Duty/Service Revolvers (real or imagined)

[Rinehartdv]

My Choice

I've carried a SS Ruger Security Six/S&W 66 And a S&W 64 on duty, all 4" (Security). The first firearm I ever purchased was the S&W 66. If I had to choose now it would be a S&W .41 Mag. Mountain Gun. Ray

 

[Snowman92D]

4-inch Model 629 Mountain Gun with an action job.

 

[Stevel]

I guess a 4" fixed sight Ruger in 357. Preferably the Security Six or Service Six, whichever is the fixed sight one. If they weren't available the 3" GP would do well.

An SP101 in the same caliber as backup.

 

[MICHAEL T]

4" Ruger GP-100 .357 with adjustable sights, loaded with Federal 125 JHPs. It was my spare gun...it stayed in the Crown Vic.

When cops carried .357 revolvers in great numbers, it is funny how you never heard about needing more than one round to put a bad guy down .

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

Yep no 10 officers fired 350 rounds and hit suspect in foot Other suspect still remains at large . Offcers fired 70 rounds a man traped in foyer Subject surrendered unharmed.
Almost all the policemen I knew as a kid were shooters,hunters. oh yes and vets.

 

[JMusic]

Carried the S&W Model 15 with 125 grain Super Vel's. Graduated to Model 27 - 5''.
Custom tuned. Still have it in the presentation box. Carried a Colt detective as back up.

 

[Seven High]

I carried a S & W 681 in four inch for approximately 10 years. It had fixed sights. It was a great weapon. Very rugged. The only problem that I had was cleaning all the lead out of the barrel after shooting school. They would buy the cheapest lead .38 spl reloads for training. The weapon worked great as a sap when needed.

 

[RWMC]

It would be one of what I would call the Smith & Wesson "Stainless Service Series" revolvers. The calibers available would be .45 Colt, .45 A.C.P., .44 Magnum, .41 Magnum, 10 m.m./.40 S & W, and .357 Magnum. The revolver would be a matte finished, stainless steel N-frame, with the rounded grip configuration. It would have a 4" full under-lug barrel with low profile Novak style rear night sights, along with a white dot front sight to give you the 3-dot sight picture. It would have a smooth combat trigger. There would be no other options available. The cost should be no more than $450. I personally believe Smith and Wesson would sell a ton of them!

 

[nitesite]

I'm a big fan of the .45ACP cartridge, so I would carry a Birdsong BlackT finished 4" Smith&Wesson N-frame with fixed Novak-style tritium sights dovetailed into the topstrap and a tritium patridge front sight. Oh, the gun would be stainless and would remain silver around the muzzle crown "for effect". Four full-moon-clips would on my rig, plus the six in the cylinder.

And for those who could handle it, a like version in 10mm or .45LC would be sweet.

What do you think about that!

 

[Beachcomber]

Call me old fashioned

I would choose the time proven pre-lock Model 65 w/ 4" bull barrel. As an off-duty carry... a 3" model 65... and as a back-up I would choose a Model 640.

 

[fastbolt]

I've carried a variety of personally owned revolvers, and a couple of issued revolvers (M66 & M686, both 4").

Given my druthers nowadays, if I were going to carry a revolver in uniform again ... my first choice would be a M627 5" 8-shot .357 Magnum, and my second choice would be a M619 4" 7-shot .357 Magnum.

I once came close to switching over to a personally owned .44 Magnum while working a rural beat, where my cover was 30-60 minutes distant ... but that was then, and this is now ... and I'd settle on a nicely balanced 4-5" barreled S&W wheelgun with 7-8 round capacity chambered in .357 Magnum.

 

[Revolver Justice]

I would carry my S&W M64-3 and M60(no dash) loaded with the FBI load with two speed loaders for the M64 and a dump pouch for the M60. Come to think of it that is what I carry every day now. Got to love those S&W six-shooters.

 

[41 magnum fan]

My first choice would be a S&W 41 magnum Mountain Gun loaded with 175 grain silvertips. Second choice would be a S&W 625 Mountain Gun in 45 ACP loaded with 230 grain gold dots.

 

[cookekdjr]

Make mine:

1. A S&W;
2. with a 4" barrel;
3. stainless steel;
4. In caliber that begins with a "4"

All the rest is details.
And yes, I do realize this eliminates my beloved Model 10 and its kin, as well as the tank-built Rugers.
-David

 

[ChristopherG]

8 shot .357 stainless mountain gun w/moonclips (which doesn't exist, but should).

 

[hoek48]

Out of my current guns I would choose my 64-3, 4" or my 66-2, 4". I used to carry a GP100, 4" but foolishly sold it. If new on the current market, probably th S&W 620 and put some type of night sight on it.

 

[ChristopherG]

If new on the current market, probably th S&W 620 and put some type of night sight on it.

Agreed--if we had to choose a real current production gun.

 

[Mr_Moore]

BUG?

Ok, what does BUG stand for? Big Ugly Gun?

 

[ChristopherG]

Back Up Gun

 

[ewb45acp]

If choosing a new gun...

I like the Ruger GP-100

If I can have anything, I've got a thing for the Colt Trooper. What great revolvers they were.

 

[pezo]

3" ruger gp100.

 

[Ken Rainey]

The one I used before, my S&W 4 inch model 66-2...smooth, reliable and accurate.

 

[W Turner]

SW Model 610 4" barrel with a front night sight


backup would be a SW model 638


W

 

[MR.G]

S&W 686P with a 4" barrel would be my choice. A model 649 in .357 for backup.

 

[chaim]

If I was to become a cop and was allowed (forget required) to carry a revolver I would. In that situation a revolver on the hip just is more classic, more dependable, and IMHO a 4-6" (concealability isn't an issue and up to 6" shouldn't make sitting difficult) 6 shot revolver with JHPs showing in the cylinder is just more psychologically impressive over just about any auto. So, I'd go with a revolver and a Kahr PM9 or P9/40 Covert as backup with extra mags in case I did need the quicker reload of an auto.

Now in your hypothetical where one can only carry a revolver, including as backup, it wouldn't be too hard- just make the backup a S&W 642/442 or Taurus 85CH (preferably aluminum) in the pocket or on an ankle holster.

In either your scenario or mine, the primary would be (in order of preference):
1) A 4-6" S&W 58 or 57. Six shots of .41mag should be plenty for most situations

2) A 4-6" S&W 24. Six of .44spl (a very underappreciated round) should be plenty, and those are some impressive looking JHPs the BG is looking at (same with the .41mag but a bit more here).

3) A 4-6" Taurus 608. Eight shots of .357mag is pretty darned strong medicine. Only problem, might be a bit heavy.

4) A 4-6" S&W 686+ or Taurus Tracker in .357mag. Seven shots of .357mag is pretty darned nice.

5) Pretty much any 4-6" six shot Taurus .357mag or .357mag S&W K-frame.

6) A 4" .38spl. I wouldn't feel undergunned with a S&W K-frame or Taurus .38 loaded up with +Ps.

 

[oldtrooper]

Model 19 or Model 66 four inch.

We were first issued the Mod. 27 five inch and carried that until 1968. In 68 we switched to the 4" Mod 19 and carried that for a few years and then switched to the Mod 66 4", I guess the department decided the stainless would be less likely to rust. I never let my Mod 19 rust so it's only a problem if you are lazy. Truth is 90% of LEO's see the sidearm as only a tool and groan when told to report to the range for firearms training.

It's more of a personal preference but any good .357 four inch would be ideal. With Fuzzy Farrant grips the Mod 19 fit my hand perfectly. He knew the secret to getting the correct grip angle on a revolver. When you grip the revolver let your trigger finger lay along the frame below the cylinder. Slowly rotate your wrist and see how your trigger finger rests in relation to the barrel. If your trigger finger is on the same plane as the barrel you can draw and point at the target and you will get a hit up to around 25 feet. Anything hotter than a Federal 125gr HP .357 is sort of over kill but shoot what you are confident with.

With the .357 you can practice more because wadcutters are less expensive and even more so when reloaded. I had the pleasure of meeting Bill Jordan and talking with him at length on several occasions. The NRA PPC chanpionships were held at The Mississippi Highway Patrol Academy from 1968 until 1980 and he put on shooting demonstrations representing the NRA there for several years. From talking with him and reading his book a few of the troopers I worked with started using his wax bullets. That is a safe way to learn to draw, fire and hit what you want out to around 20-25 feet. Getting the muscle memory down is the thing. When it hits the fan you'll do it the same way with that .357 round and get the desired results. With the wax loads you can practice in the garage at home. The name of his book is "No Second Place Winner".