First duty pistol

[Marshal Law]

Howdy folks,
My first Duty Weapon was an S&W Model 14- inch. I wanted a Model 15 but the supplier, F. Cake and Company, was out of Model 15 s and I needed a gun right away.

I was a reserve at the time and had to buy my own gun and leather. I paid $85.00 for that Mod. 14 back in 1971 and then traded it off for a mod. 19- 4 " in .357 Mag. Boy was I stupid. I could hit the X ring all day long with that Mod 14 but had a hell of a time shooting that Mod. 19 anywhere near as well.

I got rid of the Mod 19 and went to a SIG P-220 in .45 and never looked back.

I still miss that Model 14. I would buy another one just to have it to shoot. It was a great gun.

Your pard,

Marshal Law
SASS# 854
BOLD# 74

[Maryland Marshal]

My first was a .45 auto when I was an MP.  I think it was one of the original .45's and it rattled a bit when ya shook it-but I sure did enjoy shooting it.

[Sheriff A.E. Moses]

Like so many others have said, I had to buy my own gun and it was a S&W model 10 and a buddy bought a Colt Trooper. I aquired several S&W pistols over the years, and likewise he acquired several Colts. Now my S&W's are valued at barely what I paid for them and his Colts are off the charts. But, that was the only mistake I ever made in 33 years of law enforcement!

[Coal Creek Griff]

I'll jump in here.  My first duty gun was a S&W Model 10, but I didn't have it for long, since we were transitioning away from them.  I quickly switched to a Glock 17.  After a few years, I switched again to a Sig P220, then policies changed and I had to go to a Beretta 96D .  Now we've switched again and I carry a Kimber Pro Carry HD .

[Elm Creek Smith]

Worked fer a security company long ago guardin' a glass plant where they was a strike in force an' non-union workers was comin' in to do the jobs. I carried a pre-Model 10, four-inch pencil-barrelled S&W M&P .38 Special with 158 grain SWCs. (The security company management was enlightened fer the day.) I also carried a three-inch barrelled Colt Detective Special in my back pocket.

Then,...I joined the Army an' my badge-wearin' (commissioned "Special Deputy") days was over.

ECS

[Free Bird]

Fall 1968 in rookie school.  Bought brand new S&W model 19 4" blued.  (Got it nickeled a few years later.  No stainless then).  Paid $85.00 Put on my charge card.  Course I was only making $650.00 a month.  (Pension checks are almost 5 times that now).

[Big John Denny]

My first civilian department duty gun was also a S&W Mdl 28 with the 4" barrel in 357 Mag. That was what the Georgia State Patrol was issued at the time. My department required officers to buy their own revolvers, so I went with what my brother, a Georgia State Trooper, carried. Bought it new in 1970 and still have it today.

We also bought our own ammo, and I carried Super Vel soft point hollow points. Anybody remember those?

[O.T. Buchannan]

My first issue gun was a Smith & Wesson Military & Police Revolver in .38 Special, with the long, slender (pencil) 6 inch barrel.  Started with loops on the belt, and eventually graduated to speedloaders.  Next, we were issued the Smith & Wesson Model 15 Combat Masterpiece, with the 4 inch barrel.  I switched offices, and we were issued Taurus .357s...I forget the exact model, but from a standpoint of quality, it was a HORRIBLE gun.  When we switched to Semi-Automatics, we switched to the S&W Sigma in .40 cal., which was also of low quality.  Finally, we switched to Glock 22s, also in .40, which is what we currently carry.

[HISEASCOWBOY]

My first duty pistol was/is my Glock 22 with a Glock 27 for a backup.

[wspe61]

   My first was a Mod 10 M&P
   As soon as I  could afford it; I bought a Gold Cup.
   Never carried any thing else.....

[El Oso Plata]

Like Wiley I started out on the Highway Patrol in Texas with a model 28.  Heavy as lead but it shot good.  Issued us the "lubaloy" .357 mag. ammo in the academy.  Replaced them with JHP's in the field.  Bullet loops on the Sam Browne.  Wonder what happened to that old gun?  Had to turn it in when I left to work for a municipal police agency. 

When speed loaders came out I got them quick.  Carried a Model 29 in .44 mag for a while.  The 28 and 29 would fit my highway patrol holster and the speed loaders fit the same case.  CArried the .44 while I was working and the .357 when I went to the office.  Figured that if I had to kill somebody, I'd come closer to killing him with the .44.  Then I'd take the days off for using the wrong gun.

Since then I've carried .45s, 9's and now a Glock 22 in .40 cal.  Still carrying a pistol for a living.  32 years now.  Time flies, don't it.

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

Like so many others here, it was a department issue S&W Model 10.  As soon as I got out of the academy I got permission to carry my own Model 19.  Department issue ammo was .38 Super-Vel.
Throughout my 25 year carreer;
S&W Mod. 10, 4", .38
S&W Mod. 19, 4", .357
S&W Mod. 27, 6", .357
S&W Mod. 686, 6", .357
Sig Sauer Mod. 220, .45

Department went to semi-auto's in the late 80's and I carried the Sig .45 to retirement.  Still carry it today.

[Crooked Creek Kid]

My first duty pistol was a Colt 1911 Series 70 in 45 ACP that was tuned up for duty carry.  We were allowed to carry whatever we qualified with.  I used this pistol for IPSC (had a custom top end and extended barrel that I switched to for competition) and carried it until I left law enforcement.  There were three of us on the dept. that were certified with 1911's and Milt Sparks made our duty rigs for us.

[royal barnes]

Duty pistols as follows:

Colt Trooper 4" .357
Colt Trooper MKIII 4" .357
Smith and Wesson 66 4" .357
Smith and Wesson 66 2 1/2"(Issue plainclothes gun)
Smith and Wesson 1076 10mm semi auto

All but the original Colt Trooper now reside in my safe. We were allowed to purchase our old guns when a new one was issued. The 10mm was presented to me when I retired in '99. It's my least favorite gun. I loooove wheelguns.....or a 1911.

[Marshal Tac]

Started out with a U.S. Army issued 1911 .45 as an MP, switched to the M9 Berretta when they finally got around to us. When I got out and became a civilian cop in my home town, I started out with a S&W model 10 .38 Spl., 4 inch heavy barrel that was nickled. As soon as I could I transitioned to the auto and carried a SIG P220 .45. Few years later I switched agencies and went to work for the state. They issued the Glock 22 in .40, and mandated it as the only gun to be carried on or off duty..    After a couple of years I switched to my current department and they carried the Glock 22 also. When we had problems with them and a new Chief came on board, he switched us to the SIG P220's as our uniform duty gun, and the P245's as a plain clothes gun, and allowed us to carry what we wanted off duty, so long as it was 9mm/.38 spl. or larger and reliable. I have since rotated through 3 P220's as they keep upgrading them with light rails, stainless slides, etc.

I still carry the P220 and, over all, am pretty happy with it. I got about 5 more years before I pull the plug and find something else to do and I intend to keep carring the P220, unless they let me move to a Kimber or Sig GSR 1911....

[fourfingersofdeath]

First duty pistol: S&W Model 10 3" bull Barrel.

last duty pistol: see above 
Mick.

[Buffalo Creek Law Dog]

As an Air Force Policeman I carried a Browning 9mm with an extra mag attached to the holster. When I was commissioned I had to trade it in for a Colt Cobra .38 spl.

[fourfingersofdeath]

As an Air Force Policeman I carried a Browning 9mm with an extra mag attached to the holster. When I was commissioned I had to trade it in for a Colt Cobra .38 spl.

Seems a sure way to get shot, wearing different gear from the rest. I was a tank leiutenant and carried a rifle (not that I ever got in a shooting war), probably a bit of a wank, you can soon tell who the boss is, if you can't, shoot em all and put the poor sods out of their misery

[John Barleycorn]

Mine was a S&W 6906 9mm 12 rnd mag. beautiful stainless. Never had a malfunction "nines" have seem to have dropped from favor but I still have mine, its cheap to reload and practice with. I use it for a concealed carry piece often.

[Matts BasterSon SASS 74843]

My troops had to carry the obligatory M9 (Baretta 9mm). I got to carry a Sig 229. Carried that until I joined the shooting team, then got a Gold Cup. Loved that gun. Carried it all day every day, shot it several times a week. Never had a malfunction.