The perfect packing revolver. A quest. [Archive]

Lost River

12-31-2014, 03:48 PM

As an offshoot of the big bore outdoorsman's revolver thread, I figured I would start this to delve a bit more deeply into what makes a "perfect" wheelgun.

For me, since I spend the majority of my free recreational time in the forests and deserts, I very much prefer to have a bore diameter of at least .4.

I understand where people live and recreate, that some would feel fine with a
357 or something smaller.

I live in a county that while mostly high desert, has a large amount of national forest land. On that land is bear, moose, elk, antelope and other decent size animals.

Further, I'm in the heart of cattle country. Often I hear (or more appropriately read on the net) about how a particular person does not need a big bore due to the fact that they don't have big bears where they live. Rarely mentioned is large domestic livestock.

I've seen many more incidents of guys getting trampled, severely injured, etc by cattle and horses than by wild animals. An injured aggressive cow is nothing to be taken lightly.

From experience working as a uniformed state trooper for a number of years, and dealing with loose stock, injured cattle and horses, I can say with conviction that sometimes they can be quite tough to put down. Often, much like vehicle struck deer and elk, they are still highly mobile and will come over the top of you if they think that you stand between them and escape.

Deep penetration and precise application is usually the final/best course of action. I cannot even put a number on the animals put down with my duty gun of the time, a Glock .45.

Though against policy, I ended up towards the end of my trooper time, carrying a .44 Magnum in my patrol bag, as a tool for such situations.

Back to the topic of "perfect". I don't think that it can quite be obtained. I do think balance of shootability and ease in packing can be reached though.

I'd love something along the lines of a 329 (due to weight), with a 5" barrel, with a rail for white lights, along with either CT laser grips or a unobtrusive RDO on top for quick acquisition and low light use.

All too often stuff seems to happen in low light and this applies to dealing with big animals as well. A double action gun has merit over a single, in my opinion due to the fact you do not have to thumb cock the action to fire the weapon. Plus on a personal note, I am simply much much faster with a DA revolver.

Porting???? I can see benefits and drawbacks.

Comments?

jetfire

12-31-2014, 04:31 PM

Have you thought about the new L-frame Model 69 from S&W? 5 shots of .44 Magnum with a 4 inch tube in the relatively easy to handle L-frame seems like a pretty rad idea.

Sherman A. House DDS

12-31-2014, 06:00 PM

What Caleb said!

I have the Model 69 and I dig it. I need to find a holster that has a hammer guard on it, because the MIM hammer checkering is SHARP. Aside from that, it packs easily, and is an absolute hoot with brisk .44 Specials, and low to mid velocity Magnums. With heavier .44 Magnums, I'll opt for my Redhawk.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

GJM

12-31-2014, 06:52 PM

I would be very careful with the CT grips. I got a set for my 329, and fortunately decided to test them with .44 special. Two rounds of special did me, and I think if I had touched off my normal 329 loads, the Garrett Defender, I might be without the use of my right hand.

I love the 329 for carrying, but as soon as you said shoot-ability, that ends that. At a minimum, a Mountain gun, and more likely a standard four inch 629 as a compromise between packing and shooting.

Except that it is SA, this is my favorite packing/shooting revolver:

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg251/GJMandes/bowen44_zpsc5326ddc.jpg (http://s250.photobucket.com/user/GJMandes/media/bowen44_zpsc5326ddc.jpg.html)

Malamute

12-31-2014, 06:57 PM

I'm a long time fan of the 4" Smith 29 as a general purpose gun. If limited, it would be my choice. I do like the 24 quite a lot, the few ounces are noticable, and I like the lines of the tapered barrel a lot. If not up where the bears hang out, I tend to swap to the 24, and keep some Keith loads in a speed loader or two handy and 6 in my cartridge belt. Mostly it gets moderate loads. Some of the 250 gr/1000 fps are planned to duplicate what I carry in the 29 the most (when not where the bears live). Also planning on getting a lighter mold (Lyman 215 gr), just to reduce the carry load some, as well as planning for geezerhood a bit.

I have a couple 4" 357 cal guns, but cant get really excited about them. Very nice guns, very nice to shoot with 38's for practice, but I dont like the muzzle blast when used with full power magnums. If I werent in the northern Rockies, I may bend a little and carry one out in the hills, but the 44 spl does anything the 357 can and can do more on large animals with the right loads. I'm thinking it (44 spl)should work OK as a defensive arm.

I'm not at all shy about a single action revolver. They dont reload as quickly obviously, but as a general purpose outdoors and low population density defensive gun, I'm not overly worried. I shoot them well, better than I can a 1911 in the plate shoots and other things I've done. I generally have a rifle of some sort when in the hills also, a Winchester 94, Winchester 71, Browning 86 or scoped bolt action, depending on what I may bump in to.

Hizzie

12-31-2014, 07:00 PM

Then pick up a 329. There are several red dot mounts that fit where the standard S&W rear sight fits. Crimson Trace still catalogs grips for the N frame. No rail and you're limited to 4" tube.

okie john

12-31-2014, 10:08 PM

I prefer a Model 29 with a standard-weight barrel for this kind of thing. The Redhawk is too much of a good thing and the 329 isn't enough. My father gave me a pawnshop 29-2 many years ago, so I have that base covered. But if I had to start fresh, then I'd get a slightly newer no-lock model just like it but with the Endurance Package.

Okie John

RevolverRob

01-01-2015, 01:10 AM

Well, there is the 325 Thunder Ranch in .45 ACP.

But if power is what you're after, maybe one of these 629 hunters - http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_827557_-1_775662_775655_757896_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y and chop the barrel back to the end of the ejector shroud?

I'd put money on destroying a lot of optics on a 329 with full house magnums.

JHC

01-01-2015, 07:26 AM

I think a Model 69 or GP 100 in .41 magnum would be more perfect. May S&W show such at SHOT?

GJM

01-01-2015, 07:45 AM

If it isn't .44/.45, I would say it is 10mm. And if it is 10mm, the perfect packing field revolver is a Glock 29, 1066 or 1911.

SteveB

01-01-2015, 10:39 AM

Don't rule out the .45LC. You can still find Mountain Guns in 45LC and Buffalo Bore makes outstanding standard pressure ammo that is accurate and easy to shoot; pricey though.

coldcase1984

01-01-2015, 11:36 AM

No current revolver can meet your criteria. With enough money thrown at a later 629 for a custom 5-in. Mountain Revolver profile barrel and detachable accessory rail would work, but way over 329 weight.

You could always get your good ol' G21's slide machined for RDS of choice and run Super w 255 SWCs, or go wild and snag a G40 when they come out and do RDS and DT 200 WFNGCs or handloads.

They just don't have the style of a revolver, though...

SLG

01-01-2015, 11:43 AM

Lost River,

You do seem to be asking for a 10MM 1911;-)

I love revolvers, but when you want lasers/rds/light mount, that says 1911 to me. I may be a bit biased though;-)

JHC

01-01-2015, 11:59 AM

If it isn't .44/.45, I would say it is 10mm. And if it is 10mm, the perfect packing field revolver is a Glock 29, 1066 or 1911.

Do yof think condition 1 carry in a fast access rig is a concern for your thick stuff? I've heard plenty that this was a weak spot for the 1911 in recent war zones.

Dave Williams

01-01-2015, 12:05 PM

No current revolver can meet your criteria.

What about the S&W 325 Thunder Ranch? With hard cast 45 Auto Rim loads.

Haraise

01-01-2015, 12:14 PM

If it isn't .44/.45, I would say it is 10mm. And if it is 10mm, the perfect packing field revolver is a Glock 29, 1066 or 1911.

.44 mag desire makes me think more .460 Rowland in a 1911/plastic pistol replacement. 10mm can do 220gr, but .460 can do 255 or even 300 gr hard cast (the latter if you reload).

SLG

01-01-2015, 12:15 PM

Do yof think condition 1 carry in a fast access rig is a concern for your thick stuff? I've heard plenty that this was a weak spot for the 1911 in recent war zones.

Not GJM.

I think that your concern is more about holster design and carry, less about pistol type. I've hunted 2 and 4 legged animals with 1911's in almost every type of clime, and have never had it be an issue. I've also seen our mil and LE people carry guns in all sorts of crazy ways, so I'm sure you can make it a problem if you want to. IME, the 6004 type retention holster has led to more of these kinds of problems than any other type of retention holster. Of course, if you're using a true "fast access rig", that could be very bad as well. An ALS has always kept my guns where I wanted them and released them when needed, regardless of clime.

Malamute

01-01-2015, 12:27 PM

Don't rule out the .45LC. You can still find Mountain Guns in 45LC and Buffalo Bore makes outstanding standard pressure ammo that is accurate and easy to shoot; pricey though.

I like the 45 Colt in SA guns. The weight difference and balance difference compared to the 44 on the same frame is enough to keep me interested in the 45's and not the 44's. A DA 45 Colt would be a good general purpose gun, it would be best with tight chambers, to reduce the chance of the rims getting under the extractor star. Most factories cut them pretty loose. John Linebaugh cuts them at .480" and says they make the cases last longer and give a little better velocity. If a 45 Colt Mountain Gun barrel could be had, it would make a nice build on a N frame 357 or 44 with chambers cut tight.

The light rail and RDS are out of my range of experience. They may be good ideas, I just havent used them. Decent night sights may be enough to make me happy. I have a light on a 44 carbine, but havent had one on a pistol. So far, I'm really happy with basic, simple revolvers for daily carry and mountain use.

The 44 spl model 24 seems like a good balance when G bears arent anticipated, and I still think I'd prefer it to an auto loader in that regard. It has the tapered barrel, which makes it a little lighter, and, as Keith wrote, it hits to the same point of aim with various loads if the bullet weight is the same. 6 1/2 grs Unique and 17 grs 2400 with the Lyman 250 gr bullet hit exactly the same point of aim at 25 yards for me.

I have a 6 1/2" 24 barrel. I think it would make up into a nice carry gun cut to 5" and screwed onto a model 29. I tried the lugged barrel 5" and didnt like it as much as the regular 6" or 4" 29's.

GJM

01-01-2015, 12:35 PM

Not GJM.

I think that your concern is more about holster design and carry, less about pistol type. I've hunted 2 and 4 legged animals with 1911's in almost every type of clime, and have never had it be an issue. I've also seen our mil and LE people carry guns in all sorts of crazy ways, so I'm sure you can make it a problem if you want to. IME, the 6004 type retention holster has led to more of these kinds of problems than any other type of retention holster. Of course, if you're using a true "fast access rig", that could be very bad as well. An ALS has always kept my guns where I wanted them and released them when needed, regardless of clime.

The last two years, I ran a .40 or 10mm pistol in an ALS holster hunting in Alaska. It worked well as it kept the handgun below my pack waist belt, kept the pistol more accessible when wearing various layers including a float vest, and kept the pistol secure when hunting out of an inflatable canoe.

I am suffering here, humping a 100 pound load of moose meat through the wet over to the canoe:

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg251/GJMandes/alsmoose_zpsa6119c33.jpg (http://s250.photobucket.com/user/GJMandes/media/alsmoose_zpsa6119c33.jpg.html)

Malamute

01-01-2015, 12:45 PM

The last two years, I ran a .40 or 10mm pistol in an ALS holster hunting in Alaska. It worked well as it kept the handgun below my pack waist belt, kept the pistol more accessible when wearing various layers including a float vest, and kept the pistol secure when hunting out of an inflatable canoe...

I think I'd like to try one.

What do you have for the drop, backer piece and the magazine carrier? Do you have a pic of it off of you, or a pic that shows the holster well?

serialsolver

01-01-2015, 12:52 PM

I think the closest your gonna get is that 325 thunder ranch. The 45acp and auto rim in the revolver is easy to get 45 super or mild 44 mag. With the rail you can use a light an laser when you want and I think night sights are possible. There are laser grips also. If you went with a 45 colt mountain gun you could get it cut for moon clips and run acp also. Here's my last wild idea (for this thread) get the 325 tr have a 45 colt cylinder put in that's cut for moon clips but I don't think it would work cause the 325 tr uses a short cylinder.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

GJM

01-01-2015, 12:52 PM

I think I'd like to try one.

What do you have for the drop, backer piece and the magazine carrier? Do you have a pic of it off of you, or a pic that shows the holster well?

Not for a revolver, but this is the ALS rig config I prefer most:

http://www.holsterops.com/rogers-recommended-tactical-holster

There are many bits and pieces that allow you to customize it to various heights, belts, configs.

Malamute

01-01-2015, 12:58 PM

I've been trying to look at them in searches, the old computer I'm using at the moment isnt cooperating. Half the images dont load and I get lots of stuck computer issues and "Not Responding" notices. What I've seen looks interesting.

The basic holster looks good for general carry. It's likely I'll be in more civilized environs at some point. Trying to think ahead.

coldcase1984

01-01-2015, 02:42 PM

What about the S&W 325 Thunder Ranch? With hard cast 45 Auto Rim loads.

Thought they quit making them awhile back. Don't see the rail mentioned on a Smith webpage, though there are images elsewhere. That would work I suppose, but awfully high priced. A hardcast 250 SWC at 1,000 fps ought to do pretty well for bonking cows & cow ponies in the head.

I used a Weigand base to put a Micro H-1 on my 629 Mountain, but found it kinda unwieldy. Does anyone make a lower rail for Smiths?

Dagga Boy

01-01-2015, 06:13 PM

Thought they quit making them awhile back. Don't see the rail mentioned on a Smith webpage, though there are images elsewhere. That would work I suppose, but awfully high priced. A hardcast 250 SWC at 1,000 fps ought to do pretty well for bonking cows & cow ponies in the head.

I used a Weigand base to put a Micro H-1 on my 629 Mountain, but found it kinda unwieldy. Does anyone make a lower rail for Smiths?

I recently got the same mount to run a red dot on a revolver. I am planning on getting the entire front half of the mount milled off. It was obviously made for a scope rather than a small red dot.

Malamute

01-01-2015, 06:21 PM

I recently got the same mount to run a red dot on a revolver. I am planning on getting the entire front half of the mount milled off. It was obviously made for a scope rather than a small red dot.

Is anyone making a barrel mounted base that would work with an RDS so that the rear sight doesnt have to be removed?

Hizzie

01-01-2015, 06:40 PM

AimTech makes that side plate mount.

Lost River

01-01-2015, 06:57 PM

Great responses all.

The auto rim sounds interesting, but honestly I have no intention of adding another caliber to reload. In fact I only shoot .44 Magnum brass, though most of my reloading for the caliber is at the Special level. I'm trying to minimize the assortment of stuff I reload as it is. In fact I've been strongly considering divesting myself of .40/10mm. The 9mm and .45 do all I need recreationally, with the exception of USPSA. That is the only reason I have .40 anything, and due to my lack of ability to travel to many matches, I've strongly considered going back to shooting .45 in limited class and simplify things.

In regards to the topic, I was actually interested in the path that others had taken and where they were hardware wise, as well as geographically.

The closest thing to perfection I've found is my 5" 29-2. I cannot help to think of the same gun with a model 24 barrel. Like malamute, I like the lines of the tapered barrel, as well as the savings weight wise. If I knew of a model 24 barrel for sale, I'd likely jump on it for just such a future project.

Same goes for a 624 barrel. Aesthetically speaking I prefer blued over stainless, but stainless makes sense for an outdoorsman gun.

I have to agree about the .38 versus .357. I too much prefer the lower noise level of the .38s over the sharp crack of.357s. If I think I need .357 power, I will gladly pack a .44 or .45 revolver.

I recently acquired a 329 and its a phenomenal gun to pack, but I think I prefer just a tad more weight, when it comes to shooting comfort. It's good up to hot .44 special velocities, but after that it can be a bit uncomfortable.

One thing I have considered is watching how the cylinder holds up to wear and potentially replacing it with a stainless steel one. This would add a bit of weight for shooting comfort, as well as perhaps (speculation) durability.

So far, this is as close to perfection as I've experienced:

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b109/IV_Troop/P1000377_zps80c1047b.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/IV_Troop/media/P1000377_zps80c1047b.jpg.html)

Malamute

01-01-2015, 07:56 PM

The closest thing to perfection I've found is my 5" 29-2. I cannot help to think of the same gun with a model 24 barrel. Like malamute, I like the lines of the tapered barrel, as well as the savings weight wise. If I knew of a model 24 barrel for sale, I'd likely jump on it for just such a future project.

Aesthetically speaking I prefer blued over stainless, but stainless makes sense for an outdoorsman gun.

I hadnt thought of a 5" 29 with regular weight barrel, that would be a nice carry and shooting gun. I've had a couple 6 and 6 1/2" guns, they are a bit softer shooting than the 4" with heavy loads.

The 5" 24 barrel on a 29 is on my list for one day in the future. I have a Smith replacement front sight and ramp also. Cutting that barrel to 5" after setting the forcing cone forward for the magnum cylinder will get into the ramp some, so it wouldnt be easy to reuse the ramp.

Several years ago, a gunsmith I know sold me some take-off barrels from guns he'd rebarreled with heavy barrels for pin guns or whatever. The 24 barrel was one of them. It was unfired when he got the gun to do the work. The 5" lugged barrel I tried was one of them. I ended up selling the barrel after trying it.

I agree about stainless being practical, I just hobble along with blued guns though. When they get rust, it often wears off after a while from carrying them. :D

GJM

01-01-2015, 08:06 PM

I think the mountain west is more tolerant of a blued finish than Alaska, where stainless is very desirable in a wheel gun.

Malamute

01-01-2015, 08:16 PM

I think the mountain west is more tolerant of a blued finish than Alaska, where stainless is very desirable in a wheel gun.

I have no doubt you are correct. Its actually very dry most of the time unless actually out in rain or snow. The conditions you regularly deal with are much harsher than here for the most part.

I wasnt kidding about the rust. It does mostly wear off after a while. I do oil/clean them now and then though.

Lester Polfus

01-01-2015, 11:36 PM

I finally ran a drop leg holster this hunting season, after resisting one for years for the totally irrational reason that it looked kinda mall-ninja. I'm sold on the concept, as it was a much better way to keep a gun at the ready while wearing a pack than the Wilderness Safekeeper.

Does anybody make a quality drop leg holster for an N-Frame Smith or Redhawk? I've done some googling and so far all I've come up with has been cheap nylon airsofter crap.

GJM

01-02-2015, 04:46 AM

I don't believe there is an ALS. Howver, you can modify a Blade Tec to work on the Safariland shroud. Dale Fricke recently made me a 1066 holster that goes on a QLS.

Lester Polfus

01-02-2015, 12:01 PM

Cool. Thanks.

Little Creek

01-02-2015, 03:41 PM

If it isn't .44/.45, I would say it is 10mm. And if it is 10mm, the perfect packing field revolver is a Glock 29, 1066 or 1911.

I live in a gated hunting preserve community in GA with a 2000 acre back yard. When I go knocking around, I open carry a G20 in a OWB holster. It works for me.

Dagga Boy

01-02-2015, 05:07 PM

The Quest of the Perfect Packing revolver is a unfulfillable Quest. It is what keeps me always looking and the justification for "just one more". I have thought I found "it" several times, but alass...it wasn't quite it.

Currently, for the outdoors type stuff in big animal country (generally fishing), it's my .454 Bowenized Ruger Alaskan.

Lester Polfus

01-02-2015, 05:43 PM

I've been kicking this around since we moved out in the boonies.

The 10mm keeps coming up on this revolver thread, and we sort of have a tendency to talk about it in the same breath as the .44 Mag.

I think a more apt comparison is between 10mm and .357 Mag. Full tilt boogie 10mm loads inhabit roughly the same territory as the .357 Mag. If that is the power level you are looking for, the 10mm seems awfully appealing to me

When we move up the .44 Mag level though, it's tough to find an auto that delivers that level of power.

RevolverRob

01-02-2015, 08:04 PM

mtnbkr

01-03-2015, 09:20 AM

I've settled on a 4" 629-3 RB with VZ Grips. Relatively weather-resistant, not too big/heavy, and packs a decent punch. I carry it in a 120-style holster and load it with 265gr SWC I cast myself. Velocity out of the 4" barrel is about 1050fps.

It's concealable enough that I can hike with it outside of hunting season, but should have enough power for anything I'm likely to run into here in the Mid-Atlantic/Appalachian Mountain region. From Spring till early Fall, I load the first chamber with snake shot.

I have a blued Ruger Redhawk 5.5", but that's too much of a good thing. :D

Sometimes I wish I could get myself to carry something smaller, maybe even kind of unusual, just for the heck of it. I have an old 32-20 M&P that would be fun. I even have a vintage floral carved holster for it.

Chris

Hizzie

01-03-2015, 11:51 AM

.41 Magnum is still an amazing cartridge, in my not so humble opinion. Years and years ago as a young lad I saw an M58 that had the barrel chopped to 3" and the butt rounded ala a 3" Model 13. It had a big Trijicon front sight dovetailed in and a set of round butt Ahrends on it...it made quite an impression on me. It seemed like the perfect packin' revolver for defense against two and four legged varmints, and it seems like it might still be a good choice.

-Rob

If only the 41 had come to be as originally intended. The 41 Special/Police load was only supposed to be a 200-220gr bullet at 900-1000fps (40S&W anyone). The gun was supposed to be smaller than the N frame but obviously bigger than a K. S&W eventually did build the 646 which was a 6 shot 40 cal L frame. One can only imagine the difference that woulda made.

Haraise

01-03-2015, 12:24 PM

I don't believe there is an ALS. Howver, you can modify a Blade Tec to work on the Safariland shroud. Dale Fricke recently made me a 1066 holster that goes on a QLS.

You have a picture of this? Just having a hard time understanding what shroud means here.

Hizzie

01-03-2015, 12:33 PM

You have a picture of this? Just having a hard time understanding what shroud means here.

http://www.safariland.com/quick-attachment-systems/qls---quick-locking-system/

The male half is bolted to the holster body and the females half is bolted to this. http://www.safariland.com/leg-shrouds-and-accessories/model-6004-10-single-strap-leg-shroud-19866.html

Haraise

01-03-2015, 01:14 PM

http://www.safariland.com/quick-attachment-systems/qls---quick-locking-system/

The male half is bolted to the holster body and the females half is bolted to this. http://www.safariland.com/leg-shrouds-and-accessories/model-6004-10-single-strap-leg-shroud-19866.html

Ah, I thought he meant a Blade Tech with ALS retrofit. That would have been really useful... thank you.

Little Creek

01-03-2015, 02:12 PM

When I am out boondocking and not packing the G20, I sometimes pack a S&W M629 Mountain Gun that has been quadported by Magnaport. It still kicks like a mule with 250 grain loads.

GJM

01-03-2015, 02:33 PM

You have a picture of this? Just having a hard time understanding what shroud means here.

Essentially a Fricke Gideon with a higher shroud for protection bolted to a Safariland QLS fork. Retention is by friction versus ALS.

41magfan

01-03-2015, 04:47 PM

I recently got the same mount to run a red dot on a revolver. I am planning on getting the entire front half of the mount milled off. It was obviously made for a scope rather than a small red dot.

While not perfect, this is a cleaner looking mount than the Weigand.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/540/uvINWZ.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/f0uvINWZj)

http://allchingunparts.com/product-info.php?pid47.html

RevolverRob

01-03-2015, 05:16 PM

FYI on the subject of bases - Aristocrat is making one for rear sight replacement. http://www.aristocratproducts.com/page6.html it's listed on their price list page.

dbateman

01-05-2015, 06:38 PM

To my mind the S&W Mod 25 in 45lc with a 4" barrel seems like a good choice.

Dagga Boy

01-05-2015, 08:51 PM

To my mind the S&W Mod 25 in 45lc with a 4" barrel seems like a good choice.

While we disagree on the AUG.......you are showing some genius here;). I carried one as my first duty gun (The Hebrew Hammer), and have several. I just had one done with some custom G-10 coyote godzilla grips and a matching full kydex rig and loader pouches as sort of a "Jeeping" or ATV type rig. I love the things.

GJM

01-05-2015, 09:32 PM

Dagga Boy

01-05-2015, 09:36 PM

You get guns to match your activities like women get shoes to match their handbags. :p

Pot calling kettle, Pot calling kettle, code word is Black, Code word is Black.....authenticate......:cool:

dbateman

01-05-2015, 11:12 PM

While we disagree on the AUG.......you are showing some genius here;). I carried one as my first duty gun (The Hebrew Hammer), and have several. I just had one done with some custom G-10 coyote godzilla grips and a matching full kydex rig and loader pouches as sort of a "Jeeping" or ATV type rig. I love the things.

For me they're ideal with a 4" barrel it's nicely balanced and quick handling while still being accurate enough to take game at normal hunting ranges.
That and the 45lc and 44mag class rounds are about my limit with being able to shoot well enough.

I don't own one at the moment... But I'm working on that.

Dagga Boy

01-05-2015, 11:48 PM

For me they're ideal with a 4" barrel it's nicely balanced and quick handling while still being accurate enough to take game at normal hunting ranges.
That and the 45lc and 44mag class rounds are about my limit with being able to shoot well enough.

I don't own one at the moment... But I'm working on that.

Just to add.....they work great for shooting people as well. Every shooting I could dig up with ours where the suspect was hit went down with a single shot. Never got in a shooting with mine, but it does have a nice set of teeth marks in the trigger guard. While I tend to like something capable of handling heavier loads for the outdoors stuff in bear country, I love the 25-5 for more of a "town" type gun or more geared to defensive use against people sized stuff.

Lester Polfus

01-05-2015, 11:52 PM

I carried one as my first duty gun (The Hebrew Hammer), and have several.

I keep meaning to ask you, when you were policin' what .45 LC load did you carry?

I'm assuming the selection of the .45 LC was because it was "more" than the .44 Specials available at the time, and the .44 Mag made police administrators shudder?

Dagga Boy

01-06-2015, 12:42 AM

I keep meaning to ask you, when you were policin' what .45 LC load did you carry?

I'm assuming the selection of the .45 LC was because it was "more" than the .44 Specials available at the time, and the .44 Mag made police administrators shudder?

I carried the Winchester 220 gr. Silvertip. The selection reason was even cooler. I went to my old agency mainly because of the Chief of police at the time (who sadly died about a year after I started). It was like working for John Wayne. He owned a gun shop, was a serious horse riding cowboy, and a big Colt SAA collector (one of my most prized possessions is one of his Colt SAA's in .45 Colt). He wanted his folks carrying a well proven people stopper, and in his world, that was .45 Colt. He knew that a Colt SAA was not a good choice for 80's policing, but the big 25-5 was. A lot of our guys carried 6" .45 Colts in Hoyt's or similar (AE Nelson) types of holsters with triple speed loader cases that looked like they held tomato paste cans. I was a "anomaly", as usual, with carrying mine in a Rogers SSIII (Safariland 070) holster with Rogers Grips and used a 4" rather than a 6". Our SWAT guys used the 4" guns, but most of the males in patrol liked the 6" guns. They scared the hell out of the LA gang members who ended up in our area in droves and they always asked if they were ".44 Magnum's". The canned response from our guys was always "Nope, they're bigger". This usually elicited the "you all crazy" response. These gangsters were used to seeing .38's at LAPD and .357 Magnums from LA County Sheriff's, so our 6" N frames really stood out.........along with the gigantic Saps that were common.

Lester Polfus

01-06-2015, 01:07 AM

I carried the Winchester 220 gr. Silvertip. The selection reason was even cooler. I went to my old agency mainly because of the Chief of police at the time (who sadly died about a year after I started). It was like working for John Wayne. He owned a gun shop, was a serious horse riding cowboy, and a big Colt SAA collector (one of my most prized possessions is one of his Colt SAA's in .45 Colt). He wanted his folks carrying a well proven people stopper, and in his world, that was .45 Colt. He knew that a Colt SAA was not a good choice for 80's policing, but the big 25-5 was. A lot of our guys carried 6" .45 Colts in Hoyt's or similar (AE Nelson) types of holsters with triple speed loader cases that looked like they held tomato paste cans. I was a "anomaly", as usual, with carrying mine in a Rogers SSIII (Safariland 070) holster with Rogers Grips and used a 4" rather than a 6". Our SWAT guys used the 4" guns, but most of the males in patrol liked the 6" guns. They scared the hell out of the LA gang members who ended up in our area in droves and they always asked if they were ".44 Magnum's". The canned response from our guys was always "Nope, they're bigger". This usually elicited the "you all crazy" response. These gangsters were used to seeing .38's at LAPD and .357 Magnums from LA County Sheriff's, so our 6" N frames really stood out.........along with the gigantic Saps that were common.

That's awesome.

The 070 was still popular when I was working. No saps though. There is an agency nearby that still authorizes them, or at least they did 12 years ago.

dbateman

01-06-2015, 01:17 AM

Just to add.....they work great for shooting people as well. Every shooting I could dig up with ours where the suspect was hit went down with a single shot. Never got in a shooting with mine, but it does have a nice set of teeth marks in the trigger guard. While I tend to like something capable of handling heavier loads for the outdoors stuff in bear country, I love the 25-5 for more of a "town" type gun or more geared to defensive use against people sized stuff.

Was the 25 issued or were they ever issued that you know of ? <- Disregard that you replied as I was typing.

I have no doubt the 45lc would work very well at stopping people, I haven't shot a lot of game with the round out of a handgun maybe a dozen or so pigs and a few of head of
cattle. I used a Keith style bullet that a guy in Darwin was casting when I lived in the NT. From memory they were a 255-260gr I wanted a heavier bullet but at the time it was a bit to hard for me to get one. I hadn't even discovered the internet back then.

I have no idea how fast they were going out of a 4" barrel. Shooting pigs with it in creeks and such where most shots would be inside 20yds the bullets would typically pass straight thru. I also had the opportunity to shoot two old cars at an old station dump one was a 45 series cruiser and the other was some kind of valiant the rounds seemed to punch thru them very well. Mind you there was no glass in the cabs. Add to that at the time it had never occurred to me that someone might want to shoot something inside a car. Me and one of my mates were just shooting groups in the doors ect.

I would say 45Lc my favourite bigbore handgun round, I think it's quite underrated.

Not sure about bears. The only bears we have are koala bears.

Dagga Boy

01-06-2015, 10:24 AM

jetfire

01-06-2015, 12:54 PM

This thread is making want a 25 Mountain Gun in a BAD way.

Dagga Boy

01-06-2015, 02:27 PM

Too late to edit.......the load I used was the 225 grain STHP. The other popular load was the Federal HP. We shot horrific reloads that I am sure some pal of the Chief was making that were really dirty cowboy type lead roundnose stuff. A Lewis cleaning tool was at the cleaning station for a reason. When I would shoot for scores for awards or rating, I would use the Federal as it was really accurate. I liked the STHP for a duty load. Overall, I loved the .45 Colt and saw great performance over the years.

LSP972

01-06-2015, 05:42 PM

This thread is making want a 25 Mountain Gun in a BAD way.

Its making me look for my old sap. Got about six months of use out of it before being told to stop carrying/chatting with it.

I sure could have used it the day I busted my hand all up on the side of that drunk's head…:(

.

Wondering Beard

01-06-2015, 05:49 PM

This thread is making want a 25 Mountain Gun in a BAD way.

You're not alone

Dagga Boy

01-06-2015, 07:39 PM

Its making me look for my old sap. Got about six months of use out of it before being told to stop carrying/chatting with it.

I sure could have used it the day I busted my hand all up on the side of that drunk's head…:(

.

Luckily I got several years in with them. Best LE impact weapon out there-period. Luckily, even after the saps went away, we could still use full size metal flashlights as impact weapons. They were very effective. The biggest difference was the saps tended not to draw blood while the lights made a huge mess when you zapped a dude in the head.

serialsolver

01-06-2015, 10:18 PM

Saps we're quieter than kel lights and there was no bulb to break.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

LSP972

01-07-2015, 07:53 AM

Luckily, even after the saps went away, we could still use full size metal flashlights as impact weapons. They were very effective.

That was something that nobody (in authority at my agency) could ever explain to me- why was a sap bad but the aluminum flashlights or a PR-24 okay-... and I asked more than once.

Like you say, cracking a miscreant across the gourd with an SL-20 or equivalent ALWAYS left a big cut that many times required stiches; PR-24s or straight sticks not so much, but often enough. But the saps usually left just a big bruise; particularly the ones without the leather "slap pad". These were referred to as a "cosh", I believe. But the "slap pad" version was easier to tuck into one's hip pocket...;)

.

LSP972

01-07-2015, 07:57 AM

... no bulb to break.

The SL-20s and -35s were pretty hardy in that regard... as long as you remembered to turn the thing OFF before impact. If you left it on, the lamp was gone, every time. I blew several lamp modules this way (two in one night, on several occasions) before I figured it out... and at $20 a pop, it was an expensive lesson.

.

Hizzie

01-07-2015, 12:20 PM

The poly version was almost as tough as the aluminum but didn't have the tendency to open someone up when you gave 9 from the sky.

NEPAKevin

01-07-2015, 01:14 PM

Saps we're quieter than kel lights and there was no bulb to break.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bulb? Years back, we had one of the local hot heads all sauced up on a Friday night giving grief to the LEOs and as they were trying to put him in the back of the squad car he started acting out and one of the guys gave him a tap on the noggin and broke the head assembly clean off the tube. The drunk was just stunned for a second or two and went back to fighting.

Dagga Boy

01-07-2015, 01:24 PM

Bulb? Years back, we had one of the local hot heads all sauced up on a Friday night giving grief to the LEOs and as they were trying to put him in the back of the squad car he started acting out and one of the guys gave him a tap on the noggin and broke the head assembly clean off the tube. The drunk was just stunned for a second or two and went back to fighting.

Rookie..........you hit them with the tail end

coldcase1984

01-07-2015, 09:11 PM

Guilty pleasure: still sometimes slip a slapjack in my pocket when I go to Wally World. Took a few years for our patrol pants w slapjack pockets to be phased out.

I need a svelte .45 Mountain, too; our BUG/OD approved list doesn't include .44-cals sometimes pack the 57-2, but like the way the 255 STs smack things from my big fat Vaquero.

RevolverRob

01-07-2015, 10:26 PM

our BUG/OD approved list doesn't include .44-cals sometimes pack the 57-2, but like the way the 255 STs smack things from my big fat Vaquero.

This just reminds me of Jim Cirillo. He talked about how at the beginning of his time on Stakeout squad, the department required officers to carry a .38 Special on duty. But the backup gun was completely open, so Cirillo chose a custom 4" .357 to serve as his "backup" gun. If I recall, Paul Kirchner talked about it in 'Tales of the Stakeout Squad'...

RE: Impact weapons. I would never carry a blackjack or sap, because they are illegal. But if one did carry one, an 8-ounce "cablejack" from Foster would make a fine choice, I think. A little less spring to it, so it hits more like a sap, but large enough it can be swung or held in the fist and snapped out with a quick jab. I keep meaning to investigate saps, something in the way of a small midget, strictly for educational purposes, of course.

-Rob

45dotACP

01-08-2015, 12:42 AM

Man, I wish saps were legal here in IL...but I did take care of an elderly gentleman at my old job who carried a bucheimer slapper around in his back pocket. He had to switch his cane to his other hand to get to it, but it was a gorgeous piece of work, presumably from when he did something requiring him to bust head...

I think if I had to pick a "Go to" revolver, it'd automatically be a 4" 586...because those guns are just sexy. A hot loaded 158 grain magnum round should drive pretty deep, but I will admit that if I were needing to stop a large, angry cow or something of the like, I'd probably opt for a SA revolver in .44 of some sort purely on the basis that they are easier to shoot in larger calibers. Of course, that'd just be an excuse for me to get something from Freedom Arms :D

Worth noting, a lack of weight is not what one is looking for in a magnum gun. Not if you're going to be shooting magnum loads, and if you want to stop a big heifer, you need heifer worthy bullets and those cost recoil. I understand the concept of "carry a lot, shoot a little" type guns, but the practical application of carrying a gun you don't practice with is entirely lost on me.

Drang

01-08-2015, 04:56 AM

This thread is making want a 25 Mountain Gun in a BAD way.

You're not alone

I need a svelte .45 Mountain...
Group buy!

justintime

01-08-2015, 10:01 AM

Perhaps you should also practice your muc skills - managing unknown cows - as well?

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b431/davisjustin10/Mobile%20Uploads/20150104_114723_zpsc6b55fe6.jpg (http://s1043.photobucket.com/user/davisjustin10/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150104_114723_zpsc6b55fe6.jpg.html)

On a side note, cattle are surprisingly easy to kill. I've also never felt the need to kill one in self defense... they are easily avoidable.. they certainly can be a harm to each other though.

Dagga Boy

01-08-2015, 11:17 AM

Just a note on cattle...........DO NOT TASER them........trust me on this one;)

Hizzie

01-08-2015, 12:00 PM

So where are the pics of this magical Bowen 454 Alaskan?

mtnbkr

01-08-2015, 12:49 PM

Just a note on cattle...........DO NOT TASER them........trust me on this one;)

Do tell. :)

Chris

Dagga Boy

01-08-2015, 01:49 PM

Do tell. :)

Chris

One our our guys tried this on an escaped Dairy cow in traffic........it turns them into PBR class Bulls. Thankfully, graveyard with few witnesses. This is what happens when city cops call in the good idea fairy. I wasn't there, but I remember hearing on the radio "I am going to Taz it" and thinking......."boy, that sounds like a bad idea". The screaming on the radio confirmed that it did not have the intended response.

NEPAKevin

01-08-2015, 02:19 PM

This just reminds me of Jim Cirillo. He talked about how at the beginning of his time on Stakeout squad, the department required officers to carry a .38 Special on duty. But the backup gun was completely open...

-Rob

If I heard correctly, one of the LEOs who sometimes shoots at our matches used to carry a Redhawk chambered in 460 Rowland as his "backup" until the powers that be rewrote their policy.

I don't know what they called it, but I recall a conversation where a couple "old school" guys spoke well of a sap that was described as a leather pork chop filled with shot.

Lester Polfus

01-08-2015, 03:29 PM

One our our guys tried this on an escaped Dairy cow in traffic........it turns them into PBR class Bulls. Thankfully, graveyard with few witnesses. This is what happens when city cops call in the good idea fairy. I wasn't there, but I remember hearing on the radio "I am going to Taz it" and thinking......."boy, that sounds like a bad idea". The screaming on the radio confirmed that it did not have the intended response.

You ever think about writing a book?

Dagga Boy

01-08-2015, 03:50 PM

You ever think about writing a book?

I've been approached before. My best friend who mentored me from the time I was 19 would disown me. I figure selling 8 books may not be worth the effort. On the other hand, I started one many years ago on firearms training for LE and that is more likely viable than an old war stories book, besides......all the REALLY good stuff couldn't be published.

Lester Polfus

01-08-2015, 04:23 PM

, besides......all the REALLY good stuff couldn't be published.

I get that, what with the statutes of limitations and all.

But if it was fiction....

JHC

01-08-2015, 07:12 PM

I've been approached before. My best friend who mentored me from the time I was 19 would disown me. I figure selling 8 books may not be worth the effort. On the other hand, I started one many years ago on firearms training for LE and that is more likely viable than an old war stories book, besides......all the REALLY good stuff couldn't be published.

I asked Hack about the same and he said the economics of a gun book suck. He said all the guys he knew that did make a pittance from it while Palladin rakes it or has a garage full of books. ;)

ldunnmobile

01-08-2015, 11:45 PM

What would be wrong with this? Too heavy?

http://www.ruger.com/products/redhawk/specSheets/5027.html

Stainless Ruger Redhawk with 4" barrel in 45LC/44

I used to have a Blackhawk and liked it.

Dagga Boy

01-08-2015, 11:51 PM

LSP972

01-09-2015, 08:11 AM

......all the REALLY good stuff couldn't be published.

Or nobody (non-cop readers) would believe it.

As for "all the screaming on the radio"... yeah. There are advantages to being tied up with a major injury wreck on the other side of the river when the cattle truck turns over on I-20. I listened to that calamity with great interest...:D

.

Hizzie

01-09-2015, 08:43 AM

Or nobody (non-cop readers) would believe it.

As for "all the screaming on the radio"... yeah. There are advantages to being tied up with a major injury wreck on the other side of the river when the cattle truck turns over on I-20. I listened to that calamity with great interest...:D

.

I was happy to get out of the burbs. Not many livestock calls in the PJ's.

SteveK

01-09-2015, 09:32 AM

I've been approached before. My best friend who mentored me from the time I was 19 would disown me. I figure selling 8 books may not be worth the effort. On the other hand, I started one many years ago on firearms training for LE and that is more likely viable than an old war stories book, besides......all the REALLY good stuff couldn't be published.

You just need a good underground publisher and a pseudonym.

jetfire

01-09-2015, 12:06 PM

NEPAKevin

01-09-2015, 12:10 PM

There is a thread over on the IDPA forum about self published author: We have an author in our midst. (http://idpaforum.yuku.com/topic/9313/We-have-an-author-in-our-midst#.VLAIosm875s) Never hurts to get a little word of mouth help from your friends and target audience. I too would happily purchase a copy of "Harden the F**k Up!" :)

dbateman

01-15-2015, 06:31 AM

.45 Colt would be a GREAT Koala Bear round...:-).

They were not issued to us. We were issued 4" Model 15's. They purposely gave me the biggest piece of crap they could find that soured me badly to the Model 15 (I just inherited a nice one). The Model 15's were home guns, drawer guns, and spent a ton of locker time. The model 25-5's were individually purchased. I can only remember 1 female (who should not have had a gun or been a cop at all) and one male officer of a couple hundred who carried the model 15. Everyone else carried the .45 Colt. The other big users at the time were Long Beach PD and National City (Nasty City). It seemed like the agency's that carried them also used Saps a lot and had reputations for no tolerance of criminals and were very busy places.

Sorry for the delayed reply I've been out of coms for the last 9 or so days.
I have a 15-2 with a 4" barrel it's a nice little wheelgun I like it for what it is. I'm sure it would work for most things you could ask of it... I have a heap of 125gr+p SJHP for it as well as some 158gr lead target loads. That being said if I had to pick a revolver for a do it all type thing the Mod 15 comes close but the 25 for me edges it out.

Man, I wish saps were legal here in IL...but I did take care of an elderly gentleman at my old job who carried a bucheimer slapper around in his back pocket. He had to switch his cane to his other hand to get to it, but it was a gorgeous piece of work, presumably from when he did something requiring him to bust head...

1" coaxial cable work pretty well... So I heard.

Just a note on cattle...........DO NOT TASER them........trust me on this one;)

You ever get to taser someone in the shower ? That's entertaining.

dbateman

01-15-2015, 06:42 AM

What would be wrong with this? Too heavy?

http://www.ruger.com/products/redhawk/specSheets/5027.html

Stainless Ruger Redhawk with 4" barrel in 45LC/44

I used to have a Blackhawk and liked it.

One of my friends has a Super Redhawk in 454 with a 6" barrel it sure is nice and quite easy to shoot.

I have had a few shots out of it it's pretty accurate at 25yds at least. I would love to take it out on pigs and the like... But handgun hunting isn't legal over here anymore.

It seems pretty well built to me.

Sn0w1e0pard

02-21-2015, 04:40 PM

I carry a 6" Freedom Arms .475 Linebaugh in cross draw chest holster when fishing in country with big bears around.
The .475 Linebaugh can also be loaded down to .44 Magnum power quite nicely, so no need to take a beating all the time for practice and other duties.

FNFAN

02-25-2015, 04:49 PM

Hoyt's or similar (AE Nelson) types of holsters with triple speed loader cases that looked like they held tomato paste cans

What a great thread! Beavertail saps, big frame Smith's..... All that's missing is mention of Dade Screw Machine company and the old 18" long RCA portables and the TJ Hooker Fury's with the mega motors and minimal brakes.

Stephanie B

03-01-2015, 12:59 PM

I think print on demand and e-book publishing have changed the economics of book writing a bit, but it still might not be worth your time. While you'll almost certainly not get rich from it, you're unlikely to lose much money either.

True, as long as you view the writing and editing on a hobby basis. A lot of people have gone down the e-book self-published and the ones who have made real money at it, like Marko Kloos, are few and far between.

Lost River

03-14-2015, 11:12 PM

What would be wrong with this? Too heavy?

http://www.ruger.com/products/redhawk/specSheets/5027.html

Stainless Ruger Redhawk with 4" barrel in 45LC/44

I used to have a Blackhawk and liked it.

I have a 4" .44 Redhawk. Shown here with an older .45 convertible Blackhawk.

The RH is a serious tank of a sidearm, and with the longer cylinder it can handle some pretty hot, heavy for caliber loads. While the DA trigger is not as nice as most my Smiths, it is certainly plenty good enough for a field gun.

My lovely bride actually purchased the RH for me a number of years ago, as an anniversary gift. Gotta love her.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b109/IV_Troop/BHKRHK_zps57b988b5.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/IV_Troop/media/BHKRHK_zps57b988b5.jpg.html)

mtnbkr

03-15-2015, 07:12 PM

While the DA trigger is not as nice as most my Smiths, it is certainly plenty good enough for a field gun.

Shoot/dry-fire it and it'll get there. I purchased my RH in 2005ish (gently used) and followed up with a LNIB 4" 629 in 2010. The RH DA trigger is far superior to the 629's DA trigger. The 629 wins out on SA trigger pull, but that's mainly academic as I shoot my DA revolvers DA almost exclusively.

Chris

Lost River

03-18-2015, 08:07 PM

The trigger is serviceable. But I'm sure a few thousand dry fires might improve it.

Hizzie

04-07-2015, 01:49 PM

Ruger Alaskan 44 in Gunfighters Inc. Kenai chest rig. Speedloader pouch is The Wilderness.

http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae322/strangler366/Revolvers/1428427978_zpse7378db8.jpg (http://s984.photobucket.com/user/strangler366/media/Revolvers/1428427978_zpse7378db8.jpg.html)

http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae322/strangler366/Revolvers/1428427449_zps1fb34210.jpg (http://s984.photobucket.com/user/strangler366/media/Revolvers/1428427449_zps1fb34210.jpg.html)

Seven_Sicks_Two

04-15-2015, 02:39 PM

I've always liked tapered-barrel N-frames. There is something about the way they look that just... does it for me. That being said, it certainly doesn't meet meet all the OPs requirements (light/optic mount).

A few years back, I picked up a LNIB S&W 22 Thunder Ranch in .45 ACP (the blued TR gun, not the tacti-cool one). I sold it to a buddy in a moment of weakness and he absolutely refuses to let me buy it back. So, maybe a year or so ago, an honest-to-goodness 4" Triple Lock in .44 SPL sorta fell into my lap. I still can't bring myself to carry it as a woods gun though. If something were to happen to it out in the bush, I'm not sure I could forgive myself.

One of these days, I hope to work up the courage to use it on a hog hunt. I'd be the coolest guy for miles... even if just in my own mind :D

Lost River

04-18-2015, 08:44 AM

The requirements I laid out for mine were more of a theoretical wants list. I highly doubt a one true perfect revolver will ever be built. I am immensely happy with my 5" Model 29 for an overall piece. The thread is also an opportunity for others to discuss what their idea for a PP revolver would be/ is.

Personally if starting over, I could be totally happy with a .44 special. That said, I shoot a bunch of .44 mag, so I just use mag brass and download to special levels. Just having one type of brass, and never having to readjust the dies works for me.

A nice skinny barreled .44 special could certainly make the list as a top contender for "perfection". The .44 special is a very capable and very underrated cartridge these days.

Lost River

04-18-2015, 08:50 AM

Btw,

I would not hesitate to carry your Triple Lock in the outdoors. If you don't enjoy it for what it is, someone else will when you pass on. I have a couple of "collector" type pieces, and I hunt with them, pack them in the mountains, etc. Life is short, enjoy what pleases you while you can.

PD Sgt.

04-18-2015, 09:45 AM

Luckily I got several years in with them. Best LE impact weapon out there-period. Luckily, even after the saps went away, we could still use full size metal flashlights as impact weapons. They were very effective. The biggest difference was the saps tended not to draw blood while the lights made a huge mess when you zapped a dude in the head.

A fact lost on many upper level admin types, most of whom never struck anybody with anything more forceful than a polite request.

Dagga Boy

04-18-2015, 09:55 AM

A fact lost on many upper level admin types, most of whom never struck anybody with anything more forceful than a polite request.

Oh mine were tougher. They tended to use the harsh tone memo, and the "red pen" when they really meant business. What is kind of funny is that when you do spelling and grammatical corrections to their memo's in red pen and send it back to them, they get all pissy about it........:p.

PD Sgt.

04-19-2015, 10:31 AM

Oh mine were tougher. They tended to use the harsh tone memo, and the "red pen" when they really meant business. What is kind of funny is that when you do spelling and grammatical corrections to their memo's in red pen and send it back to them, they get all pissy about it........:p.

Same here, I was talking about their dealings with the public, who were not as likely to be bound to the appreciation of rank and test taking skills.

Back to the original topic, I have one of the 3" 625-7s in .45 Colt, and that makes for a very nice carry gun. The only down side to it for me at least, is it is the rarest gun I own, and I do not take it too many places besides the range anymore. I also have a 696 .44 Spl., and that carries very well. I even have a VMII for it, and it is not uncomfortable IWB. The only downside is heavier loads are not recommended with the thinner forcing cone on that model.

If Smith came out with a 3" model 69, that would get a lot of holster time for me. As it is I am thinking about picking up the 4" for a woods/hiking gun (the wife wants to start doing some Appalachian Trail hikes coming up). But then I am also equally tempted to wait and search out a 3" 629 (I prefer my carry wheelguns stainless). So for me I guess I lean toward a 3" tube in one of the calibers starting in "4".

Drang

04-19-2015, 12:14 PM

If Smith came out with a 3" model 69, that would get a lot of holster time for me.
Suggested this at the S&W Booth at the NRA Annual Meeting ast week. No apparent interest. :(

But then I am also equally tempted to wait and search out a 3" 629 (I prefer my carry wheelguns stainless). So for me I guess I lean toward a 3" tube in one of the calibers starting in "4".
Did get to fondle one of the 2.6" stainless jobs (SKU 170135 (http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_766338_-1_757770_757767_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y)) and it's a massive beast.
Do want, though.
They did not have one of these that I could see: Model 629 Deluxe 3in. Barrel Textured Wood Grips (http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_781528_-1_757770_757767_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y).
I'll take either...

PD Sgt.

04-19-2015, 04:40 PM

Suggested this at the S&W Booth at the NRA Annual Meeting ast week. No apparent interest.

That is too bad. Judging by the prices used 696s go for nowadays, combined with the ability to use Magnum rounds, you would think there would be enough demand to make production worthwhile. I personally know several guys who would jump on one in a second given the chance. Doubly so if they made it without the lock. For me, that pistol would almost perfectly bridge the gap between urban and wilderness carry, depending on ammo selection.

Drang

04-23-2015, 11:23 PM

That is too bad. Judging by the prices used 696s go for nowadays, combined with the ability to use Magnum rounds, you would think there would be enough demand to make production worthwhile.
I'm just an obscure gun blogger who was talking to a sales guy, if enough people ask, I'm sure they'll change their minds. Maybe Talo or Davidsons...?

jh9

04-24-2015, 02:40 PM

I'm just an obscure gun blogger who was talking to a sales guy, if enough people ask, I'm sure they'll change their minds. Maybe Talo or Davidsons...?

Who knows. At some point they started not only making 3" 686+ guns with unfluted cylinders for Talo but they started making the 3" 686+ a regular cataloged item without, at least afaik, any real notice whatsoever.

The chances of lopping an inch off the 69 is better than average.

Lost River

04-27-2015, 09:14 AM

Here's my newest favorite single action:

Its a Flattop .45 Convertible. I replaced the stainless grip frame for an aluminum one to reduce the weight. Additionally, I had the standard hammer replaced with a Bisley hammer.
I run it primarily with the ACP cylinder. The ACP cylinder loaded with Gold Dots or old Hydra-shoks for defense or larger game use, and my old USPSA load of a 200 grain LSWC for small game hunting/plinking/target use.

Im not a super huge single action fan, but this one "speaks to me".

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b109/IV_Troop/P1000746_zpsfqcc2qhs.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/IV_Troop/media/P1000746_zpsfqcc2qhs.jpg.html)

PD Sgt.

04-27-2015, 07:20 PM

I
Here's my newest favorite single action:

Its a Flattop .45 Convertible. I replaced the stainless grip frame for an aluminum one to reduce the weight. Additionally, I had the standard hammer replaced with a Bisley hammer.
I run it primarily with the ACP cylinder. The ACP cylinder loaded with Gold Dots or old Hydra-shoks for defense or larger game use, and my old USPSA load of a 200 grain LSWC for small game hunting/plinking/target use.

Im not a super huge single action fan, but this one "speaks to me."

Nice wheelie there with great scenery, makes me regret selling mine.

PD Sgt.

04-27-2015, 07:21 PM

Who knows. At some point they started not only making 3" 686+ guns with unfluted cylinders for Talo but they started making the 3" 686+ a regular cataloged item without, at least afaik, any real notice whatsoever.

The chances of lopping an inch off the 69 is better than average.

I'm down for an e mail campaign.

Malamute

04-28-2015, 12:39 AM

Personally if starting over, I could be totally happy with a .44 special. That said, I shoot a bunch of .44 mag, so I just use mag brass and download to special levels. Just having one type of brass, and never having to readjust the dies works for me.

A nice skinny barreled .44 special could certainly make the list as a top contender for "perfection". The .44 special is a very capable and very underrated cartridge these days.

I could be pretty happy with a 44 spl also. The 4" 24 is a really nice gun for general carry. As much as I like my old 29, the 24 is nicer to carry. I keep a few Keith loads in the belt, but mostly its loaded with 250's @ about 850 fps. A load running around 1000 fps would cover most uses other than grizzlies.

I have a 6 1/2" 24 barrel. I keep thinking it would be nice cut to 5" and installed on a 29.

The Browning 92 wont run on the Lyman/Keith bullet loaded in magnum cases without serious carrier work. It does, however, work perfectly with the 429421 loaded in spl cases.

Lost River

04-29-2015, 08:40 PM

There is very little an outdoorsman cannot accomplish with a properly loaded .44, combined with a sharp eye and steady hand.

Jeep

04-29-2015, 09:04 PM

The trouble is, of course, that very often those sharp eyes disappear somewhere and one day you wake up and can't figure out where you left them.

Which, of course, is something a good .44 will never do.

We need more .44's.

Malamute

04-30-2015, 12:54 AM

There is very little an outdoorsman cannot accomplish with a properly loaded .44, combined with a sharp eye and steady hand.

Agree. I also like the 45 Colt in a single action.

The trouble is, of course, that very often those sharp eyes disappear somewhere and one day you wake up and can't figure out where you left them.

Which, of course, is something a good .44 will never do.

We need more .44's.

Yeah, whats up with the eyes thing anyway?

Have you tried the Merit device? I keep forgetting about mine, but its nothing short of amazing for deliberate shooting work.

I'm coming around to the idea of a scope on a pistol.

Dagga Boy

05-11-2015, 03:32 PM

Picking at my house is getting very hard.............this is just a sample of the recent DA stuff........my Single Actions are equally impressive.

GJM

05-11-2015, 08:30 PM

Picking at my house is getting very hard.............this is just a sample of the recent DA stuff........my Single Actions are equally impressive.

In Alaska, we would say "son, that shows promise."

Dagga Boy

05-11-2015, 08:41 PM

This is from a post I did on Lightfighter in regards to two guns that are REALLY packing pistols and make sense for each's role.

So, as most know since I have finally really settled on the HK VP 9 and a J frame BUG as my everyday, normal boring carry package, I have focused hard on mass revolver accumulation out of sheer passion. Lots of cool stuff with insane custom leather and plenty of nice grips. Along with that, I have also grabbed two soul less revolvers (internal locks where there soul leaks out) that have become solid tools. Both are performance center guns that were bought used. Both can be replaced. Both have excellent triggers and high quality feel.
One is the gun I carry in the car as a counter car jack gun that is easily accessed and not on my body, and will also be my NY gun. It is an 8 shot 627 with a 2 5/8" barrel.
The other is a 4" .44 Mag that is a great 4 legged critter outdoor carry gun. It will likely get a red dot at some point. For now, easy to carry well built .44 That I would rather get wet and muddy fishing than a classic blued model 29.
Essentially, one is an urban revolver and the other an outdoors revolver that are very modern and different from revolvers of our past (particularly Smith's). Different lock up,hammers, small parts, barrel attachment and sights. Both are also essentially size and weight minimums for running with full house factory magnum ammunition without being horrifically painful. With that said, as much as they sort of offend my senses, they are a practical "pure tool" solution rather than an emotional solution.

Jeep

05-11-2015, 09:21 PM

Picking at my house is getting very hard.............this is just a sample of the recent DA stuff........my Single Actions are equally impressive.

What a line up! That 27/28 with stag grips is particularly impressive.

Dagga Boy

05-11-2015, 09:39 PM

What a line up! That 27/28 with stag grips is particularly impressive.

It is an S serial numbered 28 I grabbed for a great price in Lake Havasu when I went gun shopping with GJM. Shoots terrific and being it is sort of a beater it will get more range time than most. Has The wrong screw in the rear sight that I need to replace,but otherwise, one of my favorites. It also has some nice rare smooth Magna's if I want to put wood grips on it. I am having a very old school Texas lawman rig built for it.

Lost River

05-12-2015, 06:40 AM

Picking at my house is getting very hard.............this is just a sample of the recent DA stuff........my Single Actions are equally impressive.

With that DA collection, and such beautiful leather, a man should be able to walk the mountains, forests and deserts for the rest of his natural life and be completely content in his selection of packing revolvers.

Lost River

05-12-2015, 06:48 AM

Dagga Boy

05-12-2015, 07:33 AM

You could do much much worse.

A thought/question occurred to me in regards to the 8 shot .357. Did you opt for the "higher cap" revolver as a self defense piece due to the fact it would not leave brass at a scene? In today's society where some are often thrown to the wolves even before the facts are in, to appease the rioters/thugs/media, that may be a consideration for some due to locale.

Let me address this as a general principle that I teach. In the case of the revolver, I could care less about shell casings on the ground. Just like I don't really care about semi auto brass. I am not in the assassination business, and at this point in my life, I am not doing any kind of work where this is an issue. I actually plan on being the first to call 911 if I have to use a firearm to protect mine or someone else's life.
With that said, one of many reasons I am an advocate of tactical reloads with a semi auto is I want to retain as much stuff with me as I can "if possible". If it hits the ground, assume it is gone. If you do not have the means of controlling a crime scene, plan on losing everything. This can be highlighted in recent events. In LA on TV with officers fighting a homeless guy and officer drops a knife. A thug runs by and grabs it an runs while numerous officers are actively fighting the guy. In Baltimore where they had the case of the "shooting that wasn't a shooting" where officers were chasing another thug who ND'd and dropped his own gun and everyone was claiming the white officer shot the "unarmed black boy in the back", the officer trying to protect the thug's gun had a very difficult time. Had he not defended his position while all sorts of stuff was thrown at him and he was surrounded by a hostile crowd, I guarantee that gun would be gone. A very famous retired NY cop who was in numerous shootings there said on one where there were a lot of casings and other items missing from the crowd taking them. So......I have come to the conclusion that if possible, I will retain evidence on me if I can without sacrificing any safety. This may be a moon clip benefit where if I haven't expended everything, I could actually do a load with retention, but it was never a particular though in going to a revolver in this part of the world. My motivation is mostly in that I have seen how bad many cops are in California at understanding confusing and poorly written "common sense gun control laws", I expect no better in NY, Chicago, Washington DC or other areas that also have local issues. One thing that does seem to not cause any issues anywhere are revolvers as they are not inherently "evil" like semi-auto's in the minds of people who dislike guns. If you look at the direction of California's gun control laws,what they really want is if they have to allow CCW at all, it will be more palatable to the politicians that it will be a 5 shot state and pump or double barrel shotgun for home defense. It is why I take running those systems as efficiently as possible.

Jeep

05-12-2015, 11:43 AM

It is an S serial numbered 28 I grabbed for a great price in Lake Havasu when I went gun shopping with GJM. Shoots terrific and being it is sort of a beater it will get more range time than most. Has The wrong screw in the rear sight that I need to replace,but otherwise, one of my favorites. It also has some nice rare smooth Magna's if I want to put wood grips on it. I am having a very old school Texas lawman rig built for it.

Keep the stags on for that rig. They scream "old school."

When S&W stopped making Model 28's some of the joy went out of the world.

Dagga Boy

05-12-2015, 11:58 AM

Keep the stags on for that rig. They scream "old school."

When S&W stopped making Model 28's some of the joy went out of the world.

We Really need a like button. I totally agree. While it might not be great for shooting speed and accuracy wise, there is something about feeling the heft of those N frames when confronting some evil heathen that is inspiring. I also love feeling that big cylinder rolling knowing what is coming next is going to be serious.

LSP972

05-12-2015, 01:10 PM

You could do much much worse.

A thought/question occurred to me in regards to the 8 shot .357. Did you opt for the "higher cap" revolver as a self defense piece due to the fact it would not leave brass at a scene? .

Your question is a bit curious... since, the only reason one would not want to leave brass at a scene is if he/she was trying obscure something. Bottom line is, you shot, or you didn't. Sometimes... SOMETIMES... brass on the ground can be used to verify or refute somebody's statement, by analyzing the location against the displayed ejection pattern of the pistol, etc. But that happens a lot more on CSI/whatever than in real life. And, of course, its very presence at a scene can prove that a specific firearm was fired there. But as DB pointed out, if you're smart you'll be fully cooperating with the investigating agency, so any brass you deposit should be basically irrelevant. FWIW, in the five years I've been doing the crime lab thing, that only time any revolver brass has been recovered at a scene was when the ballet teacher severely murdered her student/lover with a Taurus .38 snubbie. Apparently, said teacher took great exception to the student/lover's announced intention to move on, and shot her 14 times while chasing her through the house. IOW, she reloaded twice, on the run. Pretty impressive, depending on your point of view... but those gay folks get real creative when doing each other in during lover's spats.

OTOH, again as DB mentioned, the roaches will grab anything they can, for whatever reason. But that's another subject, one best not discussed on a public forum. Just be aware...

.

Lost River

05-12-2015, 01:55 PM

In talking with guys on the job in some highly politically/racially charged locations I have heard more than one say (whether it was beer talking or they were half serious I don't know) that they would consider walking away from a shoot with a mugger/robber if it was a crime involving participants of more than one race and they thought they could avoid the whole normal process of aftermath. A couple mentioned carrying wheelguns.

Personally I don't work in one of those areas and am curious if this is more prevalent than what I think.

Frankly, I have no issue with articulating when, what why and how a use of force event occurred, and having been involved in on duty shootings, I will do it the normal way.

However, I've noted that how policing is done in the Rocky Mountain West seems to be a lot different than big city east coast cop work. At training classes with dudes from all over the country, I have heard guys talk about all manner of stuff that would not only be absolutely against policy, but not even remotely acceptable by rank and file street officers. Example being having a beer (or 2) on the job at lunch. One guy I remember (east coast, cannot recall where, as it was years ago) talked about having a policy of a 2 beer limit). Any place Iv'e worked, unless you were doing alcohol stings/working in bars, you would be fired in a heartbeat.

Taking meals for free is another one of those things that seems like an east coast/southern thing that just is not acceptable where I am at.

Dagga Boy

05-12-2015, 04:25 PM

LSP972

05-12-2015, 05:11 PM

Policing is regional in many ways. With that said, I put stuff like carrying a revolver to avoid leaving brass so I can not report a shooting in the same realm as advice about dragging bodies into houses. Stupid advice and essentially advocating a crime. Everytime a cop says to drag a body in a house as advice I want to throat punch them. In my world plan A to about plan X all involve calling the police faster than anyone else. The last thing I want to do is alter or mess with evidence. If I can retain evidence on my person to hand over to LE with a un-molested chain of evidence,that is good in my book. Purposely choosing a weapon based on hopefully not leaving evidence does not factor into my mindset at all.

This^.

Just walking away, if you can do so undetected, is probably a good idea on the face of it. Little things like surveillance cameras you didn't see (ditto that person in the shadows with video capability), bullets from your gun either in the person/s or pass-throughs recovered from walls, trees, etc.; little things like that tend to make such a practice real bad juju.

And while we're on the subject of venues, think about this… if your incident occurs in Spider Crotch, Oklahoma, things look pretty much in your favor (justified lethal force, etc.), and the local coppers are feeling "good" about you, a detailed forensic investigation is unlikely. OTOH, if it is indeed a "racial thing" (you know what I mean), it will be investigated as thoroughly as poor little Trayvon Martin's case; especially when the feds get involved, as they surely will if enough media attention is generated. In that case, there will be highly competent people looking for something, anything, to trip you up on. And I can promise you this; if there is ANY indication of evidence tampering or other suspicious activity… well, buddy, that's a spotlight you never want to be under.

So, yes, as DB said… that advice to walk away is right up there at the top of the retardation scale.

Trust me, the 2-beers-at-lunch-limit thing is primarily an east coast big-city department phenomenon… and New Orleans, of course. But that particular cesspool may as well be Somalia, as far as I'm concerned.

Are you a cop?

.

LSP552

05-12-2015, 08:15 PM

One thing that does seem to not cause any issues anywhere are revolvers as they are not inherently "evil" like semi-auto's in the minds of people who dislike guns. If you look at the direction of California's gun control laws,what they really want is if they have to allow CCW at all, it will be more palatable to the politicians that it will be a 5 shot state and pump or double barrel shotgun for home defense. It is why I take running those systems as efficiently as possible.

And that's the reason that I often carry a revolver when traveling to unfriendly gun places. As much as I hate going to the East coast, it happens sometimes for work.

Lost River

05-12-2015, 08:43 PM

Lost River

05-12-2015, 08:52 PM

LSP,

Yes I am on the job, local, county and state work prior to working overseas.

came back, now an investigator for an agency.

The stories I have heard from primarily east coast, large agency guys amaze me.

Hence when I saw the 8 shooter, the old conversation popped into my brain again.

BTW, spent time at JESTC too. The bearded dudes are from my outfit.

LSP552

05-12-2015, 09:08 PM

Dagga Boy

05-12-2015, 09:32 PM

Lost River

05-12-2015, 09:42 PM

Lost River,

Let us know if you make it back to Baton Rouge. I'm sure we can find a place that serves adult beverages.

Ken

Sounds good. If I return for work stuff, I will give you a shout.

Lost River

05-12-2015, 09:54 PM

I may have to use the "it don't leave brass" excuse as to why I am carrying a wheelgun as it sounds so much more HSLD than my normal response of "style points".

I'm growing the operator goatee back, so it will sound better.

You gotta do the whole beard thing to be truly all Operatory ish. :)

Or at least rock a large goat:

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b109/IV_Troop/Sanitized8venueDec01006.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/IV_Troop/media/Sanitized8venueDec01006.jpg.html)

Its very ninja.. I was told that it is a little known fact (army study) that guys with lots of facial hair are less likely to get killed or wounded while on operations (operating, doing operator-ee stuff, while wearing operator gear, like operator approved Oakleys or ESS), and that the Brit army chicks like you better! ;)

Dagga Boy

05-13-2015, 12:15 AM

Tom, I use a Sparks PMK OWB holster. The 627 is still an N frame and a fat pig. I just got a new holster from Rich at CCC and a nice 2" Model 64 coming that will be set up with boot grips that should make a great appendix rig. It will actually be a modern rendition of how many of us started carrying AIWB. It was a VERY popular means of revolver carry in its day, and a lot of hard cops working plainclothes carried in this manner when revolvers ruled the day. I started carrying AIWB a lot with a 3' Model 13-2 in the late 80's.

This was the goatee last year.

LSP972

05-13-2015, 06:46 AM

BTW, spent time at JESTC too.

I live about 7 miles from there.

I'll echo Ken's invite; if you can stand the frigging humidity. I had hoped to GTF outta here after retiring; but the wife ain't leaving the grand chirrun.

Sigh.

.

Chuck Whitlock

05-13-2015, 10:51 AM

I think I may have fallen in lust:

http://ruger.com/products/redhawkDE/specSheets/5028.html

Jeep

05-13-2015, 01:25 PM

NickA

05-13-2015, 02:32 PM

You gotta do the whole beard thing to be truly all Operatory ish. :)

Or at least rock a large goat:

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b109/IV_Troop/Sanitized8venueDec01006.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/IV_Troop/media/Sanitized8venueDec01006.jpg.html)

Its very ninja.. I was told that it is a little known fact (army study) that guys with lots of facial hair are less likely to get killed or wounded while on operations (operating, doing operator-ee stuff, while wearing operator gear, like operator approved Oakleys or ESS), and that the Brit army chicks like you better! ;)
Don't forget a cool guy watch.

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/13/9f5e94ef002a595757337f1020957fba.jpg

Dagga Boy

05-13-2015, 02:36 PM

Real cool guys wear a timepiece that says ROLEX and its worn everyday.......just saying. Plus, nothing looks better with stainless Smith Revolver than a matching stainless Rolex:cool:. Pictures to follow latter to prove my point......;). Watches keep good time and have a nylon or rubberized bands and are for kids.;)

Dagga Boy

05-13-2015, 07:22 PM

As promised, the definition of sophisticated former action guy. Rare 3" Model 66 S&W, and a Rolex GMT.

EM_

05-13-2015, 07:29 PM

As promised, the definition of sophisticated former action guy. Rare 3" Model 66 S&W, and a Rolex GMT.

When I grow up I want to be nyeti.

I'm already angry, wear stuff from Duluth trading, and love revolvers far too much to be sensible so I'm working on it. :)

Jeep

05-13-2015, 07:50 PM

As promised, the definition of sophisticated former action guy. Rare 3" Model 66 S&W, and a Rolex GMT.

My bet is that the revolver is in much better time than the watch. . . .

Dagga Boy

05-13-2015, 07:51 PM

You are giving Tamara a run for my favorite person on the Internet.

Jeep

05-13-2015, 09:10 PM

You are giving Tamara a run for my favorite person on the Internet.

Definitely stick with Tamara. She's a lot funnier and has a fantastic revolver collection.

Dagga Boy

05-13-2015, 09:37 PM

Definitely stick with Tamara. She's a lot funnier and has a fantastic revolver collection.

We posted at the same time. I was talking about maclin. Being "close" is just a Rolex thing. If the gun had been through what the Rolex has, it wouldn't be in time either.

Robinson

05-14-2015, 07:58 AM

When I grow up I want to be nyeti.

I'm already angry, wear stuff from Duluth trading, and love revolvers far too much to be sensible so I'm working on it. :)

Lessee... check... check... check... oh God...

Lost River

05-14-2015, 02:16 PM

The Watch!

CRAP! I knew I had been missing something. Does it count that for a while I carried a big assed sharp knife?
Never mind the fact that never, not even once did I get a chance to get all pokey pokey-stabby stabby with the thing..
Eventually I got tired of the weight and went back to my Emerson folder, at 1/3 the weight.

Dagga Boy

05-14-2015, 02:42 PM

Back a couple decades ago, it was the watch that was really the way to know who was who in the zoo. Mine was a 21st Birthday present to me. At the time where I was working all the cool guys wore Rolex's. All the San Diego PD SWAT cops, all the older SEAL's, all the spooks and the high speed Feds. When I used to go to the Soldier of Fortune convention, the easiest way to separate out the phonies from real guys was easy. Real guys-khaki pants, polo shirt, Rolex, custom folder (usually an Emerson or Terzoula). Phony-tiger stripe camo outfit, face paint, lots of Vietnam type patches, always in a secret unit they couldn't talk about while wearing their show costume.

To this day, I usually look at watches as an indicator. This was especially true in SoCal when doing the protection stuff. A lot of very influential people dressed like beach bums......guy in flip flops, shorts a surfer t-shirt and two tone gold Rolex is usually not a real beach bum.

theJanitor

05-14-2015, 03:15 PM

custom folder (usually an Emerson or Terzoula).

Trying to trade my way into a Terzuola ATCF or Eagle Rock for a while now.

LSP972

05-14-2015, 03:42 PM

Back a couple decades ago, it was the watch that was really the way to know who was who in the zoo.

Must have been a regional thing. Near the height of my "coolness" (FTU supervisor, one of four architects of our SWAT program, etc., etc.) I was given a Submariner like yours- a NIB example, BTW. It was big, heavy, and didn't keep time worth a shit. But I struggled through all of that, because, you know… cool. The only other guy I knew who wore one regularly was a deputy sheriff in north Louisiana; excellent cop, good guy, but not a drop of HSLD in him. Mine was coveted by some; when I got alerted for Desert Storm, several of my "buddies" insisted that I will that watch to them; plus, I had just gotten a new unit (which of course I had to turn in) and these "buddies" were trampling each other to get my new state ride assigned to them. What pals, eh?:D I should note here that LSP552 was NOT one of the vultures circling… he was properly concerned, bless his heart.

Anyway, got past all of that, made it home, and then found out you were supposed to have a certified Rolex mechanic do a COA (Clean/oil/adjust) annually… at one hundred bucks a pop. I sold that puppy faster than a cat can lick its ass.

.

LSP552

05-14-2015, 03:56 PM

Must have been a regional thing. Near the height of my "coolness" (FTU supervisor, one of four architects of our SWAT program, etc., etc.) I was given a Submariner like yours- a NIB example, BTW. It was big, heavy, and didn't keep time worth a shit. But I struggled through all of that, because, you know… cool. The only other guy I knew who wore one regularly was a deputy sheriff in north Louisiana; excellent cop, good guy, but not a drop of HSLD in him. Mine was coveted by some; when I got alerted for Desert Storm, several of my "buddies" insisted that I will that watch to them; plus, I had just gotten a new unit (which of course I had to turn in) and these "buddies" were trampling each other to get my new state ride assigned to them. What pals, eh?:D I should note here that LSP552 was NOT one of the vultures circling… he was properly concerned, bless his heart.

.

I had a TAG Professional, why would I have wanted your old Rolex?

LSP972

05-14-2015, 03:59 PM

I had a TAG Professional, why would I have wanted your old Rolex?

That's right; forgot about that. You probably had a new unit too, now that I think about it. And all along, I thought you were sensitive to my plight… another icon falls.

.

EM_

05-14-2015, 06:00 PM

I've got Rolex taste on G-Shock pay.

You know you've done your time as the 'hood street cop when you could break a G-Shock.

Three kids later I've been downgraded to the Timex Ironman....

Dagga Boy

05-14-2015, 06:09 PM

Mine is actually a GMT as I knew I would never be a diving guy. I don't float. When they were drown proofing us in the academy I sat on the bottom of the pool with the black body-builder. I knew I was destined to be a flying guy, thus GMT rather than Submariner.

I didn't do the annual stuff. Mine has been back to Switzerland twice at about $400 a pop and I just had a guy here in the US rebuild it. Considering I never take it off, including in the water and showers, that is not bad. It has taken a massive amount of abuse in the cop years. I actually lost it once on the interstate 10 freeway. I caved some idiots skull in who ran from a felony stop and while they were stitching his head up at the hospital I noticed the doctor was wearing a Rolex. Looked down and noticed mine was gone. My patrol bros were laughing when I made the panic'd radio call. They had found it on the side of the freeway and knew I was the only guy who wore one. The department made me sign a waiver that they would not have to fix or replace my watch if it got lost or damaged at work. Made it through and wouldn't get rid of it for anything.