Were you law enforcement in the 70’s-80’s? What did you carry?

[mic214]

This is such a great thread! It brings back lots of memories from times gone by. I see a lot of us carried the Highway Patrolman as our first duty sidearms.

As I mentioned earlier, I started out in a small municipal police department with 18 sworn (Including the Chief). The only things they issued you were a badge and ammo. You had to supply everything else. I began as a Reserve Officer, which worked into a part time solo Reserve gig to fill in for officers who were on vacation or out sick. After a year, I got promoted to a full time sworn officer.

My first holster for my 6" Highway Patrolman was a basic basketweave leather rig made by SW. It had a strap that went over the hammer. It was brown when I bought it, so I ended up dying it black with shoe dye. It passed muster!

Our extra ammo was carried in either a belt slide with loops or dump pouches (This was pre-speed loader days). My first set of speed loaders were soft rubber ones made by Safariland (I think I still have them somewhere!). Later on, I upgraded to the HKS speed loaders.

Back then, the popular duty holster was the Hoyt Breakfront. So, I saved up for one for my 6" Highway Patrolman. It was quite a well made piece of gear and I felt very secure with it. I bought my 4" Highway Patrolman from a fellow officer for $100.00 and it came with a Hoyt Breakfront.

I forgot to mention in my earlier post that I did carry a Browning High Power for a short period of time at my first agency. We had gotten a new Chief and he allowed us to carry personally owned 9mm semi autos. We could choose between a BHP, 1911 or a S&W 39/59. I chose the BHP because I already had one. This was short lived as I ended up going to the local Sheriff's Office as a Patrol Deputy.

When I went to the Sheriff's Office (Around 250 sworn), they issued pretty much everything to us. The Model 15 I got had definitely been around the block, but the action was super smooth. The issue holster was a swivel rig with a thumb snap. This was soon replaced by another Hoyt. They gave us dump pouches, but I ended up going with Safariland speed loaders and a Safariland 4 pack pouch (Two on the top and two on the bottom). That was a pretty slick set up that allowed for me to carry a total of 30 rounds on my belt.

 

[bodyarmorguy]

entered the academy in 1984, had to supply our own gun, revolver was required. I started with a 681 and finished with a 686. I carried it for a few months, then switched to a 469, and later to a Combat Commander in 9mm. My duty pistol through the rest of the 80's was a Combar Government Model in .45 acp. I went into street crimes and narcs in 1989 and into the 90's, during that time a S&W 4516 saw quite a bit of carry.

 

[StuN25]

SW M15: purchased, carried in academy and in first patrol assignment;

SW M19 6" in patrol and 2 1/2" in admin div assignments, personal purchases;

SW 459 then 5906 in patrol, SW M19 2 1/2" as BUG then M49, SWAT assignment SW 645 all personal purchase then Colt 1911 issued;

G17, SW 4006 in patrol (both issued), SWAT assignment USP 40 F personal acquisition (I worked for HK as adjunct instructor at the time)

 

[usmcsgt]

S&W Model 39-nothing was issued.

View attachment 782147

S&W Model 49 as my second. Usually in an ankle rig.

View attachment 782148

Love the grips on the 49

 

[Squib_Load]

Back in the 70's in the Navy I volunteered my off time to work in Base Security. At first they issued me a S&W Model 10. Later, I carried a Colt 1911A1. In the Dodge crew pickup there was always a Rem 870 in a vertical magnetic mount near my knee.

 

[mdf9183]

I started with the P.D. in 1969 and we were issued S&W 38/44 nickel 4 in. with 158 gr LRN ammo. In 1973 we changed over to S&W mod. 27 4 in. with the same ammo. Became a Sgt. Inv. in 1978 and carried a Mod. 19 4 in, personally owned until I retired in 1998.

 

[justwippet2006]

I was in the Coast Guard in Hawaii in 1979 (I was 18) and we carried 1911s from the 1920-1930s in snap holsters in condition 4. The one time that I had to draw during a boarding was, thankfully, cut short when my partner came up from below deck and the gentleman that I was interviewing moved his hand away from his nickel revolver (funny how I can still see it in vivid detail).
As much as I loved the boats? I decided to go the aviation route that evening.

 

[backintheday]

I didn't start law enforcement until '92 but, im pretty sure I remember the North Carolina Highway Patrol carried Smith & Wesson model 586's in the '80's
Pretty sure it was Beretta 92's after that

They carried the stainless L-frame, the Model 686.

 

[Pine_Worker]

Was a deputy sheriff in the 1980s, carried a satin nickel Colt Government Model 1911 45 ACP, Commander was off-duty weapon.

 

[Jimmy4570]

I started out in '94 at my sheriff's office with an issued 66-3 4" that I carried until I shot our POST qual with my Springield Standard 90's edition 1911a1, the base gun for the first Gunsite Service Pistols. Had to provide my own ammo. That consisted of training ammo of Gary Thibodaux of GAT Bullets excellent copy of the H&G #68 200gr SWC and duty ammo of the 230gr Hydra Shok. Shot the 66 frequently but the 1911a1 has been my constant companion for serious purposes forever.

 

[Redwood32R2]

Served as a reserve officer for 30 yrs from Jan 1981 to Feb 2011 on a rural Iowa county seat PD. 10 regular officers, 1 detective and the chief, 10 reserves. When I started we were not allowed to carry handguns, the city council were afraid we would mow down every one. However we were allowed to use the 12ga shotguns, go figure. We were, however, qualified twice a year on the dept 66-1s. After a new chief from out of state took over in1989 we were given the 66-1s to carry when the regulars started using 9mm. In the late nineties we were allowed to carry our own private purchase 9mm, provided they were approved by our chief and the dept firearms instructor. I purchased a Sig P229 and carried that till I retired. Reserves qualified twice a year compared to only once a year for the regulars. By the way, in the time I was with the dept, the only ND was when the dept firearms instructor shot himself in the leg during qualification at the range.

 

[Skeet 028]

About 1980....Short period of time fire investigator for our dept. attached to state fire marshal's office...miserable part of the job in my opinion. Carried my M-27 3 1/2 inch( PIA)...when I had to. Win 125 gr HPs

 

[Jerry3457]

Started in 79 with my own 4" M66 no dash .. got hired in 81 by a larger Dept issued 4"M65-3,then 4"M681. Promoted to detective issued 21/2" 66-2 assigned to narcotics carried personal M469, then M3913, in mid 90's Dept issued Beretta 96D .40 … on SWAT we were issued H&K P7M8 as Chief I issued Glock M21 G4 .45acp but allowed officers to carry any suitable handgun approved by my senior armorer ( I carried a Walter PPS in.40) All 37 years of my career I always had one version or another S&W J frame as backup

 

[W.E.G.]

Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department in the 1980's.

Taper-barrel Model 10.

We were required to carry at all times.

Pic shows the gun I currently own. Exactly like the one I carried as a member of the department.

Actual approved off-duty holster.

Buck 110 I owned since childhood, and which I carried on my duty belt.

Both are reliable as the day is long.

 

[rgmc2009]

Entered the Academy January 1975 with a blue 4' Mod 19-2 purchased from an older officer. Carried it for a year until I saved up enough to buy a Mod 66. Bought a like new 4' Mod 66 no dash with stainless sights which I immediately changed the rear for a blue/white outline and painted the front sight with bright red nail polish. Couldn't afford an off-duty weapon so carried this in an early pancake holster for about a year when I was able to buy a 2" Mod 64. Both served me well for the next 5 years until I left police work for the cruel world of private business. I still have all three of these revolvers and will pass them to my three grandsons one day. I'm sure they'll be real curiosities in this world of polymer wonder nines!

 

[Marshal Tom]

Started my career as a summer officer and then full time on the island of Marthas Vineyard in 1971. Was working there through Kennedy and Jaws. I purchased a 4" model 66 and a model 60 due to the salt air doing a number on blued guns. I was there until 1980 when I moved to Colorado. I took my 66 with me to the Eagle County Sheriff's office but sold it for a 2.5" model 66-2 that I carried for a couple of years before transitioning to a 1911 that I carried almost exclusively while Undersheriff and various command positions for 16 yrs before taking the Chief job for almost 12 years in my small town of Cedaredge.

 

[lppd4]

The Buck 110 and the Shrade LB7 were the only tactical knives back in the day. We would buy a single mag pouch holder to wear on our duty rig

 

[JiminMaine]

I was a Deputy Sheriff for about a year in 1975-6 and had a model 10 4"

 

[URIT]

Unlike others, our large mid-west police department required officers to buy everything but a wood night stick, cap and chest badges. So, in 1968 I bought a new S&W Model 15-3 4-inch, and carried it for 9 years. I traded the 15-3 for a nickel 19-4 4-inch .357 combat magnum that rode my hip to retirement in 2001. Smiths all the way.

 

[usmcsgt]

Armoloy was the name, but later others started producing the same finish. There was a shop in Houston that did oil field equipment and guns if they were completely disassembled. Had several refinished to beat the Texas humidity. It was very durable.

Yep that's the place I had my 41mag done. Hey it's lasted 45 years of hard wear and no rust. It was very space age in the 1980's and was a matt finish- not much shine at night.