L E O carrying a revolver

[Nick_C_S]

I was pumping gas the other day at my neighborhood filling station. There was a city police officer there handling a recent fender-bender; filling out paperwork, talking to the parties involved, etc.

As I was filling my tank I looked at his side-arm. I immediately recognized that Houge grip. He was carrying a revolver. You don't see that much these days. Stainless; most likely a Smith. Younger guy - I'd say early-mid thirties. I was rather surprised.

It left me wondering how many other LEO's carry revolvers these days? I didn't even know they were allowed. No, I don't know why I think that; other than an over-arching belief that regulations abound for those who serve our neighborhoods.

Who else sees LEO's carrying wheelguns?

 

[Model12Win]

That’s strange, especially for a youth officer. Revolvers are antiquated and totally obsolete for law enforcement use. When you have citizens to protect, you need a real gun such as a Glock or heck even a 1911 beats a revolver!

 

[DPris]

Had I been allowed, I would have done my entire police career with a .357 Magnum.
Had I been allowed at my last PD, I would have continued to carry my Smith 25-5 in .45 Colt till retirement when the Glocks were adopted.
Denis

 

[Model12Win]

Had I been allowed, I would have done my entire police career with a .357 Magnum.
Had I been allowed at my last PD, I would have continued to carry my Smith 25-5 in .45 Colt till retirement when the Glocks were adopted.
Denis

Glad you aren’t on my local PD.

 

[Dave T]

Glad you aren’t on my local PD.

From someone who spent my last 6 years before retiring as my department's chief firearms instructor (400 armed personnel) what counts is the man (OK, person) behind the badge, not what gun they are carrying.

I've known many real peace officers who carried revolvers their whole careers. Likewise I've known a few doofuses who carried the latest, hi-cap silly millimeter.

Dave

 

[Model12Win]

YOUR JOB HAS LIVES ON THE LINE.

Use enough gun with enough firepower for the job! I don’t care who you are, revolvers are totally insufficient for police use in 2018! Leave nostalgia where it belongs, in the past!

 

[2wheelwander]

Went to a concert in Indy last night. LOTS of police presence on the street. Every one of them had 3 mags on their belt. Used to be 2.

 

[Model12Win]

Went to a concert in Indy last night. LOTS of police presence on the street. Every one of them had 3 mags on their belt. Used to be 2.

Man, weren’t those the good old days? Sad that cops these days need THREE whole magazines in their bottom feeder Tupperware wonder guns when all the old cops could get it done with just six in their revolvers!

 

[2wheelwander]

Sign'O the times. Gang bangers toting AK's, were lucky cops don't have MP5's slung on them when they get out of the car now.

 

[DPris]

12,
I carried my 25-5 right up to the cut-off date to switch mandatorily to the Glock or be fired.
During that gradual switchover period I was outshooting, with my "antiquated" revolver, at least 50% of the new "kids" with their spiffy new Glocks.

You don't know the job, I do.
The auto does NOT guarantee anything at all, with the possible exception of more fast misses for the major percentage of shooters.

I was also a firearms instructor at my last PD.

Gotta say a good revolver man, even in 2018, can still hold his own.
The key is not how many rounds you carry, the key is what you DO with what you carry.
And in the second largest PD in my state, containing an area known for rising gang activity, I carried four speedloaders, a backup gun, and three sets of handcuffs on my belt.

I regularly used all three sets of handcuffs, I never had to shoot anybody.
And I never felt the slightest bit undergunned with my .45 Colt.
Nor would I today.

If you think the job is totally dependent on a semi-auto, you really don't have a clue.
Denis

 

[mk70ss]

I was a cop for 21 years. I would have loved to be able to
carry a Colt Trooper or S&W Model 19 on duty.

 

[Buckeye!]

My brother in law has been in LE for over 40yrs .. He carries a Glock 23 ... has for years .. But he still personally prefers a S&W 686 ... He says its the best sidearm he ever was issued...

 

[Rob228]

12,
I carried my 25-5 right up to the cut-off date to switch mandatorily to the Glock or be fired.
During that gradual switchover period I was outshooting, with my "antiquated" revolver, at least 50% of the new "kids" with their spiffy new Glocks.

You don't know the job, I do.
The auto does NOT guarantee anything at all, with the possible exception of more fast misses for the major percentage of shooters.

I was also a firearms instructor at my last PD.

Gotta say a good revolver man, even in 2018, can still hold his own.
The key is not how many rounds you carry, the key is what you DO with what you carry.
And in the second largest PD in my state, containing an area known for rising gang activity, I carried four speedloaders, a backup gun, and three sets of handcuffs on my belt.

I regularly used all three sets of handcuffs, I never had to shoot anybody.
And I never felt the slightest bit undergunned with my .45 Colt.
Nor would I today.

If you think the job is totally dependent on a semi-auto, you really don't have a clue.
Denis

That good Sir, was beautiful.

 

[Cosmodragoon]

Modern polymer-framed semi-autos allow for much higher capacity, are quicker and easier to reload, and are relatively light-weight and easy to carry at the same time. Revolvers may have some reliability advantages and have traditionally been able to fire more powerful cartridges, but those semi-auto advantages are hard to beat. I think most of us understand why semi-autos are used by law enforcement and private citizens alike.

However, DPris is right. In lots of situations, the degree to which this difference matters is going to be much smaller than having a gun ready and being able to use it well under pressure. In those thankfully rare situations in which lots of shots and reloading are required, having more guys is likely to count more. There is some truth to the idea that a policeman's most powerful tools are his radio and his fellow officers.

 

[FrankenMauser]

Other than at the range, I haven't seen a cop with a wheelgun in decades.

-----

Model12Win, ease off the sauce, man.
Opinions are opinions. But you're really on one today...

 

[bamaranger]

flat guns and round guns

I'm one of those geezers that carried a revolver, at least for a while. My last duty revolver was a 686 with two speed loaders and a 2x2 pounch on the duty belt. In cooler weather, I had speed strips in my jacket pockets too, they carried flatter than a speed loader. Rangers of a certain age and yrs service could retain their wheel guns for the remainder of their career. Their were a very few of the "old guard" that did, but not many.

The switch had its speed bumps. FBI/Miami shoot out happened and the 9mm, which was the transition caliber, was questioned as being sufficiently powerful. When the option to switch from 9mm to .40 or .45 was offered, almost all hands went to the larger auto calibers.

Initially, agency revolvers were filled with .38, then .39+P+, and eventually .357 mag ammo. With the mag ammo, there was no doubt about sufficient power. But full house mag ammo was a challenge for many shooters. When the auto pistol change occurred, all hands shot better. The DA trigger pull, and the flash bang of mag ammo was eliminated. Marginal shooters shot better, and good shooters got faster.

But, do not discount a good man with a wheel gun. For a long time in our local IDPA matches, the overall winner was often a fellow shooting a S&W 25-2, and another fella with a Model 15 was often most accurate. Statistics still indicate that the police gun fight is still a close range, low round count affair. Yes, it is changing, but good tactics and good shooting will still win the day.

I have not seen a sworn officer carrying a revolver as a duty gun in more than a decade. I have seen a handful of security or bank/armored car staff so armed. I still know a few officers that carry a 5-shot .38 as a second or third gun in deep concealment.

 

[mehavey]

Much as I recommend a first-ever shooter get a Model-19, I recommend the second be a Glock-17+.
(and this from a dyedinthewool 1911 man )

Sad that cops these days need THREE whole magazines in their bottom feeder Tupperware wonder guns when all the old cops could get it done with just six in their revolvers!

That world . . .and the relatively-civilized social order that once went with it . . . is gone.

 

[dscampbell]

12,
I carried my 25-5 right up to the cut-off date to switch mandatorily to the Glock or be fired.
During that gradual switchover period I was outshooting, with my "antiquated" revolver, at least 50% of the new "kids" with their spiffy new Glocks.

You don't know the job, I do.
The auto does NOT guarantee anything at all, with the possible exception of more fast misses for the major percentage of shooters.

I was also a firearms instructor at my last PD.

Gotta say a good revolver man, even in 2018, can still hold his own.
The key is not how many rounds you carry, the key is what you DO with what you carry.
And in the second largest PD in my state, containing an area known for rising gang activity, I carried four speedloaders, a backup gun, and three sets of handcuffs on my belt.

I regularly used all three sets of handcuffs, I never had to shoot anybody.
And I never felt the slightest bit undergunned with my .45 Colt.
Nor would I today.

If you think the job is totally dependent on a semi-auto, you really don't have a clue.
Denis

Totally agree


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[Nanuk]

Had I been allowed, I would have done my entire police career with a .357 Magnum.
Had I been allowed at my last PD, I would have continued to carry my Smith 25-5 in .45 Colt till retirement when the Glocks were adopted.
Denis

You and me both brother.

 

[Nanuk]

Model 12. I categorically disagree with you. Having worn a badge for over 30 years and still do contract work making it close to 40 years carrying a gun into harms way.

I would still carry a 357 magnum revolver if allowed. Back in the day I could carry a 1911 and did during a stint as an Army MP. I chose the 357 magnum over the 1911 45 ACP based on what I saw on the street. I train and compete with my revolvers. All the firepower in the world is no good if you miss or make ineffective hits. The recent case in Chicago is an example of the failure of the wondernine, he shot the guy 17 times....... There have been several cases similar to that and cops are frowned upon for that. What good is 17 shots if it takes that many to accomplish what 2-3 shots from a 357 magnum would do?