Anyone know with a degree of certainty what sidearm Tulsa PD carried in the 1950s? A friend on a writing loop needs to know for a historical mystery. This would be a patrol sergeant, if that changes anything.
I have no degree of certainty but for that time frame it would have to have been a 4" barrel blued steel S&W .38 SPL. I think S&W #10, formely marketed as M&P six shot double action, fixed sight revolver. I knew an ex TPD uniformed cop that worked patrol back in the 1970's that mentioned the S&W #66 stainless steel .357 mag they carried back then. Heard some story about a batch of Glaser Safety Slug ammo that was defective/underpowered or something like that. An officer fired back at a biker gang member wearing a leather jacket and the Glaser pellets just skidded along jacket sleeve causing no wound to speak of. I heard later that Glaser remedied that shortcoming. Maybe SGT. Brown can post about this historical trivia. I know I'd enjoy "hearing" from him.
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I'd be on the lines of what trbii mentioned. My guess is that they would have been using the pre-model 10 (.38 M&P) around that time period. And yes, in the 70s, I would bet they were toting 4" 66 Smiths. Those were the ruler of the day.
I suppose it is possible that TPD could have been carrying something from the Colt line but have a feeling it was S&W.
I suppose it is possible that TPD could have been carrying something from the Colt line but have a feeling it was S&W.
Man, if you could scan in a bunch of pages from that book and make jpeg images of them I'd love to see that.
Pre-model 10 Smith and Wesson 38, officer-purchased.
Michael Brown
Michael Brown
That would havwe been my guess too.
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