Observed today at Social Security

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R

RON in PA

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This old fart had to bring in his birth certificate to Social Security today to verify age. Went to the Norristown, PA office and observed that the armed guard from the Federal Protective Service carried a wheelgun, a Ruger GP100 SS with a 4" barrel. I wonder if this is typical of the Federal Protective Service around the country? Anyway it's nice to see a police officer carrying a wheel gun in this day and age.
 
Observed at Social Security

A little while back I had to go to our local Social Security office and shortly after I went in "Rambo" was behind me, with his hand on his gun, asking me what I had in the pouch on my belt. I told him it was a Gerber multi-tool and he told me I would have to leave and come back without it. When I returned, the lady behind the counter just smiled and shook her head.

For what its worth he was carrying an automatic. Couldn't tell what kind it was as he still had his hand on it when I took the Gerber back to the car. When I returned a minute later he didn't even check to see if I had left it in the car or not.

Leonard
 
Hi Ron :)

Indeed, most refreshing.

Reminds me - back when I was going thru INS stuff - security guy at Fed building in Stanley St, Pittsburgh (over a year ago) - was carrying what looked to be something like an M19 6" !!!

Good to see revo's not all gone from carry!!
 
The guard manning the medal detector at my federal office wears a revolver. Appears to be a S&W 65.
-David
 
Interestingly, when I went to get a replacement social security card a few months ago, the officer on duty had a 4" Ruger revolver too. He was an older man and I figured he made the choice to stick with a revolver instead of a semi.
 
You want to see wheel guns? Go to Vegas. All of the security blokes use them. 686s by the looks of them. I asked them why, and they said company policy.
 
You want to see wheel guns? Go to Vegas. All of the security blokes use them. 686s by the looks of them. I asked them why, and they said company policy.
Click to expand...

I knew two guys who worked security when I lived in Vegas. One had a 686 and the other a GP-100. The guard who had to provide his own gun was the GP-100, not sure about the Smith.

JRLaws
 
All the Social Security offices that I'm familiar with have guards provided for them under contract by a private company - they're not federal employees. They do provide their own weapons under certain restrictions, and the majority do use revolvers since they're cheaper, and in my opinion just as effective as any auto.
 
I once visited an establishment while a plainclothesed LEO; not 'deep undercover," but definitely not "lookin' like a cop." I had a Buck folding hunter in a leather sheath on my belt, and the security guard made me leave it with him till I left.

No problem, as long as he didn't ask for the S&W M19 in my Bianchi shoulder rig or the Chief's Special in my trouser pocket! :evil:
 
The GSA General Services Agency, is one of the largest government departments. They have their own police force, GSA security. I see them all the time in Philadelphia around the federal building. They have their own police cars even!!!

I see the officers carrying Ruger p-89 in 9mm and Smith and Wesson 686 or Ruger GP 100 both in .357 magnum.

The GSA purchases everything the government needs form Pencils to office buildings, they also provide maintenance and security for many government buildings.

http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/co...IC&programPage=/ep/program/gsaBasic.jsp&P=ACE
 
The guard here where I work carries a Taurus. They have to carry .38 sp., no +p stuff, and no .357. And absolutely no hollowpoints. God forbid they actually use common sense for their ammo selection policy. If they used HP .357 ammo, the likelyhood of a one-shot stop without a through-and-through dramatically rises.

Greg
 
when I was in college I interviewed for a job as an armored car guard. They told me I was required to use a 4" 38 special revolver, which they said was for insurance reasons. At the time all I had was a 6" 357 mag, which I asked if would be acceptable if I loaded 38's. They were adament that it had to be an actual 4" 38, because they looked less menacing apparently, and obviously it was still POSSIBLE to put 357's in a 357, so the accusation could be that's what I had, and they wanted to be able to be certain it was only 38's. I don't recall there being an ammo restriction (non hp's or whatever) but maybe we just never got that far. I ended up turning the job down because it didn't pay THAT well that I wanted to lose the first two weeks pay right off the top buying a new handgun for it, when I could make the same money at any other mall type job and NOT have to lay out a couple hundred bucks up front.
 
I was at the local indoor range a few weeks ago and there was an LEO trainer there giving a class to some guys who would were just hired for TSA, and were getting assigned to a federal building.

They were qualifying with 4" Ruger GP100s.
-
 
I think that the major reason for security use of a six shot 38 special is the insurance policy for the company. It is easier to get insurance written if you have this restriction. At one time they also mandated 158gr roundnose.
 
For many many years the Federal Government contracts required security guards to carry six shot, 4", .38 Special revolvers, with 158 gr. Round nose lead bullets. In some states, including Florida until recently, State Law required the same thing.

Geoff
Who thinks many laws are incredibly stupid.
 
Here in Colorado Springs, local ordnance (or state law ... not sure) only allows "Private Armed Security Guards" to pack a wheel gun in either .38spec or .357mag.

Maybe the security guards at these various offices are sub-contractors and other cities have this same asinine rule?
 
I work in NYC in a building where there are United Nation / US State Department offices on a few floors. All of the US State Department guards carry revolvers.

Luke
 
Well, you know what a violent bunch senior citizens are.

Actually, he's probably just practicing to be a T.S.A. goon.
__________________________________________________

I know you were just having fun, but have you ever been to a Social Security office? The majority of the people in the lobby will probably be under 40. Most wanting a new social security card, but some mental defectives on disability wanting to inquire about their checks, or the martian brain waves they are receiving, or prisoners just released who want their checks that they read about in a prison newsletter (not gonna happen), etc.
 
The local Sheriff passed me on the highway. Aways up my wife and I see him pulled over, gesturing to us to pull over. As I do I see there's a rifle case set out on the trunk. Now I'm wondering what's up. I know him and we get to talking, he wants to know about the Civil War Springfield replica he's got.:)

I'm packing my Colt SAA as usual in a Bianchi Lawman holster and he's eyeballing it. So I unbuckle my belt and slide the stag handled Colt off still in the holster.
I held it next to his semi-pistol and said to him "now doesn't this look better then that Glock looking thing? Under that cowboy hat you'd be alot more popular and get more votes with a stylish sixshooter like this. Besides you don't use it any way, you always grab a 12ga."
His reply was he liked it but couldn't afford one and the Glock came with the job:(
 
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