Show us your Guns!

[MikePotts]

here's an interesting aside:

We're a family of late breeders.
My mother's father, George Wales, was conscripted into the last(?) Boer War whilst a coal miner in County Durham, England.
He claimed 'conscientious objector' status for religious reasons and was given the opportunity to join the St.John's Ambulance Brigade or, presumably, go to gaol.
he went to S.A. as a stretcher bearer/medic throughout the remainder of t he conflict and scraped a living as a gold/diamond/whatever miner in Benoni before sending home for his wife.
My mother, Norah, was born there in 1912.

 

[MarkStar]

Ruger Vaquero in .357...

 

[fireman]

Pre 27 Smith

S&W 625 Mountain gun....Hamilton Bowen cut it for moonclips so both .45 acp and .45 Colt run perfectly.

Colt New Service in .44-40

 

[TPD166]

Smith & Wesson Model 64-3, .38 Special, 3" bull barrel, factory bobbed-hammer (mnf'd. 1985).

When I became a Tampa Police Officer in April of 1985, I was issued a 3", bobbed-hammer, S&W M-64-3, as a uniform duty weapon. I was able to shoot 298-300 out of 300 at qualifications and never felt out-gunned in spite of having carried a .357 magnum for several years prior to TPD. When I left TPD, I had turn in my M-64 and when those guns were later traded off (early 1990s) to buy Glocks, the officers were not permitted to buy their guns. For nearly three decades I have been searching for a TPD M-64, and while I had one or two close calls, never had any luck.

My Mother passed away a few months ago and her lengthy illness had exhausted most of her resources, except for a couple of small insurance policies (which mostly went to cover funeral expenses). Last month was my first birthday without my Mother. On my birthday, a small check from an insurance company arrived in the mail. It was both sad, but somewhat comforting - as if she remembered me one more time on my birthday. I wanted to use the money for something meaningful - not something fleeting or that would gotten rid of at some point.

As I began searching for something (I had no idea what), I came across this gun - in Tampa! And I knew that was what I wanted. Obviously this in not MY gun from TPD. Nor can I say it is definitely from the TPD guns - other than the unusual configuration, year of manufacture, and the location where I found it. When it arrived, I put on the same Pachmayr grip I had used at TPD. Holding that gun after nearly 30 years of leaving Tampa PD was surreal (if that makes any sense?).

While to most people this is an ordinary old S&W .38 - but it is far more than that to me.

 

[Woodtroll]

Smith & Wesson Model 64-3, .38 Special, 3" bull barrel, factory bobbed-hammer (mnf'd. 1985).

When I became a Tampa Police Officer in April of 1985, I was issued a 3", bobbed-hammer, S&W M-64-3, as a uniform duty weapon. I was able to shoot 298-300 out of 300 at qualifications and never felt out-gunned in spite of having carried a .357 magnum for several years prior to TPD. When I left TPD, I had turn in my M-64 and when those guns were later traded off (early 1990s) to buy Glocks, the officers were not permitted to buy their guns. For nearly three decades I have been searching for a TPD M-64, and while I had one or two close calls, never had any luck.

My Mother passed away a few months ago and her lengthy illness had exhausted most of her resources, except for a couple of small insurance policies (which mostly went to cover funeral expenses). Last month was my first birthday without my Mother. On my birthday, a small check from an insurance company arrived in the mail. It was both sad, but somewhat comforting - as if she remembered me one more time on my birthday. I wanted to use the money for something meaningful - not something fleeting or that would gotten rid of at some point.

As I began searching for something (I had no idea what), I came across this gun - in Tampa! And I knew that was what I wanted. Obviously this in not MY gun from TPD. Nor can I say it is definitely from the TPD guns - other than the unusual configuration, year of manufacture, and the location where I found it. When it arrived, I put on the same Pachmayr grip I had used at TPD. Holding that gun after nearly 30 years of leaving Tampa PD was surreal (if that makes any sense?).

While to most people this is an ordinary old S&W .38 - but it is far more than that to me.

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I know how you can become attached to those special guns; I have a couple myself that I wouldn’t sell at any price except to save a family member’s life. Nice gun and neat story, thanks for sharing!

 

[DeaconKC]

Mike, if you still have family in SA, I pray they are safe with all that is happening there.

 

[MikePotts]

Mike, if you still have family in SA, I pray they are safe with all that is happening there.

Thanks, I have some cousins who are/were in the retail shoe business in a few cities over there. I worry for them too.

 

[MarkStar]

1976 S&W Model 27-2 along with my Ladysmith...

 

[DeaconKC]

Markstar, a pair of beauties! I picked up a new toy today, a Radical Arms AR. Nothing fancy, just a very clean little used rifle at a good price!

 

[MarkStar]

Markstar, a pair of beauties! I picked up a new toy today, a Radical Arms AR. Nothing fancy, just a very clean little used rifle at a good price!

Thank you kindly!
I just wish my M 27 was easier to conceal so I could carry it more often.
A few years back I traded my AR for this JM stamped Marlin Guide Gun. It was a very basic model AR and the Marlin came with 100 factory rounds of 45-70. I had wanted one of these for as far back as I can remember...

 

[RJR]

Smith & Wesson Model 64-3, .38 Special, 3" bull barrel, factory bobbed-hammer (mnf'd. 1985).

When I became a Tampa Police Officer in April of 1985, I was issued a 3", bobbed-hammer, S&W M-64-3, as a uniform duty weapon. I was able to shoot 298-300 out of 300 at qualifications and never felt out-gunned in spite of having carried a .357 magnum for several years prior to TPD. When I left TPD, I had turn in my M-64 and when those guns were later traded off (early 1990s) to buy Glocks, the officers were not permitted to buy their guns. For nearly three decades I have been searching for a TPD M-64, and while I had one or two close calls, never had any luck.

My Mother passed away a few months ago and her lengthy illness had exhausted most of her resources, except for a couple of small insurance policies (which mostly went to cover funeral expenses). Last month was my first birthday without my Mother. On my birthday, a small check from an insurance company arrived in the mail. It was both sad, but somewhat comforting - as if she remembered me one more time on my birthday. I wanted to use the money for something meaningful - not something fleeting or that would gotten rid of at some point.

As I began searching for something (I had no idea what), I came across this gun - in Tampa! And I knew that was what I wanted. Obviously this in not MY gun from TPD. Nor can I say it is definitely from the TPD guns - other than the unusual configuration, year of manufacture, and the location where I found it. When it arrived, I put on the same Pachmayr grip I had used at TPD. Holding that gun after nearly 30 years of leaving Tampa PD was surreal (if that makes any sense?).

While to most people this is an ordinary old S&W .38 - but it is far more than that to me.

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Good for you,Robert.

 

[DeaconKC]

Mark, I love that Marlin! And Robert those 3" K frames are SOOO well balanced and they conceal well. Okay, okay, I admit to loving S&W revolvers....

 

[jkingrph]

Thank you kindly!
I just wish my M 27 was easier to conceal so I could carry it more often.
A few years back I traded my AR for this JM stamped Marlin Guide Gun. It was a very basic model AR and the Marlin came with 100 factory rounds of 45-70. I had wanted one of these for as far back as I can remember...

Ported or non ported. I have one of the early porter models, and talk about loud. It's also fun to shoot at dusk and see flames going everywhere. I have the same rail system and a Leupold scout scope mounted with QD mounts, and a Lyman receiver sight on the back of the receiver. I changed the lever out to one of the larger loop models. That square lever was eating my hands up when I shot it. I did the same on a couple of other Marlin 45-70 rifles.

 

[MarkStar]

Ported or non ported. I have one of the early porter models, and talk about loud. It's also fun to shoot at dusk and see flames going everywhere. I have the same rail system and a Leupold scout scope mounted with QD mounts, and a Lyman receiver sight on the back of the receiver. I changed the lever out to one of the larger loop models. That square lever was eating my hands up when I shot it. I did the same on a couple of other Marlin 45-70 rifles.

Ported...
The guy I got it from had a cheap red dot on it which I removed. I put a set of XS Ghost Rings on her.

 

[RJR]

Heading out shortly to further break in a Sig P226-22LR.

 

[TPD166]

Since @DeaconKC has professed his mutual admiration of S&W revolvers and 3" K-frames in particular, here is my other one - a 1983 vintage Model 65. My first duty weapon was a M-65 4" and I could not wait to get the 3" when they came out (and I was not disappointed). As noted in my earlier post, I changed agencies and could no longer carry a .357 magnum, on or off duty - so my 3" .357 twin to my issued M-64 in .38 Special was gathering dust. Eventually, I sold the 3" M-65 to buy some other gun (that I do not recall and no longer own) and always regretted getting rid of it. If you have noticed, the 3" K-frames (M-10, 13, 64, 65, and 66) are very popular, hard-to-find, and have become pricey. I was lucky enough to find this one, a police trade-in (allegedly from the Puerto Rico State Police - who knew?) a few years ago at a very reasonable price. Unfortunately, someone had installed Hogue rubber grips and never took them off, resulting in rust that pitted the stainless. I have done lots of hand-polishing and all that is now left is behind & below the cylinder release. I added some Ivory-like magna grips and a grip adapter (my original was carried with S&W magna and an adapter).

 

[DeaconKC]

TPD, I don't know what to say, that is so nice! Those ivories and then a Tyler to boot, man, I like that!

 

[plain old dave]

Found a buttplate for the Kar98a. 1918 Erfurt.

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk

 

[DeaconKC]

Looks awfully good Dave. I will try to get some new pics of my 'bubba'ed Swede later today.

 

[jkingrph]

No pics, but I saw a Haenel, built on a German 88 Commission action, in 6.5x52 ( think 25 Remington). A very elegant little carbine. I just hope I someday run across one.