Would any cop today feel an advantage with a .357 Magnum revolver?

[stantheman86]

For Police use, revolvers are far from optimal these days. Glock made sure of that, with their famous simplicity of use. Put a mag in it, rack the slide, holster it, it's ready to go. Draw it, point in the general direction of the bad guy, pull the trigger until the slide locks back.......is the usual method of use for a Glock. Plus Glock offers 'em cheaper, is able to undercut the competition although the M&P is gaining ground.

I have seen people who have never fired a handgun in their lives, within 3 days of training, were able to at least qualify at the basic level with a Glock. They were also able to field strip and clean it. The security company I worked at added heavier trigger springs to the Glocks we used, to reduce the risk of ND's. So, you have the "draw, point and squeeze" simplicity of a revolver, without all those "lever and switch thingys" found on other autoloading pistols to confuse people........they require no lube, and minimal maintenance, because security guard guns spend 99.9% of the time in a rack or in a holster, not getting cleaned.

Even the mags are plastic, so ham handed people can't dent 'em.I have seen people try to load the rounds in the mags backwards, and then wonder why the "slidy thingy won't close".......yes, I worked with some real brain surgeons at my security job, and even they can't break a Glock........ I have no love for Glock, but they are dummy proof. The biggest thing is training people with IQ's barely more than their waist size to keep their fingers off the trigger when they reholster them And also to keep their hands away from the "moving thingy" on top of the gun when they shoot it......yes, I saw a guy try to "cock the hammer" on a Glock and got bashed in the thumb with the slide during a qual. Also saw a fat guy who'd been there 20 years get bit in the fat roll shooting the Glock from the "pistol retention" position......one girl had a jam and proceeded to look down the barrel of a loaded Glock to see what was wrong with it...another girl couldn't handle the recoil of the .40 and dropped the pistol after 3 rounds at the target, nothing makes your morning like seeing a piece of tactical Tupperware bouncing along the ground in front of the firing line...good thing for the drop safety....I can't make this stuff up.......

 

[.357magger]

Times have changed and so have the perps. Over the years, the number of shootings involving multiple perps has increased.
The number of rounds fired in the "average police shooting" has increased.

Can you provide a verifiable stat for that?

Reason I'm asking is that the last data I saw, LEO shootings were averaging 6 rounds per fight, up from 1980's average of 3.2 rounds per fight. Today's average, and I'll admit in this post I'm going from memory, also includes a LOT of misses.

So...where is your data from?

 

[Poohgyrr]

To bring this back to the main focus of the topic, the Sig DAK trigger is like a well tuned S&W trigger, plus I get 12 round capacity and faster reloads.

Well, trigger reach is different and can be easier to adjust on revolvers. This can often be an accuracy issue, but since the option is not allowed I guess it doesn't matter. FWIW, we issue 226 DAKs, but every Ofc who carries a personally owned Sig has chosen a TDA model, and does noticeably better. I'm simply not a fan of forcing every Officer to carry the same handgun - but I've also noticed the world doesn't things my way either. Can't figure out why...

And yeah, everyone here shot noticably better when Glocks were issued... (rocking the boat again) Life is not meant to be boring.

 

[RetiredSWAT]

In 1980, I started police work with a 4" Model 19 and bought a Safety Speed Clamshell holster...remember them? LAPD used them at the time. A VERY fast holster, and secure for the weapon retention techniques that were just being taught then.

We transitioned to Sig P220's in '86, then Glock 22's around 1994. When I returned to Patrol for my last 3 1/2 years in '07, I dug out my old Model 19 and clamshell. After practicing for awhile, I decided to carry this rig on duty, based mainly on the speed and the weapon retention. Not too many bad guys left alive who know where the release button is!

Anyway, the rig is so much faster than the usual duty holsters...I could usually draw and fire 2-3 shots before others fired their first shot (and I'm 52 years old)...a significant advantage. Accurate, too. The younger cops, most of whom have NEVER shot a revolver thought I was nuts carrying a six shooter, but I felt good with it, and I did carry a back-up.

Yeah, a 15 shooter is probably better, especially reloading, and for "combat," but if it was a call where shots fired may be likely, I'd take the 870 or AR anyway. Never felt undergunned with a Smith.

 

[Tunachaser]

I love my autos, I too compete with one, we all know alot can happen with one, anything from a stove pipe to going full auto. I have a Sig that is going back because it won't eat, my race gun has never had a hick-up, not yet, but it could, If my life was on the line, I would want my .357, I wouldn't want any 9mm or any Glock. We have a lot of LEOs coming to the club to be trained by our instructors, they all say the same thing, they thought they knew how to shoot until the ran a course, it does get the blood pumping and I think it is the closest you can get to real life. If you don't practice, you will die. No matter how many autos you are carring. We had a shoot out here in town, the officer emptied three mags, and never even hit the car.
By the way, I like this forum, and I'm glad I found it.

 

[Tunachaser]

Just an observance, ever notice that the bug is almost always a six gun?

 

[Badkarma 1]

Just an observance, ever notice that the bug is almost always a six gun?

Indeed! It still amazes me that the little J frame Smith or D frame Colt is the prefered BUG too this day. Personally I think it has a lot to do with the reliabilty factor and that if you need your backup it's gonna be close and dirty.
Also being in close there's a very real chance of making contact shots, and revolvers excell at this. They don't suffer from going out of battery when shoved against an attacker and NOT firing like autos do! Some say the ubiquitious 2in. snub is out of date what with all the micro .380s and baby 9mm out there, I say phooey on that! These little 5 and 6 shooters are just as viable today as they were back in the 50s. And from what I've read are the popular choice among CCW carriers.
Welcome to the forum Tunachaser, glad to have ya aboard! Dale

 

[Tunachaser]

Thanks Dale. I always regretted selling my first two smiths. I just bought a 19-4 2" round but that will go to one of my kids. I think it is an older gun, but it looks brand new. Just need to find a pair of grips now.

 

[John Eilertson]

I'm not a LEO, but an ordinary citizen. I believe the .357 to be an excellent weapon, when combined with the right bullet and more importantly, well aimed shots. Sometimes I wish the loal police would ditch all these fancy semis for sixguns. An officer must LEARN to shoot well with a revolver, and that would have to nearly eliminate so much of these "spray and pray" activities. Just my opinion, tho'.

 

[Ron H.]

No offense or anything, but I find threads like this funny. "These dang kids today with their fancy high-tech bows and arrows! We oughta go back to the spear! That was a *real* weapon, simple and reliable! It required real skill, not this 'spray and pray' nonsense!"



Semper Fi,

Ron H.

 

[award]

Nobody mentioned a springfield armory XD45 acp? I never had a ftf of any sort with mine. How do the fellas feel about the XD vs. the glock?

 

[badguybuster]

I gotta tell ya. I never felt under gunned carrying my 627-5. You pull that hog-leg out and see the resulting "O"'s on the faces of would be thugs. There is a certain aura exhibited by an N-frame revolver. That being said, nothing says "cease and desist" like the racking of a remington 870! Train wth what you carry, no matter what it is, and you'll better your odds.

 

[stantheman86]

.357's? There are cops in New York City still carrying S&W and Ruger .38's! All I know is what I read about it, that new NYPD officers cannot opt to buy and carry the S&W or Ruger DAO .38 revolver, but veteran officers can continue to carry them if they choose. I don't know if the Model 60 or .38 Ruger SP101 is still an approved off duty gun.

Would love to hear from some of the current NYPD guys to see if they or any guys they know still carry a .38.

The last time I was in NYC, maybe 10 years ago, probably more, I saw an NYPD police officer with some kind of wheelgun......I couldn't tell what it was and I didn't want to be walking around staring at a cop's gun, but I saw the wood grip of either a S&W or a Colt, might have been a Ruger Service Six.

 

[PuertoRican]

Not a LEO. Don't shoot a .357 though I have in the past. Do have a custom Vaquero .45 long colt & .45 ACP Taurus PT145. The Vaquero is about twice as heavy as the Taurus. Shooting 230 grain +P outta both of them, the difference is night and day. The Taurus just seems to soak up the recoil & its way easier to bring subsequent rounds on target. My previous experience with .45 ACP was with an M1911A1 in the Corps in 1960. Scared me so bad I damn near dropped it. Bottom feeders have come a long, long way.

I know this a little off the subject but thought it was relevant. If I'm outta line, I apologize. God, I just love this forum.

Respects,
Bob