holster and was accurate. The extra barrel helped dampen the recoil of the full power .357 Magnums we carried. The down side was that it gave my arrestee and extra 2" of barrel to get hold of. I went back to my 4" Colt Trooper Mk III until we were allowed to carry semi-autos. It was built strong enough to serve as a club and offered little to grab hold of.

 

[usmc2427765]

After the movie Dirty Harry appeared on the wide screen, it was almost mandatory that officers in my department purchase and carry a model 29 6 1/2 " or a model 57 6". Now these weapons were heavy and if you were vertically challenged, the barrel would bump against your knee. As officers got older and backs got older as well, the longer barrels were replaced by 4" varieties. My marriage to a 6" lasted about 6 months but we did live the legend for a time.

 

[jtcarm]

Police Usage of 6" Revolvers?

In college I earned extra dough working banquets for some of the ritzy Dallas hotels.

I believe DPD was issuing the M-66 at the time and recall some of the larger-framed officers who worked security packing 6" versions. One carried a 6" 25-5.