Old Friend Comes Home

[BrokenolMarine]

Way back when,during my Patrol / Firearms Instructor days... my department was originally carrying the Model 64 revolver. I had no problem with the Model 64.. it was a reliable, accurate 6 shot stainless Smith and Wesson 38. When loaded with the "FBI Load," a 38 caliber +p+ 158 grain LSWCHP bullet I was more than confident in the stopping power and with two speed loaders on the belt I had 18 rounds. I could shoot that gun accurately, speed load faster than the average police officer could reload a semi-automatic pistol thanks to PPC competition, and it was easier to clean and maintain.

But...

There were a number of the younger officers in the department pushing to move to semi-autos. There were good arguments in the PRO column. The most pressing is that one mag of the leading candidate held seventeen rounds, plus one in the chamber, gave us eighteen. Plus two additional magazines of seventeen rounds.I coordinated the test and evaluation for candidates to replace the venerable old war horse, and when the choice was made and we actually replaced the revolvers... the department authorized us to BUY our old duty revolvers at a GREAT price. I jumped on mine as I had been shooting it in Service Revolver competitions and winning. I knew that gun and didn't want it getting away.

There were of, course, several extra guns in the safe. Backups to be used when guns were sent out for repair and a few two inch guns for plain clothes work or the Sergeants to wear in pancake holsters around the office. Those who bought their service guns and wanted to purchase a second could submit a request to the Chief to "Justify" the second gun from the extras. I had my choice as an instructor and competitive shooter and chose a snubby.

My old duty gun....

05 model 64.jpg

The Snubby...

Model 64 snubby.jpg

After I stopped shooting competition, the Snubby went to visit with my mentor for a while to stand duty as his wife's bedside guardian. Yesterday, my old friend came back home to rejoin the team. I have missed the old girl, but the deal was she was always coming back home. Welcome home.

[JEBar]

I well understand the unmistakable feeling that firing an old friend you are very comfortable with .... good to hear of the reunion

[North Country Gal]

Love a happy ending. Have had a few of those welcome back stories of my own. Feels great.

I've heard the reasons for law enforcement's switch to semi-autos and, since I have no experience in that field, I can't argue them. That's way out of my league. For sure, time's have changed, not only in the law enforcement community, but also in the shooting community as a whole. See it every time we go to the range. Then, too, I have nothing against semi-autos. Hey, I own and enjoy shooting them, too. It's just that revolvers are a better fit for us. The revolver is really our bread and butter handgun.

[BrokenolMarine]

Honestly, I think the younger guys were embarrassed to carry a wheel gun. "Old Fashioned, Behind the Times." Yes, with the right choice, we could share mags with sister departments, had a lot more ammo, some say they are easier to shoot. I didn't find scores improved overall based on the new guns.

The officers who didn't practice with their revolvers and failed to qualify on requal day...
What? Didn't take the new Glocks to open range day either, and STILL failed to requalify every six months. duh. The shooters among us shot all the time, and shot well anyway.

[Hrfunk]

I think there's something to that idea of being "embarrassed" to carry a revolver. I get the oddest looks these days when the mood strikes me to carry a wheelgun at work. I'm not sure if people think I'm crazy, senile, or just plain dumb. Interestingly, the younger children who happen to see a revolver riding in my holster seem to think it's pretty cool (as do I!)

Howard

[BrokenolMarine]

Funny thing is, there is a serious increased psychological impact to looking down the muzzle of of a revolver vs. a semi-auto. With the semi-auto, you stare down that hole and wonder if it's loaded. With the revolver, when you stare into the muzzle, it's flanked by several chambers in the cylinder on both sides. There is no doubt that the gun is loaded, and if there are hollow points in there... Even better.

[Mags]

.
I wouldn't want to be staring down the muzzle of either one. I wouldn't be thinking about them being loaded or not.

Funny thing is, there is a serious increased psychological impact to looking down the muzzle of of a revolver vs. a semi-auto. With the semi-auto, you stare down that hole and wonder if it's loaded. With the revolver, when you stare into the muzzle, it's flanked by several chambers in the cylinder on both sides. There is no doubt that the gun is loaded, and if there are hollow points in there... Even better.

[daytime dave]

It's nice that your two inch 64 made it home. I have one of each and find them to be great guns. I never found one in a three inch version or I would have picked one up too.

I like those grips on it.

[BrokenolMarine]

It's nice that your two inch 64 made it home. I have one of each and find them to be great guns. I never found one in a three inch version or I would have picked one up too.

I like those grips on it.

I like those grips as well, they are Hogues. They fill the hand well and look nice. I also like the Smith Grips I added to the 340, THEY made a huge difference.
The Smith Grips on the 340:

new smith and wesson round butt boot grips.jpg

Test firing after swapping the grips (25 rounds)

10 25 rounds 340.jpg

If I remember correctly, these were fired over 7 - 10 yards. A fair test of a five shot J - frame hammerless platform double action.

[JEBar]

nice .... more than a fair test of any J-frame size double action

[North Country Gal]

I agree. Nice work with the J frame. It was made for that kind of distance.

[Top Dog]

BrokenMarine,
I cannot help but say that those two were meant and made for each other!!

I have a friend who retired from NYPD and was able to keep her personally purchased Model 10 heavy barrel and Chief's special that she carried as an authorized back up.

As an old police firearms instructor,I cannot help but notice when folks just have a few shots,they tend to be more accurate. Put a "lots of shots" in their hand and they tend to spray and pray.

Top Dog

[ESquared]

Great story, thanks for sharing! So nice that the snubby came full circle for you!

[BrokenolMarine]

BrokenMarine,
I cannot help but say that those two were meant and made for each other!!

I have a friend who retired from NYPD and was able to keep her personally purchased Model 10 heavy barrel and Chief's special that she carried as an authorized back up.

As an old police firearms instructor,I cannot help but notice when folks just have a few shots,they tend to be more accurate. Put a "lots of shots" in their hand and they tend to spray and pray.

Top Dog

I hate to say I agree with you, but... I agree with you.

Teaching firearms in the academy for our department, we would have the Commonwealth's Attorney for the County come in and give a nice lecture before graduation, letting the recruits know that each and every bullet they sent downrange had their name on it... and they were responsible for each and every one. The post shooting investigation would want to KNOW that they were aware of where they were "SENDING" the rounds. Spray and Pray was NOT a department approved technique.

I attended two NRA LE Firearms Instructor Courses held at Quantico during my tenure as an Instructor for the Department. One was taught by a Former SAS Member, and the other by the Chief Instructor for LE for the NRA... a former Secret Service Agent... Both were great guys and loads of anecdotes to share to reinforce the subject matter in the courses. The Former Secret Service agent spoke of pursuing a pair of suspects down an alley with his partner and they took cover behind two cars, and he and his partner took cover behind dumpsters on either side of the mouth of the alley. His partner opened up with his 38 snubby, sounding like a mini-machine gun when they came under fire. 18 rounds as fast as he could speed load the little Smith and Wesson. "I'm out," the partner calls across the alley, "toss me a speed loader."

"Did you hit anything?" our guy asks the partner.

"Nah, don't think so?"

"Then stay behind cover and wait for our backup. I'll hold onto my ammo in case I get a shot at something, I can hit."

His point was WELL taken.

[Top Dog]

BrokenMarine,
Yep,I agree with you 100% and the point is well taken!!

Top Dog