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The Greatest Handgun I've Ever Owned
- Thread starter Ol Sarge
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Ol Sarge
Member
You may or may not be aware that the infamous Bill Jordan of the Boarder Patrol and quick-draw artist extraordinaire preferred a S&W .41 Magnum loaded with inverted hollow base wadcutters as a man stopper. This made a hollow point that looked like a thimble and spread out to the size of a silver dollar on impact.
Yeah, Bill and I spent an afternoon shooting and swapping yarns. I carried that Model 58 at the time. I learned a whole bunch of stuff that day.
I used JHPs as I needed more penetration in dealing cars and such.
This JHP went through the spare tire, tail gate, back of the front seat and into the radio in the dash of a fleeing Ford Bronco.
I dug it out of the radio and still use it as a tie tack.
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Maccabeus
Member
Great stories and a great revolver in the OP.
I don't have a story all that old or a revolver that was all that special, but I started on a revolver when I was hired on in the 90s. The department had already undergone semi-auto transition, but didn't have enough 4006s to go around so all the rookies had to carry the old leftover 681s.
I'm so glad I did. I learned to shoot at the academy on that gun. I previously owned my own 5906 and then a 6906, but could just barely keep my shots on the broad side of a barn. The fundamentals began to click on the wheel gun while shooting ball & dummy.
Learning on a revolver is like learning on a stick shift. If you can drive/shoot that, you can drive/shoot anything else.
While I did later transition to a personally owned 4506, I never accepted a departmental 4006 to replace my 681. Loved that gun. Still kicking myself for not buying it from the P.D. when I resigned to switch careers.
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I don't have a story all that old or a revolver that was all that special, but I started on a revolver when I was hired on in the 90s. The department had already undergone semi-auto transition, but didn't have enough 4006s to go around so all the rookies had to carry the old leftover 681s.
I'm so glad I did. I learned to shoot at the academy on that gun. I previously owned my own 5906 and then a 6906, but could just barely keep my shots on the broad side of a barn. The fundamentals began to click on the wheel gun while shooting ball & dummy.
Learning on a revolver is like learning on a stick shift. If you can drive/shoot that, you can drive/shoot anything else.
While I did later transition to a personally owned 4506, I never accepted a departmental 4006 to replace my 681. Loved that gun. Still kicking myself for not buying it from the P.D. when I resigned to switch careers.
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larryofcc
Member
In 1965, I went through the San Diego Sheriffs Academy for reserves. My eyesight was too poor to get a job with the real deputy's.
My two range officers were long time deputy's and were authorized by the Sheriff to carry weapons off limits to the other men. One carried a M29 and the other a modified Colt M1911A1.
The night of qualifications, both of the range officers fired 149 out of 150 scores to show the newbies how it was done.
With my poor (2200) eyesight, (20-20) corrected, and an old 6" K-38, I bested both with a perfect score of 150. The only one in the class to shoot a possible. Poor blind me. The SDPD would not take me either for the same reason, so I wound up as a career Teamster Truck Driver. I guess it is OK not to be able to see as a trucker. Big Larry
My two range officers were long time deputy's and were authorized by the Sheriff to carry weapons off limits to the other men. One carried a M29 and the other a modified Colt M1911A1.
The night of qualifications, both of the range officers fired 149 out of 150 scores to show the newbies how it was done.
With my poor (2200) eyesight, (20-20) corrected, and an old 6" K-38, I bested both with a perfect score of 150. The only one in the class to shoot a possible. Poor blind me. The SDPD would not take me either for the same reason, so I wound up as a career Teamster Truck Driver. I guess it is OK not to be able to see as a trucker. Big Larry
ggibson511960
Member
Gordon Liddy
I read a funny story about a 3-1/2 in. M-27 in Gordon Liddy's biography. You might remember that Mr. Liddy of Watergate infamy started his career in the FBI. I don't remember if the FBI issued him his M-27 or if he chose it on his own. In any case one of his fellow agents advised him to file off the front sight so it wouldn't hurt so bad when a bad guy shoved it where the sun seldom shines, offending Liddy with his prized S&W. Liddy also recounts how he one day foolishly and dangerously threatened a suspect by cocking the M-27 and holding it on him at short range.
I read a funny story about a 3-1/2 in. M-27 in Gordon Liddy's biography. You might remember that Mr. Liddy of Watergate infamy started his career in the FBI. I don't remember if the FBI issued him his M-27 or if he chose it on his own. In any case one of his fellow agents advised him to file off the front sight so it wouldn't hurt so bad when a bad guy shoved it where the sun seldom shines, offending Liddy with his prized S&W. Liddy also recounts how he one day foolishly and dangerously threatened a suspect by cocking the M-27 and holding it on him at short range.
I started in 2001 working security at Cooley's Landing in downtown Fort Lauderdale, for Nick Navarro, all we were allowed to carry in those days was a revolver in .38, or a .357 loaded with .38 rounds. I had a S&W model 64 that I carried for about 5 years.
I stupidly pawned it off about 3 years ago when I went with the 9mm. That was one heck of a gun.
I have 3 other S&Ws now. I still trust my life to them.
I stupidly pawned it off about 3 years ago when I went with the 9mm. That was one heck of a gun.
I have 3 other S&Ws now. I still trust my life to them.
That's a great story and a gorgeous 27 Sarge. I'm kinda interested in that butt plate......any decorations on it? I know they were installed primarily as a persuader, just curious about your thoughts.
Great stories. Love these two lines:
Definitely an out loud laugh there.
This next completed a great story!!!
Sometimes the only ones with better stories than cops are combat vets. GOOD JOB!!!
It's hard for me to say which of my S&W revolvers is my best or greatest. My 2.5" M686+, however, had an action job done by the best gunsmith I ever knew so it has to rate way up there for smooth and easy to fire. But since I collect these ,38s/.357s I'm hard pressed to pick a greatest but my EDCs are 2" K-frames these days. Especially my DAO customized M64.
Definitely an out loud laugh there.
This next completed a great story!!!
Sometimes the only ones with better stories than cops are combat vets. GOOD JOB!!!
It's hard for me to say which of my S&W revolvers is my best or greatest. My 2.5" M686+, however, had an action job done by the best gunsmith I ever knew so it has to rate way up there for smooth and easy to fire. But since I collect these ,38s/.357s I'm hard pressed to pick a greatest but my EDCs are 2" K-frames these days. Especially my DAO customized M64.
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Ol Sarge
Member
The butt plate is a piece of stainless with my name engraved on it. There's a spacer under its made of white rubber. A gunsmith friend of mine made that for me 35 years ago. As far as the "persuader" goes, someone else said something like that in an earlier post. In more than 44 years in law enforcement, in patrol, riding motor, k-9, anti-robbery stake out, I never hit anyone with a firearm. I know a story of an officer in Atlanta in the early '70's who did and it went off and killed the guy. Now, I sent more than one huligan to the ER with a 5-cell Bianchi flashlight which I also still have.
BigBill
Absent Comrade
Sarge nickel rocks.
Nothing wrong with swinging a flashlite. Got a backup?
Nothing wrong with swinging a flashlite. Got a backup?
snowman.45
Member
Damn, Iggy. That M58 makes me drool a bit. I always wanted one to carry on-duty, but never could find one. Then, there would have been the issue of getting it approved.
spdguns
Member
Been there, done that. I cut my teeth back in the day, shooting a Model 15 with 158gr wadcutters, loading out of loops. Our agency wouldn't let us carry speedloaders!!! We shot the 60 rd PPC course and the 50 Oklahoma qualification CLEET course. I was top shooter. 1987 was a long time ago. I'm still at it, so far. I guess that explains my love of the old Smiths.
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Ol Sarge
Member
This thread has kind of taken on a life of its own. It started with me reminiscing about my absolutely wonderful M-27. That included some little war stories. Then others chimed in with their own favorite gun or comments about mine or other war stories. All that has been great and I'm enjoying it all. Then just now I thought what about a thread called "War Stories". Maybe in the lounge. What do you guys think? Let me know. I'll start it. Just make sure the statute of limitations has run on your story. I don't want anyone posting from a cell block somewhere.
What this thread has got me to thinking is, I may not go after an auto-loader next but add a brother or sister to my 66. There are some handsome guns been shone & I see several in pawn shops around here when I go out drooling...I mean, looking. Still would like a (forgive me) Beretta but that was so I could put Boom Boom (66) in a safe place...but these other Smiths have me reconsidering.
Thanks for the pix & the stories!
Sent from my SM-T377P using Tapatalk
Thanks for the pix & the stories!
Sent from my SM-T377P using Tapatalk
Engine49guy
Member
dscampbell
Member
Me too and the sheriff got mad. He said next time use your flat sap or baton I got two days off to help me remember.
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Ol Sarge
Member
In the academy our unarmed defense instructor was a heavy weight Karate and Kick Boxing world champion (I won't mention his name.) He was showing how to break a hold when someone is choking you from the front with both hands wrapped around your neck. The move was to thrust your hands upward through the assailant's arms wrap over his arms and put him in an arm-bar and take him to the ground. I'm thinking about this and saying I'll never remember all this on the street. So I said to him, "What if I just break your nose. Just take the palm of my hand and give you a rabbit punch and spread your nose from ear to ear." He said that's not what they want me to teach. I decided to try to learn their stuff and then do what I know works when it hits the fan.
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