I have been a collector of .38/357 cop service revolvers for many years. I have a representative from all the major firearm companies, which is not that large in 4-inch cop six-guns. One though, a very favorite of mine, the Dan Wesson Model 11 in .38 Special was approved by the largest PD in the country and most of the world. This is the New York Police Department and one of it's 1970 approved-for-duty four-inch .38's. Sometimes around 1970 the NYPD contracted with Mr. Dan Wesson on a .38 Special version of his Model 11 service revolver. The Model 8 DW had not been developed yet.

The NYPD, from what I understand, has had a multiple service gun policy for many years. In 1970 the .38 six-shooters approved for duty would have been the S&W Model 10 (4" tapered or HB), Colt Metropolitan MK III (4" HB) and the DW Model 11 (4" BBL.) for new rooks coming onto The Force. All of the "approved-for-duty revolvers were in blue steel, fixed sights, and had a four-inch barrel. Rooks, then 1970, and now 2012, buy their own duty guns from the "approved" short list (3) from the Equipment Bureau of the NYPD at a discounted rate. The guns were laid out at the EB and the rook would select by picking up one and handling it and deciding (on his own) which one was for him. There was a price variation between the prospective service revolvers with the Colt always costing the most followed by the S&W Model 10 and NO ONE KNOWS JACK about the Model 11. I would say Mr. Dan had it priced right as there was a great sales opportunity here. I understand also, from a 1990 gun magazine article by Massad Ayoob, that the NYPD DW Model 11 sales to rooks was modest and that the four-inch barrels were "fixed" with a 1-way lock nut to prevent removal. Massad's words not mine.

A retired NYPD Officer who joined The Force in 1980 told me that when he went, as a rook, to select his six-gun for purchase and duty use a Dan Wesson Model 11 was "still" present and approved for duty in 1980. These were apparently hold-overs from years past and were still avaliable for purchase. He stated that the S&W Model 10 was really "pushed" by the Firearms Instructors at Rodman's Range where firearms training and practice takes place for NYPD cops. This could account for the lack of sales for the Model 11 as well as the looks (exposed bbl. nut, flat frame sides, porkchop shroud). A youngster in his 20's, as a rookie cop, will not have a great command on firearms history and will follow (not all the time) what is being suggested or pushed. 

Did not mean to drag this thread out on this "Moby Dick" NYPD Model 11. But in 10+ years of fact-finding the above is "all" I know of this 11. There is tons of info on "all" the other New York cop guns (S&W M10, Colt OP, Metropolitan MK III, and Ruger Police Service-Six, NYGP-100) but, so far, info on the Model 11 of the NYPD has escaped me. I would like to know the background to the 11's arrival at the NYPD as well as the specs on the gun itself. Who approached Mr. Dan from the NYPD or whom did he correspond with on making the required alterations to meet NYPD approval. In short, who/what/where/when/ and how. I hope one day someone will come forth with all that I seek on this.

Respectfully...................David

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