Typical LEO load for 38 Special circa 1971 ?

[press-1-for-english]

Yup, and that's what I carry in most of my K frames.

Thanks Chuck!

 

[K Frame Keith]

My Dad was on the job during that time period. His department issued 158RNL. He carried Super Vel.

 

[press-1-for-english]

My Dad was on the job during that time period. His department issued 158RNL. He carried Super Vel.

Smart man.

 

[Bruceboy]

Up in snow country (Ontario, Canada) 1966, my department issued 4" Model 15's to uniform officers, and a variety of snubs, mainly Colt Cobra and S&W J frames to plain clothes detectives. Standard .38 Spl., 158 Gr., round nose for all. That lasted until the mid 90's when all departments in Ontario went to semi autos in either 9mm or .40 cal hollow points. Most departments use 9 mm, HP's now.

 

[Durango Slim]

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 have never heard of polishing bullets.

Why? And how?

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

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.

1971 so 158 LRN and it was Federal.

 

[shovelhead]

One of the participants in my cardiac rehab program about twenty years ago was retired from Detroit Police. He overheard the two guys running the program and myself talking about handguns. So the next day he asked me if I wanted some old ammo he had left over from his duty days. And of course I said "sure".

So in a few days he presents me with around 300 rounds of SWC all in nickel plated cartridges, various headstamps. I'm down to around a hundred rounds of this, it's "special occasion" used usually when a new revolver comes into the fold or when I take some out shooting that has never shot a revolver. They can experience the pre Glock era loads of DPD and punch real nice round holes in the targets at the same time.

 

[bgrafsr]

I was hired by Elyria, OH PD in September 1972. The Dept. had .38 Specials with blue or nickle finish, 4 or 5 inch barrels. The four of us who were hired at the same time were directed to go to a sportsmen's shop in Elyria, where we got Model 10-6's.
The load at the time was .38 Spl. RNL, and the ammo was quite old. One of our officers went to a call where the guy who was the subject of the call, pointed a gun at the officer and fired missing him. The officer fired back. 1st round barely made it out of his gun, 2nd round made it further, and the 3rd round struck the guy but bounced off of him. 4th round put him down.
It was determined that we needed new ammo , so the FBI load was bought and issued.
When I made firearms instructor along with another officer, we qualified every 6 months using the FBI load, and then bought new ammo for everyone.
We eventually purchased 4 inch Model 66's for patrol, and 2 1/2 inch 66's for detectives and other personnel, and stayed with the FBI load, as the City didn't want us using .357 Mag. ammo.
After the 66's, we were issued Sigs. 226's for patrol and 225's for detectives and other personnel. The load was 9mm 249 grn JHP.