Tag Archives: Smith & Wesson police revolver

Smith & Wesson Centennial Revolvers Revisited

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Randall

Does the pervasive plastic pistol have you feeling a bit listless and melancholy lately?  Striker-fired boredom setting in?  Well, perk up your life with a Smith & Wesson Centennial revolver!  Sometimes going “retro” can get you caught in a new frame of mind that will liven your dreary modern existence. The quintessential J-frame revolver by Smith & Wesson has been around since its birth in 1950 as the Chief’s Special or, later, the Model 36.  Designed as a small, concealable handgun with moderate power from its .38 S&W Special chambering, the platform has morphed into many versions during its 60-plus years. In Smith & Wesson-ese, the “Centennial” model, introduced in … Continue reading →

Posted in Firearms, Off Duty, Officer Safety, Street | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

New Smith & Wesson Performance Center 686 Revolver

Posted on January 29, 2014 by Randall

While I am on revolver kick, Smith & Wesson is releasing a brand new Performance Center version of their Model 686 Distinguished Combat Magnum.  This 7 shot L-Frame model will have a 2.5″ barrel, bead blasted finish, unfluted cylinder, and custom wood grips.  There is a red ramp front and adjustable rear sight. Other features to the PC 686 are a chrome teardrop-shaped hammer spur, chrome trigger with stop, precision crowned barrel, and a cylinder cut for moon clips.  S&W’s Performance Center has tuned the action. Aaron and I shot this gun at Media Day.  The trigger in double action was silky smooth.  In single action, the hammer dropped with … Continue reading →

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty, SHOT Show | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

New ERGO Delta Grips for S&W J-Frame Revolvers

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Randall

Overheard at the Show from some GunPressMediaInternetCommandos:  “You gotta check out the new ERGO Delta Grips for the J-Frame.  They are ultra-high-speed-tactical and probably will show up on immediate-action SpecOps outside of CONUS!”  Maybe the word “Delta” fooled them.  Maybe I exaggerate.  Sigh, I checked the map and wandered down to ERGO’s booth in one of the rabbit warren ballrooms off the SHOT Show main hall. I have an affinity for my .38 Special revolvers and in the environment of .327 SmallBlock chambered AR-15’s and the latest in super Cryptoflage-patterned BDU’s, I could have used a bit of Old School Firearm-ery at that moment.  The new Delta Grip by ERGO … Continue reading →

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty, SHOT Show | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Police Technology. Meh.

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Randall

There have been many technological changes in the last quarter century that have made the copper’s job…different.  Not always better, but certainly not the same. When I started out, our duty belts held a .38 cal. revolver (S&W M64), 2 HKS speedloaders, large Motorola MT500 portable radio, handcuffs, and rings for a full-length Monadnock PR-24 sidehandle baton and Mag-Lite.  My agency made the switch to Smith & Wesson 669 9mm semi-automatics pistols in 1987. The firepower on a patrolman’s belt has definitely increased.  We got hi-cap magazines for the S&W autoloader that topped off at 15 rounds.  Forty-six rounds of 9mm sure beat 18 slow-to-reload wheelgun shots.  My issued handgun … Continue reading →

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