Carrying a revolver as a primary duty weapon (police officer)?

Question

Hello, I was just wondering if, as a police officer, you can carry a revolver as a primary duty weapon (I am 16 right now). I know that it is not advised, but I trust revolvers for their dependability. Please list the departments that will let you carry a revolver that you know of/ find. Also what calibers of revolver are accepted.

Answer 1

If you decide to carry a revolver, taking for granted it will be allowed, remember to become proficient with your reloading skills ... ie: speed loaders, manual reloading, etc. Practice Practice Practice!

Answer 2

Sorry! but the Revolver went the way of the wool uniform, call box, sap and a duty belt that only carried a weapon, ammo cuffs and a baton.

I know about three Officers in the County where my jurisdiction is that still carry one. And they all are about to retire. I understand the feeling, I'm old enough to have started out with a Ruger GP-100 .357 as my first duty weapon.

A lot of people here are correct, most Departments have pretty much mandated that an Officer carry a Semi-auto as their primary duty weapon. Now as a back-up or an off-duty weapon, that can be another story. But keep in mind you'll have to carry even more ammunition for the weapon. S&W makes a few revolvers chambered for semi-auto ammo(9mm and .45ACP) and I think Taurus does as well.

Answer 3

You occasionally find an old timer carrying a revolver, but it's pretty rare.

You might find some really small departments that allow you to carry whatever you want (think REALLY low pay, and nothing interesting going on). Most departments issue a standard weapon to everyone.

Automatics are pretty reliable, I have fired thousands and thousands of rounds and a jam is pretty rare. If you practice and prepare yourself to clear it then it isn't that time consuming. Plus, an automatic 3 times as many rounds in it as a revolver. You reload the revolver every 6 shots, even without jamming you will be fiddling with it more than an automatic. I also think there is more involved reloading a revolver, even with speedloaders. An automatic you just slam the magazine in and shut the slide.

You need to get an automatic and get comfortable with it, you will be carrying one if you become a police officer.

Answer 4

I can't think of any departments that will still let officers use a revolver. Sorry. If I were you, I would just plan on carrying one as an off duty weapon. I'm with ya though, I still love revolvers and would still carry one if it were my personal choice. I still have my first duty weapon, a S&W model 28 Highway Patrolman .357 I swear that thing will last forever the way they made them and it shoots like a dream. I got so I could reload it in a heartbeat, at first with drop pouches and later with speedloaders. I'm shopping around for a good .38 or .357 "snubby" for a personal carry gun since the o'l "28" is just to big to be carried concealed comfortably. Good luck on your search though.

Answer 5

The general trend On all levels (feds,state, local) is to go to autos. This was basically sparked by the Infamous Miami Fbi shootout in 1989 in which several agents died taking on 2 bank bobbers. This plus the advent of hi cap 9mm's lead to the Change from the trusty 6 gun. In most big agencies, Older officers (20yr +)are the only ones still packin a Smith & Wesson. Here in Philadephia the Glock is issue, Pa troopers I think carry Beretta's,Homeland Security(Coast Guard, ICE, Border Patrol,etc) Are going Sig and HK. And so it goes......
Sorry, but even few 20 man depts. these days are only packing 6.

Answer 6

Every has said it already, few and far between. There is nothing wrong with a wheel gun other than the low number of rounds and reload time.

I happen to think they look nice as well, as long as you don't need to be sending rounds down range.

My backup is an auto as well, hard to get a 7 shot revolver you can stick on your ankle.

Answer 7

Find someone with a time machine because those days are long past. Unless your with a contract security firm than maybe they will allow you to carry a revolver. The autos are normally authorized as mandatory and endorsed by most police unions, most academies don't even train on them anymore. You might be able to swing a compact deringer as a secondary backup (357Mag-45 ACP).

Answer 8

That's going to depend on the individual department's policy on whether they'll allow an officer to carry that and the caliber. Some of the smaller agencies, especially one's that make you furnish your own weapon would be the ones more likely to allow it. I don't know of any off hand though.

Answer 9

You might be able to carry a wheelgun as a backup...
here's a video clip on how to reload [near end of clip].

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5514692417458200586&q=fast+revolver+shooting&total=54&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

Answer 10

i don't know of any that do,but i do agree about revolvers. stick with sig or berreta for a reliable auto. arounfd here they switched to auto after they shot an old man over twenty times and he didn't stop for a while