I started out as a reserve officer and carried a S&W Victory model. In 1975 I was hired full time and was issued a Colt Official Police. It was old and had been reblued at least once. Still I managed to win the high shooter award at the academy. About a year later we were issued new S&W model number 64 HB. I couldn't have been prouder, my daughter Kelly still has the revolver. It's 49 years old right now. I've had a whole slew of autos since that time but that's what I started with.
Were you law enforcement in the 70’s-80’s? What did you carry?
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Dadah333
Member
Hired in 1975, issued a Mod 10 S&W which had seen duty for several years. Sometime in 76 I bought a Colt Python that I carried for a couple of years, until I got a M 39 S&W which I didn't like, so I went back to the Python. Like an idiot, I traded it for a Colt AR. Went to work as a contractor for the USAF, issued a Mod 15 S&W then an M9 until I retired in 2015. I worked part time for the Sheriff's Department and carried a bunch of different guns, from issue to personal purchases.
Could not afford to buy back my issued 10-6 on my patrolman salary when the department transitioned to the 586 around 1982/83. It was only $90, but with a young baby and a new mortgage I could not swing it. When we transitioned to the G17 around 1989 I did buy the 586 for around $140.00 IIRC. Still have it. Several years ago I bought a 10-6 from forum member Jimbo C to replace the one I couldn't afford long ago. Recently took it out and put 50 rounds through it. Ran fine and could regularly ring the 8"steel at about 20 yards. Pictured here as I carried my original with PC magna stocks and Tyler T grip adapter.
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Was sworn in in 1984. Issue weapon was the S&W Model 67, blue rear sight and a red front insert. Pachmayr grips. Issued ammo was CCI 125 grain JHP +P.
Issue leather was a Jordan Border Patrol style holster and drop boxes. You had to buy your own speed loaders and security holster if you wanted them.
Issue leather was a Jordan Border Patrol style holster and drop boxes. You had to buy your own speed loaders and security holster if you wanted them.
I passed up a HK P7M8 for the same reason. Didn't want to spend the $200. Best deal I ever missed.
OP
usmcsgt
Member
But most of us were only making $600-$800 a month back in the 1970's, so that was a lot of money. I thought I was rich when I made detective and $1200 a month LOL.
Jay Dee
Member
I was a Deputy Marshall in a rural community. I started carrying a Hi-Power then my department standardized on 1911s. It made sense. Most of us were veterans and had trained on the 1911. Still have my Colt Government model, Series 70 aka "The Fat Lady".
BobGSgt62
Member
Hired on the MPDC Feb of 1966 and was issued a 4 inch blued S&W Model 10 w/skinny bbl. Carried it during my uniformed years until promoted to Det Sgt and was issued a Colt 2 inch "Detective Special." At time of my retirement, the dept. was in the process of transitioning to Glocks, but I pleaded (successfully) that I was "too short" to bother to retrain me. ;-) and I managed to carry it right up to the very end, being one of the very last officers on my department to carry a wheel gun on duty (FWIW).
Venom6
Member
Was a cadet with the Jefferson, OH PD in the summer of 1972. The next year (at age 20) I was sworn in, so I strapped on the only handgun I owned, a Ruger Super Single Six. But I knew it was serious business, so I carried it with the .22 Magnum cylinder. But I had been reading my Jeff Cooper, so as soon as I could afford it I bought a slightly used Mk.IV Series 70 Colt 1911. Many years and miles later I carried a 4" S&W M57 with the Wheeler County (OR) Sheriff's Office, and like the OP had to handload both practice and carry ammo due to budget limitations. It and the 1911 went away years later, but I still got that Single Six. Hope to give it to a grandkid some day soon.
maxjames2
Member
76 to 2019. In the 70s through 79 a six inch 19. Issued 110 grain SJHPs +P. In 79 changes agencies and had to carry a four inch 19. Practice ammo was wad and semi wad cutter. Duty was 126 SJHPs. I carried a 2 1/2 inch 19 in plain clothes.i carried a 4506+1 in 14 then back to the short 19. From 2009 till retiring in 2019 i hcarried an M and P 15T in the trunk. 16 inch barrel. I doubled the value at the time by adding an ACOG on toop.
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maxjames2
Member
That is what I did. Carried a snub 19 till retirement. I think i was the last revolver on the department. It was a small department.
roundels
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Went to work as a USAF contractor in 1982. Our issue was the heavy barrel model 10 with the 12 round ammo loop belt slider. Later worked for several other contractor as an ACSO and carried a misstamped Model 65 in .38 Spl. I still have it. I figured out how to mod one of the old 4 place stacked speedloader belt cases to hold two Safariland Comp IIIs and carried that setup for the last 9 years. I felt like Jerry Miculek on the range.
wileyjackhammer
Member
I did about 5 years in patrol, then10 years in K-9 counting initial training time 75-85.
I went to Special Ops for a 3+ year tour, then Resident Deputy out in the sticks (where I lived), then Patrol Sgt & w/additional duty as K-9 Sgt + others, then onto Spec Ops as Sgt in Contract City, then Traffic Sgt in the Contract City. Retired after 32 years, took a job with USMS as a DSO for the next 21 years, retired again and moved to another state. K-9 & Spec Ops jobs being the most fun & rewarding. USMS treated me very well while I was there. It was a different world.
Reloader Fred
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That's very true. I started at $700.00 a month in 1971 when hired full time with the Sheriff's Office. The day I was hired, I went into hock for $300.00 to the uniform shop and made small monthly payments until the bill was paid off. Those days were lean, for sure.
Fred
wileyjackhammer
Member
Sounds familiar....I started at $735 a month salary in 71. No O/T...went to hourly in 1974 , with take home cars and paid O/T...what a blessing.
I carried that model 28 for many years. I used to tell the bad guys that it was a .44 magnum and if I shot you with it, your mama would have to bury you in a sandwich bag (Most had seen Dirty Harry). As I got a little older that thing got heavier and heavier. I think it gained weight along with me. I finally got a 4" model 19. The department eventually went to auto stuffers, 1st gen model 59's, which I really did not like. I was a Grand Master on the pistol team and that new 59 shot so poorly, I could barely qual with it. So, being "grandfathered in" I continued to carry my wheel gun. That was finally questioned during my Sgt's oral and I was ask why I hadn't "conformed" and that I needed to set an example for the troops. I just explained that most of them didn't shoot well enough to know the difference.
OP
usmcsgt
Member
Course I remember a $20 lasting all week back in those days. And all the cafes, food places knew we were getting paid nothing so 50 off meals were common and owners never expected anything in return. Plus the food must be good if their are cop cars there LOL.
I started out as a reserve police officer in 1982 in a small city north of Abilene, TX. The only handgun I had at the time was a nickel plated S&W Model 19 with a 6" barrel. I got nicknamed the Rifleman due to carrying the long barreled revolver. Then in 1984 I joined the Abilene Police Department and was issued a S&W Model 66 4" revolver. I liked it very much and shot it extensively, even shooting out the rifling after a couple of years and thousands of rounds. The range officer issued me a new new one that he slicked up for me and it shot very well.
Barrel length seemed to be a regional thing back in the day. When I lived down south 4" bbl was the norm, I moved to the Pacific Northwest and 6" bbl was common (& I was issued an used M28-2 6" that I purchased when we went to auto pistols).
OP
usmcsgt
Member
Yep, I noticed most city LE carried 4 inch except for a few cowboys who liked 6 inch. Sheriffs dept seemed to like 6 inch- guess better for stopping cars was the though.
