On Substack, John Van Stry discusses one of the myths about guns that were commonplace in 1980s cop shows on TV:
Okay, so he’s talking handguns, but this is still kinda on-topic.
Decades ago, and I do mean decades, on one of the many police drama TV shows that existed in the 70’s, there was one about cops (of course there was!) where they followed a different set of officers (not detectives, street cops — kinda1) each week.
So in that particular episode we had these guys (I think it was two? It was more than one) going around and robbing banks and they were shooting (and of course killing) people at the banks. They were using “HIGH POWERED WEAPONS” (emphasis theirs) of some sort. I don’t remember if it was rifles (AR-15’s weren’t the boogie man back then) or pistols. I think it was pistols though, Magnums perhaps?
Anyway, cutting to the chase, we’ve got two officers “staking out” the bank that they believe is going to be next and all they’ve got are their wimpy-wimpy-wimpy (emphasis theirs) .38 revolvers. Because everyone knows being shot by a .38 is no more dangerous than being shot by a B-B gun!2
So, before the “big shootout” one officer comes up to the other and offers him a Special Bullet.3 He tells the other “I thought maybe we should have a little something to even the odds”.4
The other officer is of course duly horrified because this is NOT “regulation ammo”!
So what was this “special ammo”? Were they .357 magnum rounds? (which you might be able to shoot from some .38’s back then, if you could get them to fit, just once). Were they +P’s?5 Oh no no no no no! They were (Dun dun DAAAA!)
HOLLOW POINTS!!!!
Yup, their first bullet in their revolver was a .38 hollow point.
When the robbers attack, oh the things that happen! One officer blows one of the robber’s heads Clean OFF!! Yes, that’s right! The dreaded hollow point is so powerful it took off the guy’s head! Completely!!! I don’t recall exactly what the other robber had happen, but I think it was a hole blown throw him you could see through.6
But wait! There’s More!7
- I forget the details exactly, it was a long long time ago.
- In this episode at least — consistency from the anti-gun lefties who wrote this dreck in the 70’s was not to be expected.
- I ain’t making this part up.
- Or words that effect. Again, 50 years ago, I don’t remember the exact line.
- A lot of .38 ammo was ‘+P’ back then, because they hadn’t created the designation yet, look up the specs in the old reloading manuals if you don’t believe me.
- Props to these officers however for their first shots in each case being killing ones!
- Of course there is!
