SIA .38spl

[Sniper X]

I just got a Security Industries of America .38spl snubbie fro a song. It is like new, all stainless, 5 shot .38spl. Locks up real tight and shoots great. I have read both great and bad things about these. Anyone who HAS one can fill me in on it?

 

[Sniper X]

This little thing is really a lot nicer than I thought it would be. GREAT trigger. On that, the trigger in single action has to be about 3lbs max, and in double action is feel fairly light, just right in fact. While not as light as my Python, it does not have ANY clicks in the stroke, all one smooth action...and the thing is TIGHT lockup wise. I will shoot it today, but my buddy who I got it from said it was vary accurate and he is hard to please.

 

[wcwhitey]

Frankly I have never heard of that manufacturer. But judging from the pics it looks like a very nice J frame copy. Congrats and please post a shooting report. Bill

 

[Sniper X]

That J frame deal is a huge bonus, I am lefty and have a couple J frame holsters already! It fits like a glove....

 

[Lucky Derby]

Never heard of it. Looks like a SB J frame copy. If quality is good, looks like you have a shooter.

 

[Sniper X]

it feels really good. I remember reading bad things about their aluminum frame model which was like this one but had an aluminum frame. People said you didn't want to fire +p out of those and that if one had it wouldn't take long to develop head shake. BUT I have read good things about the all stianless models. The company actually made a .357mag version as well based on this frame with a different cylineder and half inch longer barrel. So I think it'll be fine. I know the original owner personally and he has shot about 500 rounds thru it and it is still very tight and nice. I shot a round thru it about 10 minutes ago and it hit the clay bird I shot at at ten yards.

 

[ChefJeff1]

nice gun, looks more like a J frame/Ruger cross. I will research.

 

[Ala Dan]

From The 80's

I've heard of the company before; however, many moons ago~! I remember
them as being a square butt, Smith J-frame copy with sloppy lockup. The
price [back then] was affordable; being at somewhere 'round $169 I do
believe~? Anyway, I by-passed the deal and bought a Smith stainless 2"
model 60 in .38 Special~!

 

[Sniper X]

Yeah, every gun in the 70s was cheap.....as far as what they sold for then. The values on these in this condition are in the mid 200s like 250~275. Got it for $120.00

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Security Industries revolvers were made in the late 1970s / early 1980s, IIRC. They were actually the first to make a small-frame .357 Magnum revolver, also IIRC.

That cylinder release is unusual. The checkering on both sides suggests it can be either pulled or pushed.

 

[bannockburn]

Security Industries was based in New Jersey and came out with the stainless Police Security Special, in .38 Special, sometime in the early to mid 1970's. Available with a 2" barrel, square butt, and spur hammer, the all stainless steel gun weighed around 18 to 19 oz. Retail price was $155. About a year or two later, they had the Police Pocket revolver, chambered in .357 Magnum. This model was available with a 2" barrel, round butt, and a spurless hammer. Another model with a 2 1/2" barrel and spur hammer was also offered at this time. Retail price for either gun was $185. All models were 5 shot revolvers.

As I recall at the time, the .357 models were particularly difficult to control while shooting full house .357 loads. One recurring problem with these guns was that the grips frequently came loose, or in some cases, cracked and broke, during the range sessions.

Production ended on all models sometime in 1978.

 

[Hondo 60]

another one here who's never heard of them.
But it looks & sounds like a winner.

 

[Sniper X]

That cylinder release is unusual. The checkering on both sides suggests it can be either pulled or pushed.

I noticed and though that too, but it only works when pushed towards the cylinder....Odd design but surely great for real gun guys asking that as everyone does!

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm a little surprised to see any firearm manufactured in such a anti-gun State like New Jersey. It's not a bad looking revolver from what I can see in the picture and according to the OP's report, the trigger is good too.

 

[Sniper X]

JoiSey.....I wonder what the laws and political climate was there in the mid to late 70s, probably not at all like it is now.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I wonder what the laws and political climate was there in the mid to late 70s, probably not at all like it is now.

That's a good point. It just seems NJ has been terrible for so long it's hard to remember when things were better there. (like in NY City where I lived most of my life!)

 

[Sniper X]

I will hazzard a guess that all the gun laws and knife laws and many other laws in NJ were blamed by the politicians on the Mafia back starting in the late 70s early 80s. Which is probably why this company SIA stopped making guns there in 1978!

 

[Jesse Heywood]

Standard Catalog of Firearms shows the model PSS as 38 spl, 2" bbl, 5 shot with walnut grips. Value is $300 exc. to $100 poor. Manufactured 1973-1978. They also made two 357 versions, 2" or 2.5" bbl.

 

[Promking]

Security Industries

That gun you aquired is either loved or hated by many, but not well known. I had to register when I saw this an spout off! Smith & Wesson produced the first stainless revolver, and of course chose the j frame as the expierimental model. This was around 1965 and the model was called the model 60. Word has it, one of the design engineers decided to take his ideas on the road, and open his own company, putting up funds from his securitys and stocks...naming the company appropriatly, Security Industries of America. a Unique logo was also chosen and the first model was your model...The PSS or Police Security Special. This was in 1973 about the same time +P ammo was hitting the market. It was claimed to be a strong revolver capable of "sustained use of 38/44 high velocity, super velocity, and Plus P ammo". In addition, it had the then popular square butt for secured gripping. C.C.W. wasnt very common (legal) in those days so the market chosen was law enforcement thus the "police security special" name. Your gun does not have the original grips, which may or may not be a blessing since the originals looked like something carved out by Helen Keller. They were however walnut "combat stocks" with finger grooves, and the first company to offer them as standard. The model was such a strong performer with hotloads the company designed a .357 magnum version in 1975 called the PM (pocket magnum) which was offered with a 2 and 1/2 inch barrel. This is the most common encountered model, and the most widely produced. The last model, the PPM (Police Pocket Magnum) was/is the rarest version and was initially only offered as an L.E.O. weapon. It sported a rounded butt, and the 1 7/8" (two inch) barrel. These were back in the days when little if any training/mandating of off duty/backup weapons for cops existed. They were supposed to be carried alot, shot very little and then, only with .38 ammo, with Magnums being the "emergency option". In 1978 the company went belly up and turned over records to the A.T.F. In those days, if you wanted a .357 snub, about the smallest you could get was a K frame .357 with a 2 1/4" barrel from Smith & Wesson. The Security Industries models were nice hide away guns for cops who carried .357 duty weapons and ammo, that could readilly use the higherpowered ammo in an emergency.

 

[Sniper X]

Great write up and thanks for the information! I do love the little gun. It is a great reliable accurate shooter. And the thing is very hideable! I really like how different and out of the ordinary it is. Mu first snub WAS a SMith model 60 and not only can I shoot this one much better, it is more accurate than the model 60 was and feels better in the hand because of the grips and frame.

 

[Promking]

I own one of each model, (tho I aquired them by accident) And the .38 is a nice weapon! enjoy it! The thumb latch for the cylinder release is NOT a two way lever, its design was mimicked off the OLD S&W chief special latch. It is a bit thicker and rounded, but since the gun is so close to a j-frame somethings were changed to breakup the design since contrary to popular belief, they were NOT cheap. Infact, they had a slightly higher manufacture suggest retail than the Smiths back in the day. Most guys bought Smiths or Colts so to market the weapon, the company talked up the inherant strength of the design, coupled with the stainless steel construction and later, the availability of the magnum calibres. Something you may find interesting, your .38 was at the time, the first weapon introduced with a new patended hammer block safety. Security Industries was the first company to introduce the design, and the patent was awarded to S.I.A. ( Security Industries Of America) for that design. In addition, to dispell another myth, S.I.A. never introduced an aluminum model. Take a magnet to anyone of the three models and you'll see.