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Police Force Pythons
ndbilly
Member Posts: 1,573 ✭✭✭✭✭
Back when police departments carried revolvers, does anyone know if a major city police force ever adopted the Python as a duty weapon? If so, which department?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Comments
Keep off the Ridgeline
The only thing worse than lawbreakers, are lawmakers.
The Colts were held to some fine tolerances while the Smiths had a little more slop in them. This meant that a slightly high seated primer, or a slightly enlarged crimp would run through the Smith, whereas the Colt would lock up. So - it's a matter of apples and oranges. I could always shoot a higher score with the Python due to longer barrel and sighting radius, balance and smoothness of action. While on duty, the Smith was less bulky, rugged and always ready to drag the ammo and cylinder through with every pull.
Keep off the Ridgeline
Of course there were quite a few individual officers who were willing to pony up the bucks to own and carry a Python as a duty weapon and as a status symbol. As an LE dealer I've come across lots of LEO's who had to give up coffee and donunts for the duration in order to buy a Python and most of these guys carried those Python's into retirement. To give you an example of the costs invovled: A new blued Python cost right around $300 back in 1978- outragous at a cops salary during that time period! A Colt Trooper was only $200 and the basic Lawman MK III could be had for just $150, about the same cost as a Ruger Security-Six or an S&W Model 28 Highway Patrolman. Even the top of the line S&W Model 27 N-frame sold for only $250.
While these numbers sound small by todays standards, back then $50 was a lot of cash for a cop and with the pay so low most officers were moon lighting as security gaurds and bouncers just to make ends meet- how about you Kdub and CF? When it came down to costs a department (like CFPython's) could purchase TWO Ruger's for the cost of a single Colt Python. It does not take much education in "tax payer economics 101" to see which direction the budget dollars for side arms were going to go. Now a days there are many many officers I've done demos for who have never carried a DA revolver of any type. To these guys carrying Colt Trooper would seem as odd as carrying a Colt Single Action Army. Times have changed tremendously in the law enforcement business, both in equipment and personel...damned near every new hire has a BA degree and these guys (and girls) are already planning on becoming a lieutenant when they finish their probation!
Mark T. Christian
My Python (nickle, 4 1/2"bbl) came to me by fluke. A fellow member at a gun club had bought the gun new and a box of reloaded ammo. He was extremely dissatisfied with the results and exclaimed to everyone on the line that he'd sell it for half what he paid. Since I was closest and managed to grab his arm first, a check was cut and the gun handed to me, box and about half the box of reloads! This was in 1963 when a $5 bill bought a tank full of gas.
Keep off the Ridgeline
The only thing worse than lawbreakers, are lawmakers.