S&W Model 64 marked "PPD"

[TheGreatGonzo]

I've got a Model 64 snubbie that is very neatly stamped "P.P.D. 69" on the left side under the cylinder. I realize the possibilities probably number in the hundreds (at least), but I would love to know what PD it was issued from. Is anybody familiar with that particular marking (block stamped with periods between the letters) on the surplus Model 64 market?
Thanks,
Gonzo

 

[charlie sherrill]

Petal Police Dept? Call me before you get rid of it.

 

[TheGreatGonzo]

Petal Police Dept? Call me before you get rid of it.

Charlie: Numero uno...I ain't about to get rid of it! LOL! Nice try, though. I love it.

My wife and I actually considered the fact that it might be Petal PD, but I figured the odds that Petal ever marked its firearms so nice and neatly were pretty slim. I'm also not sure when Petal started issuing firearms instead of having officers purchase them personally. Finally, I don't think Petal has ever had 69 officers and certainly would not have at a time when they were issuing wheelguns. It would be really cool if I had stumbled onto a Petal PD gun, though.

I'm thinking it could be Pittsburgh; Philadelphia; Providence. But who the heck knows? It could be some town I have never even heard of. I can't imagine how many towns there are that start with the letter "P", had at least 69 sworn officers, and issued S&W revolvers.

Gonzo

 

[kraigwy]

Portland (OR) had more then 69 officers. My father in law retired from Portland PD, he carried a Model 10 but I believe some carried Model 64's.

I don't know how they marked them of if they did.

Sending to S&W for a letter will tell you for sure.

I know my department (Anchorage Police Dept) let me keep my Model 28 but APD didn't mark their guns. I don't have a letter from S&W but I do have the letter from APD giving me the gun.

 

[jsfricks]

When I was at the local pawn shop yesterday picking a Pre 10 up, the owner showed me one that was about to go on the floor. I didn't notice the model number but it was stainless and stamped under the cylinder was P.P.D. and I believe the number 243 or 245. Ithad a 4" barrel. The price was $415.

 

[vipermd]

I have seen Pittsburgh marked guns with PGPD and PGHPD. I am trying a few sources to find out about Philly PD. Be Safe,

 

[TheGreatGonzo]

I've pretty much ruled out Phoenix because I've seen theirs marked "PXPD".

 

[Quakertown]

I have seen Pittsburgh marked guns with PGPD and PGHPD. I am trying a few sources to find out about Philly PD. Be Safe,

I've got a model 64 with "Pittsburgh Police" stamped down the backstrap. It's a 64-3 dating around '77, 4" heavy barrel. So, unless they changed their stamping methods, I doubt yours is Pittsburgh.

 

[TheGreatGonzo]

You guys are coming up with great info. I know the odds of figuring it out definitively (without a letter) are slim, but if anybody can, the members of his board will be the source.
Gonzo

 

[03clyde]

Poughkeepsie PD!

 

[ArizonaSarge]

I've pretty much ruled out Phoenix because I've seen theirs marked "PXPD".

I recently joined this forum and just saw your post. I retired from Phoenix PD and thought I might shed some light for you: I saw the PXPD stamp mentioned in the Standard Catalog of SW, and found that interesting because I never recall having seen a gun marked that way. I believe it to be accurate, I just never saw one. I have handled Remington 870 shotguns that were stamped PPD. These were not issued directly to officers, but were assigned to sergeant's vehicles and later stun gun designated ones were in every car. I had a SW 64 no dash that I carried for years before we transitioned to Glocks and that was not marked. I have a Mod 60 from the City and that is not marked. We are allowed to buy a City issued firearm when we retire, I have my Glock 21. Also when we transitioned to Glocks in 1990-1991 we were allowed to buy our city issued SWs. This is where my 60 came from. I am a member of a 600+ member Phoenix PD retiree group and I sent a message out yesterday about this and already I have learned a lot: two retirees have their MOD 60s, both stamped PPD under the cylinder. One has his 4" Colt Police Special which is stamped PPD on the bottom of the butt, one has a pre model 36 Chief's Special stamped PPD under the cylinder and one fellow I must quote for you as he described the Mod 64 he was issued and bought during the transition to Glocks "It has PPD etched (not stamped) into the bottom of the frame. The "PPD" looks as if a drunk with a jackhammer made the mark."

It has not been 24 hours since I sent the message out...I will post more info if there are any variations from the above. Since these are the only replies to date, I suspect that the majority of guns were not marked, and this is the way I recall things to be....

My theory on the PPD marked guns is that the PPD keeps loaner guns in Internal Affairs because when an officer is involved in a shooting they take his gun for lab analysis and give him a loaner. I recall the Glock magazines being marked when they gave me one of these after I had been involved in a shooting but can't say the gun itself was marked. And we had loaners at police supply and at the range to temporarily replace broken guns while they were being repaired. I believe the PPD marked guns may have been some of these loaner guns at one point while the City owned them. Again, the unassigned shotguns were marked PPD.

 

[RWJ]

I have seen Pittsburgh marked guns with PGPD and PGHPD. I am trying a few sources to find out about Philly PD. Be Safe,

Just noticed this thread. I suspect that your PGPD marked 64 was an issued sidearm of the Prince George's Co. MD Police Department. When they transitioned to Berettas, the revolvers were traded in to Maryland Police Supply, near Baltimore. I have 2 of them, one marked on the backstrap, and one under the frame window. I know for certain the markings on mine relate to that agency.

Original poster, sorry for the thread drift.

 

[Art Doc]

"But who the heck knows?"

I think you answered your own question. Police markings are cryptic at best. SO, PD, HP are not hard to decipher, but the name of the city, town or county is usually a guess.

I know there are collectors of police marked guns and they will likely have more info. I suspect that most agencies were not totally consistent, changing the stamp or its location from year to year.

I have a 64 stamped CCPD and the seller said it came from the Corpus Christi PD but was he right? I don't know. All we can do is guess without positive info.

 

[Jaymo]

Pensacola Florida?

Philadelphia Mississippi?

 

[vipermd]

Just noticed this thread. I suspect that your PGPD marked 64 was an issued sidearm of the Prince George's Co. MD Police Department. When they transitioned to Berettas, the revolvers were traded in to Maryland Police Supply, near Baltimore. I have 2 of them, one marked on the backstrap, and one under the frame window. I know for certain the markings on mine relate to that agency.

Original poster, sorry for the thread drift.

You are right my mistake. The hands typed and I did not reread it. PGHPD and also Pittsburgh down the backstrap. I picked up the Prince George Co from Robertson. Thank You, Be Safe,

 

[KML]

Philadelphia ,Pennslyvannia ??

 

[jsfricks]

I have a 64 stamped CCPD and the seller said it came from the Corpus Christi PD but was he right? I don't know. All we can do is guess without positive info.

I live outside of Atlanta, Ga in Cobb County.... And our police are CCPD, Cobb County Police Dept. Could be?

 

[policerevolvercollector]

Just to add some confusion...... I believe Portland Maine used PPD markings too.

 

[Iowahunter]

I have a Model 64 3in with CYA on the frame just below the cyl.

 

[JackM]

My first issued weapon was a Model 64, 4" heavy barrel, and it was marked P.P.D. then a three-digit number, that I don't recall, down the backstrap. My department name didn't begin with that letter though. I was told the guns were an over-run from our department's distributor.