S&W Model 13, FBI-spec 3” .357 Magnum

[LEO918]

I have these two, for now.

 

[sigp220.45]

I read a lot of your posts about the FBI history with these in other threads! Glad you found this one.

I’m a sucker for old LEO guns. I have a Model 10, 36 (family heirloom), 66, 686, and among the collection is even a German-made SIG P220 and P228…workhorses, all of them!

I know the FBI authorized a lot of different personally-owned weapons for duty use. Do you remember the options you had for the authorized personally-owned handguns back then? I know the issued model was the 1076 for a short time; what was the issued gun immediately after that but before the Glock 22? The P228?

When the 1076 flamed out, we bought Sig 226s off of the DEA’s contract. I turned in my 226 when I got to New Orleans (my first office). They issued it to a guy on the bank fraud squad. I had a NIB 220 that I bought off my Dad’s FFL while I was in the Academy. I took it out of the box, fired a 50 round qual, stuck it in the 226 holster, and sallied forth.

The POW list was a thing of beauty in those days. Its was only Sigs and Smiths: Sig P220s, 225s, 226s, and 228s. Smiths galore though - any steel framed S&W revolver with a barrel of 4 inches or less, blue or stainless, .38 or .357 Magnum. No nickel, no alloy. You could have a Model 28 down to a Model 36. Semis, too. Blue or stainless 9mms and .45s. 3913s were popular. I was trying to find a 4516 but couldn’t so I wound up with the Sig, which worked out better.

I had a pre-war non-registered .357 Smith on my POW list for a while. SN 61115. It was the oldest gun on active duty in the Bureau at the time.

When I retired in 2016 the POW list was down to a couple of Glocks, 9mms only. Sad.

My 220 was grandfathered in until I retired.

 

[22lrfan]

Here's my 13-5 and 65-4, both local pawn shop finds.

 

[ezb57]

My last (and favorite) issued revolver. It was ordered with our agency seal roll marked on the side plate and with round butt target grips.

Nice! Those round butt target grips are scarce!

 

[BC38]

Looks great! I also badly want one but don’t want to pay the current asking prices for those available. Hoping to just stumble upon a good deal some day, but patience has never been my strong suit! Thanks for sharing.

Attached is a photo of my 3” 65-5, seems so lonely without it’s 13 cousin. Some day maybe.

Same here.
I'd love to stumble onto a 3" M13 to pair with my M65.
Nice score ThirdGen9623!

 

[ThirdGen9623]

When the 1076 flamed out, we bought Sig 226s off of the DEA’s contract. I turned in my 226 when I got to New Orleans (my first office). They issued it to a guy on the bank fraud squad. I had a NIB 220 that I bought off my Dad’s FFL while I was in the Academy. I took it out of the box, fired a 50 round qual, stuck it in the 226 holster, and sallied forth.

The POW list was a thing of beauty in those days. Its was only Sigs and Smiths: Sig P220s, 225s, 226s, and 228s. Smiths galore though - any steel framed S&W revolver with a barrel less than 4 inches, blue or stainless, .38 or .357 Magnum. No nickel, no alloy. You could have a Model 28 down to a Model 36. Semis, too. Blue or stainless 9mms and .45s. 3913s were popular. I was trying to find a 4516 but couldn’t so I wound up with the Sig, which worked out better.

I had a pre-war non-registered .357 Smith on my POW list for a while. SN 61115. It was the oldest gun on active duty in the Bureau at the time.

When I retired in 2016 the POW list was down to a couple of Glocks, 9mms only. Sad.

My 220 was grandfathered in until I retired.

That’s awesome. I love the old school stories and equipment from that era. I’m a current LEO and everything is all polymer striker-fire now. They work, but there’s no character!

 

[WCCPHD]

I’ve seen that on some of the other threads! Beautiful weapon to be issued. Was this a weapon for patrol use, or were you issued it because you worked in a plainclothes/investigative spot at the time? 3” barrels for patrol officers didn’t seem to be very common back then!

My agency was/is an investigative agency. All Special Agents are plain clothes. All S/A's were issued the 3 inch Model 13.

This was our last revolver before we transitioned to semi-autos.

 

[Grayfox]

Aside from the 3" 13-4 I posted earlier, I also have a 3" 10-8 made in 1982. There's just something about a 3" K-frame that makes it ideal for carry.

 

[Ameshawki]

At one time Numrich had a bunch of Pachmyer grip adapters. I've got a few, honestly there's really nothing special about them.

 

[Muley Gil]

That’s awesome. I love the old school stories and equipment from that era. I’m a current LEO and everything is all polymer striker-fire now. They work, but there’s no character!

The PD I worked for had a really strict firearms policy; it had to be .38, 9mm or BIGGER! For many, many years, officers were required to provide their own sidearms. On one end of the scale, we had detectives carrying Chief Specials, Colt Detective Specials and one who carried a .380! On the other end, we had a few armed with .44 Magnums. The majority had .38s, .357s and of course, pistols chambered in 9mm Luger. Like many police departments, once nice, light Glocks appeared (with special LEO prices), they filled most of the holsters.

When carrying a revolver, my taste gravitated to .44 Special, .45 ACP and .45 Colt, though I did have a .44 Ruger Redhawk and a M57 for a little while. My semi auto was an aluminum framed full size 1911 in .45 ACP. My last duty gun when I retired in 2001 was a 3" M625 in .45 ACP.

To get back to the original post, one of our officers worked with the FBI for a couple of years & he carried a blue 3" M13. I worked part-time in a pawn shop/gun shop and picked up a blue worn 3" M13. I tuned it up and it had a great action. An ex-wife walked off with it and I never got it back.

 

[S&WshooterFIN]

S&W 13-4 Military Police Magnum .357 mag​

I bought this new in the mid 1990s, it's still my favorite.

I have tried many grips over the decades

 

[Rakkasan13F]

My 3" 13 and 65

 

[otis24]

I would love to have another 3 inch fixed sight K frame. Actually the more rare 2.5 inch Model 10 would be absolutely fabulous!!!!

 

[BC38]

I picked up a 10-7 3" square-butt a couple of months ago.
Not nearly as pretty as the guns posted in this thread though.
Haven't even got to take it to the range yet.

 

[Baxter6551]

I too have tried various grips on my 65. I keep coming back to the Hogue Bantam absolutely the best for serious revolver work.

 

[CH4]

Congrats on finding your white whale and welcome to the 3” 13 club. Here’re mine along with their stainless 3” 65-5 cousins.

 

[zeke]

Lucked into at local gun show years ago, when things were relatively less expensive.

 

[Daimler1989]

a short story, but from Germany:
bought a Model 13 that was advertised on an online firearms broker back in 2019 for 200 Euro. seller said he was selling the estate of a huntsman, the gun would be looking rarely used. jumped on it. when I got it, it seemed as if it was used once (only for few rounds) and then stored away for the next 40 years. I had a nice set of Ahrends Retro Bananas which I put on. It's one of my favorites and the saddest part is, that I will be forced to sell it once I stop my business as a shooting instructor (German gun laws...)

regards from Germany
Ulrich

 

[Doug M.]

^^ That's a shame. Of course, you do set your own retirement age.

I have a vague recollection of NYPD experimenting w/ 3" RB duty guns as that allowed guns to get by with one gun. Less $$ and cross-training. It is easier to handle that uncommon practice when there only one duty holster allowed.

The only drawback to this platform FOR ME is that most S&W revolver fixed sights don't work with my eyes. There are custom options that if allowed would help a lot. If wanted to invest the effort (not worth it generally when I have my 4" RB M66), I would start w/a 3" M65 beater.

ETA: If I were going to that effort, a potentially better path is a 681 or 686 7 shot using a 3" barrel. The 686 would be easier to use as a basis because the sights can be changed much more easily. The only problem there would be the cost of trimming that awful full lug barrel to a half lug profile more like that of an M66. That would almost certainly be way more $$ than could be justified.

 

[helmsp]

I'm fortunate enough to own 3. Two in 3" and one with 4" barrel.

This one is mint with box and papers

S&W 13-3 by swaficionado, on Flickr

This one got quite the abuse from the pre-owner so I took the change and built myself my personal "ultimate combat revolver"

My "ultimate combat revolver" setup by swaficionado, on Flickr

Made a video too (unfortunately in German though): https://youtu.be/1ZdtlFrI8iE