fiction writer asks: popular '70s revolver? - Page 4

SwampYankee · May 30, 2011, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Again if were talking about the 70's... If it was a revolver. It was a S&W or a colt. Or it was a saturday night special.

Yeah, because nobody like Ruger or Charter Arms made revolvers until 2011...

Quote:

"The Service Six did not exist in 1970, they were all Security Sixes until a few years later (1973-1974?)."

Interesting. I thought that the two models were introduced concurrently.

Mike, they were all originally Security Sixes. If you look very hard and very long, you can find fixed sight, round butt Security Sixes. Not many made, but they are out there. Circa 1973 they came up with the Speed and Service names. But there is some debate as to when the Security Six was actually introduced. I've seen 1970, 1971 and 1972 as dates so the fixed sight Security Six was not around very long anyway.

Master Blaster 2 · May 30, 2011, 08:25 AM

In 1972 I carried a stainless S&W Chief Special M-60 .38 with tayler T grips and stag handles in a S&W shoulder hoster. Carried a Bauser Stainless .25 pistol as a back up in my pocket. Carried an ammo wallet also for the .38. Also at times I carried my Remington 1911A1. Still have them.

coondogger · May 31, 2011, 06:18 PM

A good place to go for research is the International Movie Data Base, or imdb.com. In fact, readers of this forum will enjoy it. It lists the guns featured in nearly every movie made, and you can browse by date, as well. So a researcher could just look at what guns were most frequently featured in movies of the 70s.

JHG · May 31, 2011, 08:13 PM

Mid 70's I carried a Stainless Ruger Security Six 357. I think a S&W model 36 snubby sounds right for your character.

DG45 · May 31, 2011, 09:54 PM

He'd have heard of Colt. He'd have asked a cop or security guard, what would you get? A Colt?

Either a cop or a security guard would have probably ttaken one look at him and thought: Colt Police Positve Special; (38 Special. cal.); 4 inch barrel. He could have picked up a used one in excellent condition for a song in the 1970's.

WhyColt PPS? Because it was the same gun as a Colt Detective Special but with a 4 inch barrel instead of 2". Because it was a rugged double-action gun favored for many years by cops and security guards and anyone else who needed a reasonably powerful, but also reasonably lightweight service revolver that they might have to defend themselves or others with over distances that might be too far for accuracy with a snubnose. In its day it dropped many a bad guy. But it was on its way out then, a victim of the cop craze for high capacity 9mm autos. (How gauche.)

Still for the guy who didn't shoot a lot, but needed a handgun that he could learn to really shoot well with a minimum investment of time, money, and effort, it was the perfect fit.

The Colt PPS was smallish but not too small to give good sight plane; light, but heavy enough to absorb most 38 Special recoil. Very accurate weapon; held 6 .38 Special rounds; instant recognition from movies, etc., as a serious gun. Could be loaded and carried with 6 in the cylinder instead of 5. Easy to pack in a suitcase, take out and lay on the night table. Reasonable concealablity in a shoulder holster under a jacket or in insidethe waistband carry.

A Humphery Bogart kind of gun. That kind of says it all. Check out "Colt Police Positive Special" on a search engine.

May 31, 2011, 06:18 PM	#78
coondogger Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2009 Posts: 120	A good place to go for research is the International Movie Data Base, or imdb.com. In fact, readers of this forum will enjoy it. It lists the guns featured in nearly every movie made, and you can browse by date, as well. So a researcher could just look at what guns were most frequently featured in movies of the 70s. __________________ Tu ne cede malis

May 31, 2011, 08:13 PM	#79
JHG Member Join Date: July 28, 1999 Posts: 24	Mid 70's I carried a Stainless Ruger Security Six 357. I think a S&W model 36 snubby sounds right for your character. __________________ Every day above ground is a good day!

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

May 30, 2011, 08:25 AM	#77
Master Blaster 2 Junior member Join Date: May 29, 2011 Posts: 895	In 1972 I carried a stainless S&W Chief Special M-60 .38 with tayler T grips and stag handles in a S&W shoulder hoster. Carried a Bauser Stainless .25 pistol as a back up in my pocket. Carried an ammo wallet also for the .38. Also at times I carried my Remington 1911A1. Still have them.

May 31, 2011, 09:54 PM	#80
DG45 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Posts: 904	He'd have heard of Colt. He'd have asked a cop or security guard, what would you get? A Colt? Either a cop or a security guard would have probably ttaken one look at him and thought: Colt Police Positve Special; (38 Special. cal.); 4 inch barrel. He could have picked up a used one in excellent condition for a song in the 1970's. WhyColt PPS? Because it was the same gun as a Colt Detective Special but with a 4 inch barrel instead of 2". Because it was a rugged double-action gun favored for many years by cops and security guards and anyone else who needed a reasonably powerful, but also reasonably lightweight service revolver that they might have to defend themselves or others with over distances that might be too far for accuracy with a snubnose. In its day it dropped many a bad guy. But it was on its way out then, a victim of the cop craze for high capacity 9mm autos. (How gauche.) Still for the guy who didn't shoot a lot, but needed a handgun that he could learn to really shoot well with a minimum investment of time, money, and effort, it was the perfect fit. The Colt PPS was smallish but not too small to give good sight plane; light, but heavy enough to absorb most 38 Special recoil. Very accurate weapon; held 6 .38 Special rounds; instant recognition from movies, etc., as a serious gun. Could be loaded and carried with 6 in the cylinder instead of 5. Easy to pack in a suitcase, take out and lay on the night table. Reasonable concealablity in a shoulder holster under a jacket or in insidethe waistband carry. A Humphery Bogart kind of gun. That kind of says it all. Check out "Colt Police Positive Special" on a search engine.