Question on Marked Police Service Six

[mchom]

Hello. New to Ruger Forums
I have a stainless Police Service Six marked WPD on left side of frame
I am curious if anyone might know if which PD this revolver was associated with?


Thanks
Mike

 

[RoninPA]

Best bet would be to get a letter from Ruger. If it was a contract with the PD the letter would tell you who it was shipped to.

 

[hittman]

Welcome to the forum.
Ron nailed it.

 

[mchom]

Thank you for suggestion.

 

[Bigbore5]

Are there any other marks on it like from an importer?

I have one marked WPD that was imported back from Australia. It was a Williamston contract gun. The Ruger letter has the export date and info.

 

[mchom]

Interesting...
No other import marks are stampings.
Thank you for sharing that. I did send off for letter

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

Let us know if the letter helps. A lot of PD guns didn't ship directly to agencies but rather to police supply dealers. I have a Speed Six marked W.C.P.D. on the left side of the frame and looked around online and kind of figured it was West Covina, CA but when I tried to get in touch with them to check, all I got was crickets. The PD markings were often stamped by the department so they don't look as clean as factory rollmarking, and my WCPD gun is clearly not factory marked.

I also have one that was factory rollmarked "W.A. POLICE" in place of the caliber and found it to be Western Australia and got in touch with an officer there who was very helpful and gave me the lowdown on those guns. Mine was held back at the factory for years and finally shipped domestically in 2009 during a cleanout. The Aussie guy told me their version of SWAT was allowed to carry .357 while regular cops were restricted to .38 so the caliber wasn't marked to prevent gun envy at the range. He said mine might be the only one left on the planet since all theirs were destroyed after a new law stemming from a mass shooting in Tasmania outlawed the sale or re-export of government firearms, so when they went to autoloaders, all the Speed Sixes were cut up or melted.

 

[mchom]

Thanks for sharing that info! Very very interesting. Ill report back on letter results

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

Here is a Hickcock video, with him shooting an Australian Service-Six that was a police trade in & re-imported.
Terry

 

[mchom]

So cool Terry. Thanks!!!

 

[dobegrant.45]

Thanks for sharing,love Hickok videos

 

[mchom]

FYI
WPD is
Wilmington MD Police Dept
From Ruger Letter

 

[RoninPA]

Thanks for the update, very interesting. Wilmington, MD or Wilmington, DE? I could not find a Wilmington, Maryland.

 

[Stantheman1986]

Relatively few smaller PDs marked their issue sidearms , or they were just EP'd with a sloppy marking . I think the nicely stamped guns are neat collectibles

I had a Service Six marked for the Suffolk County Police, I probably should have kept it .

I have a S&W 4046 with KPD stamped on it but I never bothered to research it

 

[mchom]

Thanks for the update, very interesting. Wilmington, MD or Wilmington, DE? I could not find a Wilmington, Maryland.

It is Wilmington DE ! Thanks for pointing out

 

[mchom]

Relatively few smaller PDs marked their issue sidearms , or they were just EP'd with a sloppy marking . I think the nicely stamped guns are neat collectibles

I had a Service Six marked for the Suffolk County Police, I probably should have kept it .

I have a S&W 4046 with KPD stamped on it but I never bothered to research it

Agreed

I've read that at a certain point S&W offered it free to dept. At least for a period of time. But likely there was a minimum order so smaller depts may have been left out.

Mostly I collect S&W with dept markings. But always looking for marked Rugers. One of my favorites is a Ruger SP101 marked NYSP which I believe is NY State police. I'll letter soon to confirm.

Regarding the The SCPD (Interesting a county with a PD).... I've managed to pick up SW 15-3 and S&W 64-3 both marked SCPD
As well as a SCSO (Suffolk County Sheriff's Office ?) 686

Very Interesting a marked Service Six marked SCPD. I'll definitely be on the lookout

Interesting on the KPD. I have a S&W 65-2 marked KPD. I have no clue as to department. On my list to letter as well.

 

[hittman]

I believe SPNY = SP101 for NY City Police and GPNY = GP100 for NY City Police.

 

[Timbo23]

I have a stainless Police Service Six (fixed sight, 4 inch heavy barrel) in 38 Special marked LEX P.D. in very neat letters on the left side under the cylinder release button. I assume it's for some city (Lexington perhaps?) police department.
If I remember correctly it came with torn gripper style grips that were unserviceable. It wears factory wood grips now.

 

[RoninPA]

Timbo23, do a LOA from Ruger ($10) and it will give you the info (model #, which will tell you how it was configured when it was shipped and they will also tell you where it was originally shipped.) Best $10 you'll spend.

 

[Stantheman1986]

Agreed

I've read that at a certain point S&W offered it free to dept. At least for a period of time. But likely there was a minimum order so smaller depts may have been left out.

Mostly I collect S&W with dept markings. But always looking for marked Rugers. One of my favorites is a Ruger SP101 marked NYSP which I believe is NY State police. I'll letter soon to confirm.

Regarding the The SCPD (Interesting a county with a PD).... I've managed to pick up SW 15-3 and S&W 64-3 both marked SCPD
As well as a SCSO (Suffolk County Sheriff's Office ?) 686

Very Interesting a marked Service Six marked SCPD. I'll definitely be on the lookout

Interesting on the KPD. I have a S&W 65-2 marked KPD. I have no clue as to department. On my list to letter as well.

The KPD on the 4046 is laser etched and appears to have left S&W with the KPD on the barrel, slide and frame with a number. So probably done for large orders

I'm gonna guess Knoxville TN Police Dept