Briscoe's Revolver
His duty weapon is a Smith & Wesson Model 36 .38 Special, snub-nosed revolver. He carries the Model 36 as his sidearm since he was a long serving veteran police officer with the NYPD having been a "Member Of the Service" (MOS) prior to 1986. In 1986 the department started issuing Smith & Wesson Model 64 .38 Special revolvers to MOS. All NYPD officers who were hired after 1986 had to carry stainless steel finished revolvers. After 1992 the NYPD started issuing 9mm semiautomatic pistols (certain authorized S&W, Glock, and SIG Sauer 9mm pistols) to their officers. The Model 36 was a very popular revolver with NYPD detectives and plainclothes officers because it is reliable and easy to conceal, and the .38 Special cartridge has a good reputation among police officers for reliability.
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