1940s FBI qualification

[Thumbcocker]

No mag dumps. No speed loaders.

https://youtu.be/20Lgd4nv6qg?si=Z7ZDclZ5eZOvvLNG

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[rintinglen]

That course was a pretty hard one. Back in 1974, I shot it with a S&W 27, 3 1/2," 357 and a Bianchi 5bh with drop boxes or cartridge belt loops. Ammo was 148 grain Wadcutters. We did not shoot the sequence in the time limits shown in this video; Rather, We were constrained to shoot each line, pause until everybody was done, then as a class move to the next line. You could use two hands and it was DAO until you got to the 50 yard line. Time limits were 30 seconds for 12 rounds with a reload at 7 yards, gun fired from the crouch, held at or below your diaphragm. You had 90 seconds at 25 yards, 6 rounds kneeling, 6 rounds standing, 6 rounds barricade right, 6 rounds barricade left. At 50 yards, you fired 24 rounds, prone, sitting, barricade right, and barricade left, in 2 minutes, 45 seconds, then 6 shots prone at 60 yards in 60 seconds. All stages started from the leather, no speed loaders were allowed. I remember I had 2 misses, both at 50 yards and both in the crook of the targets right arm and a bunch of 4's but shot a respectable 91.

[armoredman]

I'd like to try that...but the private range I used to have access to closed down. I don't think the public range would be OK with this one, but with my Smith 64-3, this looks like fun.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

That course was a pretty hard one. Back in 1974, I shot it with a S&W 27, 3 1/2," 357 and a Bianchi 5bh with drop boxes or cartridge belt loops. Ammo was 148 grain Wadcutters. We did not shoot the sequence in the time limits shown in this video; Rather, We were constrained to shoot each line, pause until everybody was done, then as a class move to the next line. You could use two hands and it was DAO until you got to the 50 yard line. Time limits were 30 seconds for 12 rounds with a reload at 7 yards, gun fired from the crouch, held at or below your diaphragm. You had 90 seconds at 25 yards, 6 rounds kneeling, 6 rounds standing, 6 rounds barricade right, 6 rounds barricade left. At 50 yards, you fired 24 rounds, prone, sitting, barricade right, and barricade left, in 2 minutes, 45 seconds, then 6 shots prone at 60 yards in 60 seconds. All stages started from the leather, no speed loaders were allowed. I remember I had 2 misses, both at 50 yards and both in the crook of the targets right arm and a bunch of 4's but shot a respectable 91.

Just reminiscing and commenting--no criticism at all! A 3 1/2" Mod. 27 is something I never ran across. Seems like that would be a really nice revolver. Should hold and balance well, and the weight should dampen the .357 recoil somewhat--more than a Mod. 19, but I'll bet the noise and muzzle blast with full house .357 ammo would be very noteworthy. Should carry well and be fast out of the holster with that shorter barrel......ah, but those days are gone.

I can see why, after viewing the film, that you were run through the course for each stage as a group. If one had a large group it would take just about all day to run shooters through individually.

Most everything you described matches my memory of the course-- double action only until reaching the 50 yd. line. Then most right handed guys maintained a grip on the revolver and cocked the hammer with the left thumb. I used a Mod. 14 with 6 inch barrel and the 148 gr. wadcutters and did pretty well. It was fun. Our barricade was just a 4x4 fence post stuck in the ground on the 15 yd. line, removable as the range was used for other programs. I noticed in the film that their barricades had some holes and slots cut in them, and have to wonder if sometimes they shot through the holes. Interesting, as I've never seen that before.

DG

[wilecoyote]

Just reminiscing and commenting--no criticism at all! A 3 1/2" Mod. 27 is something I never ran across. Seems like that would be a really nice revolver. Should hold and balance well, and the weight should dampen the .357 recoil somewhat--more than a Mod. 19, but I'll bet the noise and muzzle blast with full house .357 ammo would be very noteworthy. Should carry well and be fast out of the holster with that shorter barrel......ah, but those days are gone.
I can see why, after viewing the film, that you were run through the course for each stage as a group. If one had a large group it would take just about all day to run shooters through individually.
Most everything you described matches my memory of the course-- double action only until reaching the 50 yd. line. Then most right handed guys maintained a grip on the revolver and cocked the hammer with the left thumb. I used a Mod. 14 with 6 inch barrel and the 148 gr. wadcutters and did pretty well. It was fun. Our barricade was just a 4x4 fence post stuck in the ground on the 15 yd. line, removable as the range was used for other programs. I noticed in the film that their barricades had some holes and slots cut in them, and have to wonder if sometimes they shot through the holes. Interesting, as I've never seen that before.DG

I have two snubs only, but they are just a 27-2 3.5"bbl. and a 19-4 2.5"bbl._
the 27 allows for reasonably accurate DA cycling with .357mag. quite difficult to obtain with my 19, unless downgrading it with .38spl.s_
this in the hands of an eternal amateur like me_
beyond my (?)performances, the two snubs are not comparable, like apples and oranges, with relative strengths and weaknesses, but I love them both and...yes, sir: those days, their days, are gone_

[Mauser88]

My model 27-2 w/ 5" barrel.

[Ed K]

Nice revolver - even with the bent barrel

[Green Frog]

In the late eighties and early nineties, we civilians played a similar game using a course called the Virginia Modified. We shot 12 rounds @ 7 1/2 yds, 12 @ 15 yds, 24 @ 25 yds, then 12 more on a reduced target @ 25 to simulate 50. Anyway, I think that’s how it went… keep in mind this was 30 years ago.

We shot with a variety of revolvers from duty weapons all the way up to full house PPC guns. I do recall it was a lot of fun and I was sorry to see it end. For the last year or so I was shooting my slicked up Model 66 ND that I’d had a 6” barrel installed on. As close as I could do to a duty type weapon, but I wasn’t giving up anything.

Froggie