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.