.45 Colt Duty Revolvers

[Dagga Boy]

I forgot to ask, but is that a Gonzales?

Safariland. I think it is between a Gonzales 245 and a Gonzales 187.

[03RN]

I wish I still had my grandfather's. It was shorter iirc. Maybe 8-12"?? He was a CO in the Berkshires and I haven't seen it since my folks split when I was a kid.

[Gun Mutt]

What a great thread, been enjoying it immensely.

Hadn't thought about it in years, now I'll spend a chunk of today once again bemoaning the unfluted 5" 25-5 I let get away when I was younger and dumber.

[Jim Watson]

Gun weights.

Model 58 .41 M&P 41 oz.
Model 22 1950 Army .45 ACP 35.5 oz (Magnas) 36.25 oz
Model 10 M&P .38 Spl (tapered barrel) 30.5 oz (heavy barrel) 34 oz.

Browning High Power "two pounds"
M59 9mm 27.5 oz
Commander .45 ACP 27 oz.

Where does it start to matter, if at all?

[LockedBreech]

My dad's first police gun in a rural Wyoming department, when I was but a wee lad, was a Model 25. He has told me he liked it a lot, I think his was a 5 inch barrel.

I will show him your list of questions and see what his thoughts are.

Had a nice chat with pops about this last night, he appreciated the blast from the past. He "always liked that 25, it was on the big frame like a 29."

He confirms they were 4" models, and they did indeed use Winchester Silvertips, and the .45 LC was selected over the .41 or .44 because the brass wanted a heavy round with good power but not fast or powerful enough to go through multiple buildings in the case of shootings. I am not sure if the ballistics of that are considered correct by 2019 standards, but that was the brass's reason, safety.

This was the police department in Evanston, Wyoming.

[Dagga Boy]

What a great thread, been enjoying it immensely.

Hadn't thought about it in years, now I'll spend a chunk of today once again bemoaning the unfluted 5" 25-5 I let get away when I was younger and dumber.

I have mine. It was my last duty revolver. The Darth Vader .45 Colt. Carried it in a crossdraw Sparks holster.

[LtDave]

Safariland. I think it is between a Gonzales 245 and a Gonzales 187.

I just snagged one of those on eBay. My impression is that the Safariland is a rarer beast than the Gonzales which was a very popular sap in SoCal. I have 2 sizes of the Safariland, and I think there were 3 sizes. Tex Shoemaker made a very nice Gonzales copy for quite reasonable money before they closed. This is their version of the 245:



Saps were still authorized at my old PD when I retired in 2005.

[john c]

I just snagged one of those on eBay. My impression is that the Safariland is a rarer beast than the Gonzales which was a very popular sap in SoCal. I have 2 sizes of the Safariland, and I think there were 3 sizes. Tex Shoemaker made a very nice Gonzales copy for quite reasonable money before they closed. This is their version of the 245:



Saps were still authorized at my old PD when I retired in 2005.

What agency, if I may ask? My agency got rid of saps in '70s. We still have sap pockets on our uniforms, though.

[Glock17JHP]

I have mine. It was my last duty revolver. The Darth Vader .45 Colt. Carried it in a crossdraw Sparks holster.

Sir, I searched for .45 Colt and found this thread which you contributed very well to. I have a Uberti Cattleman II clone SAA in .45 Colt and wondered if the Winchester Silvertip HP is still considered the best SD loading in that csliber. Thank you for your time. -Ron Jones.

[Stephanie B]

I just snagged one of those on eBay. My impression is that the Safariland is a rarer beast than the Gonzales which was a very popular sap in SoCal. I have 2 sizes of the Safariland, and I think there were 3 sizes. Tex Shoemaker made a very nice Gonzales copy for quite reasonable money before they closed. This is their version of the 245:



Saps were still authorized at my old PD when I retired in 2005.

My dad had one. He was a reserve deputy. I don't remember him having a uniform, but he had the sap and a revolver.

(The revolver was a cheapest one he could find; a shaved Webley Mk.VI.)