Typical LEO load for 38 Special circa 1971 ?

[press-1-for-english]

As noted in my other thread I just picked up my model 15-3 circa 1971. I currently plan on using 158 grain RNL factory ammo in it. I would appreciate hearing from some of you retired LEO's and let me know what was the issue 38 special round for that time period.It is such a classic revolver I want to use the classic cop load too.

 

[Pantherclass2004]

Just what you have there, or semi wadcutters.

 

[sceva]

Likely the 158 gr round nose however By 71 the 158 Gr LSWHP (Lead Semi Wadcutter hollow point ) treasury load was becoming popular.

 

[just plain joe]

My agency, small municipal in SW PA, issued at various times:

1) Winchester 125 JHP .38 Special +P
2) Federal 125 JHP .38 Special +P

I recall that we purchased under the state contract.

HTH

JPJ

 

[NYlakesider]

Not a LEO, but I knew many and shot with plenty on the range.

That was the issued load for the little 38.(158 RN)

FWIW some departments issued or allowed .357 personally owned revolvers to be used but they still had to use the 158RN.

When I got my first handgun in 1972 I bought two boxes of ammo I got that load that was the only .38 he stocked.

 

[taz666]

My memory of what was offered by S&W in lead back then was
LRN, WC, and a hot SWC.
Myself, I reload RNFP lately.

 

[Baxter6551]

I started in 1977 and we provided our own revolvers but were issued Remington 125 gr +P JHP. Detectives for 2" were issued the same but 95gr. Load out was six in gun 12 rounds in loops. Everyone looked at me like I had two heads cause I carried speedloaders (I had started law enforcement in CA 1974 so that's what I had trained with). Regulations required your bullets to be polished and I had to comply even though you couldn't see bullet heads in the speed loader pouch.
I remember one year they ran out of the 125 gr and issued 95 gr to patrol. The rounds didn't penetrate car doors I recall from a couple of shootings.
I was on about 3-4 years and they decided to issue model 65s. Issue load was the Remington .357 JHP 125 grain. Detectives had to carry the same 4 inch. 5 years later roughly we switched to Sig P226. We got to buy our 65s for $100. You could buy more than one cause not everyone bought them. Darn - Who knew ….. ?

 

[mic214]

I started in 1977 and we had to provide our own sidearms as well. It was a small 18 man department and the majority of us carried .357 magnums. I carried a S&W Highway Patrolman.

For those of use that carried magnums, we were issued the .357 JHP round (I don't recall the make or bullet weight) and I believe the 158 grain .38 special HP's were issued to those that carried the .38 special sidearms.

When I transferred over to the local Sheriff's Office in 1980, we were issued S&W Model 15's with the 158 grain RNL ammo. We eventually switched to HP's for a while and then we went to the +P rounds.

 

[MG34/bar]

1970 on my department it was SuperVel 38 Special 110gr. JHP. Stayed that way until about 1977 or so when SuperVel went out of business. Next we got Remington 125gr. JHP either 38 Special or the same (?) bullet in 357 Mag.

 

[mdf9183]

I started in 1969 and we were issued S&W 38/44 with 158 gr.RNL ammo. Sometime in the mid to late 70 we changed over to Mod. 27 and started using the 158 gr. LSWHP.H

 

[Chuck Edwards]

Likely the 158 gr round nose however By 71 the 158 Gr LSWHP (Lead Semi Wadcutter hollow point ) treasury load was becoming popular.

FWIW, the "Treasury" load was a 110-grain JHP +P+ load. The 158-grain LSWC-HP load is known generically as the "FBI" load, though several major PDs used it before the FBI did.

 

[Old cop]

We were issued a Model 15 w/the old 158 grain lead round nose until a 1974 gunfight I was involved in. I was a detective then carrying an issued Colt Detective Special but the duty ammo was the same. Our issued ammo changed to the FBI 158 grain +P hollow point after that experience.

 

[Holden6v8]

Baltimore PD load

When I joined in '75, the standard issue was 158 lead hollowpoint +P and had been for a few years..

 

[F224]

As an intern/part time deputy in 1980-81 in Cass County, Nebraska, our department issued S&W 125Gr JHP+P's after I got us a good deal on twenty cases. Prior to that the issue load for ten plus years had been the FBI 158gr SWCHP.

We could carry 38's, 357's, 41mag or 45acp. I carried a Colt Commander in 45acp with Remington 185gr HP's. If you carried anything but 38spl, you had to buy your own ammo.

 

[heeter3]

What sceva said,at least for me when I started in 1974.

 

[Sevens]

Gentlemen... this is a --COOL-- discussion! Love it.

 

[AC Man]

My pre model 10 was issued 38 special 158 grain lead round nose. Thats all I have fired. I'll stick with that.

 

[lkabug]

1969 I was issue a S&W model 10-5 with 38 Special,158 grain LRN.

 

[JayCeeNC]

Local PD carried 158gr Round Nose Lead in Model 10s until early 1970s when they switched to the Model 66. Issued load for that was .357 125gr Jacketed Hollow Point.

 

[Aircrewman]

When I started with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in 1974, we were issued Model 15s Combat Masterpiece revolvers with Remington 125 grain JHP HV (High Velocity) 38 specials. The Department had just changed over to the Remington round from the SuperVel rounds. They were pretty good rounds and we had them until I departed the department in 1979. I believe that that round subsequently became the 125 grain + P round. I always felt confidant that this load was quite sufficient for "duty use."