Police still carry a revolver

[javbike]

The Police Revolver ...It Ain’t Dead Yet!

According to a recent New York Times story, that’s how many of the city’s Finest are still packing .38 Special revolvers as primary duty weapons. They stand out among the more than 30,000 officers there, most of whom wear DAO 9mm autos to work.

americanhandgunner.com

Interesting article on how some police still prefer to carry a revolver instead of an automatic.

 

[KillerFord1977]

The Police Revolver ...It Ain’t Dead Yet!

According to a recent New York Times story, that’s how many of the city’s Finest are still packing .38 Special revolvers as primary duty weapons. They stand out among the more than 30,000 officers there, most of whom wear DAO 9mm autos to work.

americanhandgunner.com

Interesting article on how some police still prefer to carry a revolver instead of an automatic.

It worked for 100 yrs from the old west to the late ‘70s.
No reason it still isnt an effective tool today.

I have said a perp staring down the barrel of a .357 Mag revolver has a massive more intimidation factor that a plastic wonder

 

[3L120]

I have only been on one shooting in law enforcement. When he went to his waistband, pulled the shiny object out and started shooting, all the good reactions went to work. Later I was amazed at how it all came together. However, I was carrying aSmith 5904, which I had been using for 3 years. I marked the perp for evidence with one hit to the right shoulder, and I truly believe, had I been carrying the Model 15 I had been issued in the Academy, decades before,I would have scored two rounds in the ten ring.

 

[Wirenut]

Last time I was at Midway Airport in Chicago I have seen a few officers that were assigned to airport duty were carrying some type of S&W stainless revolver.

 

[Superzuki]

When I started, in 1980, we had 357 Magnum, S&W, M66 stainless revolvers. We changed to Sig P226 9MM pistols.
I was sorry to see the 357 Mag go.
I taught myself to double tap right away, I didn't think the 9MM was a effective as a 357 Mag. The philosophy at the time was to have as many rounds as possible, not necessarily the most effective ones.

 

[HayesGreener]

I carried 14 different sidearms for duty in a 42 year career. Half of them were revolvers, before they were overtaken by the wave of semi-autos. When I started our reloads were loose rounds carried in a dump pouch. Then after the Newhall Incident speedloaders emerged. I never felt poorly armed going in harm's way with a revolver and speedloaders. We spent a lot of time learning to reload a revolver in a hurry. Many years later at instructor courses I encountered instructors who had spent their entire careers with soulless plastic and never had used a revolver.

In my courses for security officers/private investigators many companies issued revolvers, and I had students who had never seen a speedloader. What happened to all those years?

 

[kenpomaniac1958]

I carried 14 different sidearms for duty in a 42 year career. Half of them were revolvers, before they were overtaken by the wave of semi-autos. When I started our reloads were loose rounds carried in a dump pouch. Then after the Newhall Incident speedloaders emerged. I never felt poorly armed going in harm's way with a revolver and speedloaders. We spent a lot of time learning to reload a revolver in a hurry. Many years later at instructor courses I encountered instructors who had spent their entire careers with soulless plastic and never had used a revolver.

In my courses for security officers/private investigators many companies issued revolvers, and I had students who had never seen a speedloader. What happened to all those years?

I sometimes carry a S&W 638 J-frame. When I do, I carry 2 speed loaders in a pouch for it. I still practice reloading the 638 using a speed loader and 38 special snap caps once in a while. It's an operation to at least be familiar with. I think it takes a lot of practice before using a speed loader becomes a skill.

 

[HayesGreener]

I sometimes carry a S&W 638 J-frame. When I do, I carry 2 speed loaders in a pouch for it. I still practice reloading the 638 using a speed loader and 38 special snap caps once in a while. It's an operation to at least be familiar with. I think it takes a lot of practice before using a speed loader becomes a skill.

The trick is using gravity, and learning to reload without looking at the gun

 

[Lock n' Load]

Whatever you carry, if you can operate it efficiently, accurately, and safely, you're good to go! Training and practice are the keys to success in these areas. Just my opinion.

 

[Snake45]

I carried 14 different sidearms for duty in a 42 year career. Half of them were revolvers, before they were overtaken by the wave of semi-autos. When I started our reloads were loose rounds carried in a dump pouch. Then after the Newhall Incident speedloaders emerged. I never felt poorly armed going in harm's way with a revolver and speedloaders. We spent a lot of time learning to reload a revolver in a hurry. Many years later at instructor courses I encountered instructors who had spent their entire careers with soulless plastic and never had used a revolver.

In my courses for security officers/private investigators many companies issued revolvers, and I had students who had never seen a speedloader. What happened to all those years?

I deliberately shot Booya Sam's LFI-I and LFI-II classes in 1988 and 1989 with a Colt King Cobra and a rare Smith 3" M66 because I wanted to learn The Old Ways and Secrets of the Round Gun from a master. And I did.

(I did take along a homebuilt LW Colt Commander .45 to shoot the double- and triple-speed portions of the end-of-class qualifications, though.)

 

[Blackmesa96]

It worked for 100 yrs from the old west to the late ‘70s.
No reason it still isnt an effective tool today.

I have said a perp staring down the barrel of a .357 Mag revolver has a massive more intimidation factor that a plastic wonder

Don't know whether anyone else has had the experience, but when I was looking at the business end of a cop's .357 (mistaken identity) it looked roughly the size of a manhole.