Postal Dept Revolvers ?

[sheepherder]

Has anyone ever seen a Colt M1917 .45 ACP revolver with US Postal Department markings on it??? An old co-worker of mine passed on some years ago, and reminiscing with another co-worker I recalled the woman, a clerk, who told me that when she first started she was issued a big old revolver with her cash drawer.

I Googled it but could only find a 1959 PO manual on the revolvers, not any pics of the actual gun itself.

A couple sites said the revolvers were WWI surplus re-issued to the Postal Department. Sounds interesting.

Any pics???

[gunnertwo]

I've seen holsters marked US Postal Service, haven't seen markings on guns. 1917's in 45ACP, IIRC.

G2

[MikeP]

The local post office had pistols in holsters bolted to sorting cases until the late 60s. Somebody shot the time clock and they confiscated them.
The Post Office, when it was a department, was well armed. I think that ended when it became a semi private organization about 1970.
They even had Thompson SMGs on some mail cars and the "HYPOs"old rolling sorting offices in buses.
My grand father worked as a clerk on a "Doodlebug" A single unit with engine, baggage and mail section and some passenger seats.
His was on the CB&Q Line.
He had an issued Colt Snubby that he had to turn in when he retired.
I don't recall the markings, I was just a kid.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by MikeP

They even had Thompson SMGs on some mail cars and the "HYPOs"old rolling sorting offices in buses.

Back in the early 80's, when I had just enlisted in the AFRES, a co-worker of mine (a PO clerk) in my squadron did his Annual Tours at Griffiss AFB in Central New York. He said they had a mobile sorting [truck, bus?] that drove around the base dropping off mail while two clerks inside sorted at regular PO cases. I preferred to take my AT on fly-aways so I never got to see the 'rolling office'.