These are some of the better built mausers to come out of the Czech Gun Factories! Grumpy
Month: June 2019
Today has not been a waste as I learned something today. As I did not know that the M9 could come in 22 Long Rifle, HUH!!!
by Dave Campbell – Thursday, September 25, 2014
A look at the history of Smith & Wesson clearly shows how the company has been—and continues to be—at the forefront of innovation and manufacturing prowess. From the time of the first totally enclosed cartridge—the .22 Short—introduced in 1857 to the modern X-frame in .460 and .500 S&W Magnum, the company has met the needs of handgunners, often before they even knew of that need.
In 1957 Smith & Wesson introduced the Model 19 Combat Magnum at the behest of Border Patrolman Bill Jordan. Law-enforcement types flocked to the Model 19 like deer to a corn feeder, resulting in the nickname a “police officer’s dream gun.”
It was the size and weight of most .38 Special revolvers, yet had the capacity to handle the powerful .357 Magnum that many officers preferred because of its superior stopping power and penetration. Even plain-clothed detectives liked the 2 1/2-inch-barreled version, and, naturally, the citizens competed in the marketplace for the premium revolver.
In 1965 S&W introduced the first revolver to be made from stainless steel—the Model 60. Basically a Model 36 Chief’s Special in the more modern material, it, too, found a reception far beyond the company’s initial expectations. It worked once; let’s try it in the Combat Magnum.
So in 1970 the first .357 Magnum made from stainless steel was made. The first Model 66—as it would be known—came off the line on May 5 of that year, serial number K949100. Smith & Wesson would not announce the new revolver until July 8, 1971.
Like its blued predecessor, the Model 66 was the darling for men who strapped a revolver onto their waist every day to face the world. The everyday cop that worked an 8- to 12-hour shift appreciated the half-pound weight savings that the K-frame provided.
The gunners among the force often preferred the heftier Model 27 because that half pound soaked up recoil better, but the everyday officer rarely had to shoot and most departments still used .38 Special cartridges anyway. The Model 66 offered everything the Model 19 did, plus it was rust resistant.
Three barrel lengths were initially offered: 2 1/2, 4 and 6 inches, and each had their fans. The 4-incher is hands down the most popular, offering a reasonable compromise in carry vs. shootability. The 2 1/2-incher was popular as either a concealed-carry or backup gun.
The rural highway patrolman or sheriff deputy often opted for a 6-inch barrel because of the perception that armed encounters have a better chance of occurring at longer ranges or may involve barriers where a little more velocity would be desirable.
There was a short run—2,500 units to be exact—of 3-inch barreled 66s made, and today they fetch a nice premium over standard barrel lengths. There have been eight engineering changes to the Model 66, often referred to as “the dashes.” The Model 66 without a dash came out in 1970; seven years later the Model 66-1 appeared with the gas ring attached to the cylinder rather than the yoke.
The year 1982 gave us the Model 66-2 which eliminated pinned barrels and recessed cylinders. In 1986 the Model 66-3 with a new yoke retention system/radius stud package/hammer nose bushing and floating hand came to the marketplace.
Eight years later in 1994 the Model 66-4 had a slightly different rear sight leaf, a relocated drilling and taping of the frame for the rear sight, along with optional Hogue grips and a change in the extractor.
The Model 66-5 introduced in 1998 brought us a change in frame design: eliminating the cylinder-stop stud, the elimination of serrated tangs, a change to a MIM hammer with a floating firing pin, along with changes in the internal lockwork.
The dreaded internal lock—a.k.a. Hillary Hole—was foisted upon us in 2002 yielding the Model 66-6, the Model 66-7 featured a two-piece barrel and more internal lock mechanisms. This year the Model 66-8 was brought to the market.
Smith & Wesson dropped the Model 66 from production in 2005. There were a couple of reasons. First, the trend in LE armament has almost entirely gone to the semi-auto pistol. Departments and officers who have the prerogative to purchase their own handguns rarely—if ever anymore—purchase revolvers, save a J-frame for undercover or as an off-duty weapon. Too, most .357 Magnum shooters have gone to the slightly heavier L-frame revolvers because they stand up to more abuse from the heavy loads.
But the pining from the shooting public has jarred the brass at Smith & Wesson, and the company introduced the new Model 66-8 this year at the SHOT Show.
I put a few rounds through it at Range Day and was impressed enough to have one sent to me for evaluation and testing. Three things jump out at you if you know the old 66s. First is the Hogue Monogrip that replaces the traditional S&W Goncalo alves target stocks.
It takes some of the sting out of heavy loads and is eminently more practical, if rather plain in appearance. Second is the two-piece 4 1/4-inch barrel. Why two-piece and 4 1/4 inches? No one would fess up. Third is the new hammer and cylinder latch configuration.
I suppose they are alright. Nowhere have I seen any evidence that these engineering changes have resulted in a failure to fire, causing the shooter to get shot by a bad guy. However, I must admit that I prefer to see that pivoting claw of a firing pin attached to my S&W revolver’s hammers.
I have taken this new 66 to the range a half dozen times, and it has been absolutely reliable and accurate. Even with my cast bullet handloads this new whippersnapper has shown itself perfectly capable of providing the kind of service one expects from a Smith & Wesson revolver.
The MSRP of the Model 66 is $849, but street prices are seen in the mid-$600 range. With its proven performance, reliability and low-maintenance characteristics, the Model 66—either vintage or new—is a revolver belonging in every .357 Magnum aficionado’s collection.
Recently featured as an AmericanRifleman.org “Gun of the Week,” you can see a video of the new Model 66 here.
In 1957 Smith & Wesson introduced the Model 19 Combat Magnum at the behest of Border Patrolman Bill Jordan. Law-enforcement types flocked to the Model 19 like deer to a corn feeder, resulting in the nickname a “police officer’s dream gun.”
It was the size and weight of most .38 Special revolvers, yet had the capacity to handle the powerful .357 Magnum that many officers preferred because of its superior stopping power and penetration. Even plain-clothed detectives liked the 2 1/2-inch-barreled version, and, naturally, the citizens competed in the marketplace for the premium revolver.
In 1965 S&W introduced the first revolver to be made from stainless steel—the Model 60. Basically a Model 36 Chief’s Special in the more modern material, it, too, found a reception far beyond the company’s initial expectations. It worked once; let’s try it in the Combat Magnum.
So in 1970 the first .357 Magnum made from stainless steel was made. The first Model 66—as it would be known—came off the line on May 5 of that year, serial number K949100. Smith & Wesson would not announce the new revolver until July 8, 1971.
Like its blued predecessor, the Model 66 was the darling for men who strapped a revolver onto their waist every day to face the world. The everyday cop that worked an 8- to 12-hour shift appreciated the half-pound weight savings that the K-frame provided.
The gunners among the force often preferred the heftier Model 27 because that half pound soaked up recoil better, but the everyday officer rarely had to shoot and most departments still used .38 Special cartridges anyway. The Model 66 offered everything the Model 19 did, plus it was rust resistant.
Three barrel lengths were initially offered: 2 1/2, 4 and 6 inches, and each had their fans. The 4-incher is hands down the most popular, offering a reasonable compromise in carry vs. shootability. The 2 1/2-incher was popular as either a concealed-carry or backup gun.
The rural highway patrolman or sheriff deputy often opted for a 6-inch barrel because of the perception that armed encounters have a better chance of occurring at longer ranges or may involve barriers where a little more velocity would be desirable.
There was a short run—2,500 units to be exact—of 3-inch barreled 66s made, and today they fetch a nice premium over standard barrel lengths. There have been eight engineering changes to the Model 66, often referred to as “the dashes.” The Model 66 without a dash came out in 1970; seven years later the Model 66-1 appeared with the gas ring attached to the cylinder rather than the yoke.
The year 1982 gave us the Model 66-2 which eliminated pinned barrels and recessed cylinders. In 1986 the Model 66-3 with a new yoke retention system/radius stud package/hammer nose bushing and floating hand came to the marketplace.
Eight years later in 1994 the Model 66-4 had a slightly different rear sight leaf, a relocated drilling and taping of the frame for the rear sight, along with optional Hogue grips and a change in the extractor.
The Model 66-5 introduced in 1998 brought us a change in frame design: eliminating the cylinder-stop stud, the elimination of serrated tangs, a change to a MIM hammer with a floating firing pin, along with changes in the internal lockwork.
The dreaded internal lock—a.k.a. Hillary Hole—was foisted upon us in 2002 yielding the Model 66-6, the Model 66-7 featured a two-piece barrel and more internal lock mechanisms. This year the Model 66-8 was brought to the market.
Smith & Wesson dropped the Model 66 from production in 2005. There were a couple of reasons. First, the trend in LE armament has almost entirely gone to the semi-auto pistol. Departments and officers who have the prerogative to purchase their own handguns rarely—if ever anymore—purchase revolvers, save a J-frame for undercover or as an off-duty weapon. Too, most .357 Magnum shooters have gone to the slightly heavier L-frame revolvers because they stand up to more abuse from the heavy loads.
But the pining from the shooting public has jarred the brass at Smith & Wesson, and the company introduced the new Model 66-8 this year at the SHOT Show.
I put a few rounds through it at Range Day and was impressed enough to have one sent to me for evaluation and testing. Three things jump out at you if you know the old 66s. First is the Hogue Monogrip that replaces the traditional S&W Goncalo alves target stocks.
It takes some of the sting out of heavy loads and is eminently more practical, if rather plain in appearance. Second is the two-piece 4 1/4-inch barrel. Why two-piece and 4 1/4 inches? No one would fess up. Third is the new hammer and cylinder latch configuration.
I suppose they are alright. Nowhere have I seen any evidence that these engineering changes have resulted in a failure to fire, causing the shooter to get shot by a bad guy. However, I must admit that I prefer to see that pivoting claw of a firing pin attached to my S&W revolver’s hammers.
I have taken this new 66 to the range a half dozen times, and it has been absolutely reliable and accurate. Even with my cast bullet handloads this new whippersnapper has shown itself perfectly capable of providing the kind of service one expects from a Smith & Wesson revolver.
The MSRP of the Model 66 is $849, but street prices are seen in the mid-$600 range. With its proven performance, reliability and low-maintenance characteristics, the Model 66—either vintage or new—is a revolver belonging in every .357 Magnum aficionado’s collection.
Recently featured as an AmericanRifleman.org “Gun of the Week,” you can see a video of the new Model 66 here.
Thanks to their proximity to Hollywood, the Los Angeles Police Department has been featured in more films and television than any other law enforcement agency. As everything from hero to villain in TV and movies, LAPD is as much a part of the pop culture landscape as the iconic Hollywood sign. The LAPD badge is nearly instantly recognizable, but today we’re going to look at the interesting history of LAPD’s firearms.
Los Angeles endured a considerable amount of time in the late 1800s without any form of official police. The department that would eventually grow into LAPD found its roots in 1876, when the Board of Police Commissioners selected Jacob T. Gerkins as Chief.
Chief Gerkins brought with him the first regulation uniform for the department, taking what had been a loosely affiliated group and forming them into a real agency. There’s no record of an issued firearm at the time, but it’s not unreasonable to assume that a considerable number of Colt Peacemakers rode in holsters during this violent period in LA’s history.
From the 1900s to the 1930s LAPD survived without a standardized sidearm for their department, as officers were allowed to carry a wide variety of guns. .45 Colt revolvers were authorized, as the department still was very much an agency of wild west law enforcement.
It’s wasn’t until after World War II, with officers returning to duty from overseas that LAPD issued its first standard revolver, the S&W Model 10. Cadets at the police academy were issued a Model 10, and upon graduation had the option to keep that as an issue gun, purchase it from the department, or purchase their own revolver so long as it was a revolver chambered in .38 Special that had a 4 inch or 6 inch barrel.
During the 50s and 60s, under the leadership of Chief Parker, the public image of LAPD changed drastically from a corrupt department to the model of police professionalism. TV shows like Dragnet and Adam-12 greatly influenced the public image of LAPD as a model department; the guns carried in these shows accurately reflected the pistols issued to LAPD.
Again, LAPD kept with its policy of allowing officers to purchase individual weapons as long as they met the department’s standards. The standard issue gun was the Smith & Wesson K-38 Combat Masterpiece, with either a four or six inch barrel.
The K-38 would stay as the standard gun up until it was replaced by the Beretta 92 in the 80s. However, during the mid 70s, LAPD authorized officers to carry revolvers chambered in .357 Magnum so long as they were loaded with .38 Special ammo. Colt Pythons became status symbols, and among individual officer purchases, Colt Troopers and Pythons were very popular.
The adoption of the Beretta 92 in the 1980s signaled the end of the great wheelgun era of LA law enforcement. For a brief period, all new recruits were required to carry the Beretta, and there was no leeway for individual officer weapons.
This was loosened somewhat in the 90s when the S&W 5906 was accepted as a substitute standard weapon, and further loosened in 1997 after the North Hollywood Shootout when 3rd Gen Smith & Wesson semi-autos in .45 ACP were authorized out of a perceived need for more officer firepower.
This status quo held until 2002, when new Chief William Bratton was appointed. Bratton had previously led agencies that authorized the use of Glock pistols, and instituted policy allowing his officers to carry Glocks on duty.
In the modern age of LAPD, officers are issued either a Glock 22 or Glock 17 upon graduation from the Academy, but are still authorized to carry a considerable number of weapons. According to LAPD’s website, here is a complete list of the guns authorized for duty:
Los Angeles endured a considerable amount of time in the late 1800s without any form of official police. The department that would eventually grow into LAPD found its roots in 1876, when the Board of Police Commissioners selected Jacob T. Gerkins as Chief.
Chief Gerkins brought with him the first regulation uniform for the department, taking what had been a loosely affiliated group and forming them into a real agency. There’s no record of an issued firearm at the time, but it’s not unreasonable to assume that a considerable number of Colt Peacemakers rode in holsters during this violent period in LA’s history.
From the 1900s to the 1930s LAPD survived without a standardized sidearm for their department, as officers were allowed to carry a wide variety of guns. .45 Colt revolvers were authorized, as the department still was very much an agency of wild west law enforcement.
It’s wasn’t until after World War II, with officers returning to duty from overseas that LAPD issued its first standard revolver, the S&W Model 10. Cadets at the police academy were issued a Model 10, and upon graduation had the option to keep that as an issue gun, purchase it from the department, or purchase their own revolver so long as it was a revolver chambered in .38 Special that had a 4 inch or 6 inch barrel.
During the 50s and 60s, under the leadership of Chief Parker, the public image of LAPD changed drastically from a corrupt department to the model of police professionalism. TV shows like Dragnet and Adam-12 greatly influenced the public image of LAPD as a model department; the guns carried in these shows accurately reflected the pistols issued to LAPD.
Again, LAPD kept with its policy of allowing officers to purchase individual weapons as long as they met the department’s standards. The standard issue gun was the Smith & Wesson K-38 Combat Masterpiece, with either a four or six inch barrel.
The K-38 would stay as the standard gun up until it was replaced by the Beretta 92 in the 80s. However, during the mid 70s, LAPD authorized officers to carry revolvers chambered in .357 Magnum so long as they were loaded with .38 Special ammo. Colt Pythons became status symbols, and among individual officer purchases, Colt Troopers and Pythons were very popular.
The adoption of the Beretta 92 in the 1980s signaled the end of the great wheelgun era of LA law enforcement. For a brief period, all new recruits were required to carry the Beretta, and there was no leeway for individual officer weapons.
This was loosened somewhat in the 90s when the S&W 5906 was accepted as a substitute standard weapon, and further loosened in 1997 after the North Hollywood Shootout when 3rd Gen Smith & Wesson semi-autos in .45 ACP were authorized out of a perceived need for more officer firepower.
This status quo held until 2002, when new Chief William Bratton was appointed. Bratton had previously led agencies that authorized the use of Glock pistols, and instituted policy allowing his officers to carry Glocks on duty.
In the modern age of LAPD, officers are issued either a Glock 22 or Glock 17 upon graduation from the Academy, but are still authorized to carry a considerable number of weapons. According to LAPD’s website, here is a complete list of the guns authorized for duty:
- Beretta 92F/S
- Beretta 8045
- Smith & Wesson 3rd Generation models: 459, 5904, 5903, 659, 5906, 645, 4506, 4566, 4567, 5903 TSW, 5906 TSW, 4569 TSW, and 4566 TSW
- Glock 17
- Glock 19
- Glock 22
- Glock 23
- Glock 21
This doesn’t include various 1911s that are authorized for special units such as SWAT or SIS; I can only imagine what a headache all these different guns are for unit armorers within LAPD. Regardless, LAPD’s history of firearms has been as colorful and compelling a story as the history of the department itself.
From wild-west style shootouts with single action Colt revolvers to a modern LE agency with Glocks and weapon-mounted lights, the LAPD’s evolution of issued firearms parallels the evolution of the department itself.
One Winchesters better Ideas from the Golden Era of Mid Century America.
NEWS: NRA Suspends 2nd in Command for Assisting Coup Attempt
The NRA suspended its top lobbyist, Chris Cox, and one of his deputy chief of staff, Scott Christman, adding further turmoil to the gun-rights group’s leadership ranks as it wages legal battles on multiple fronts and prepares for a bruising 2020 election cycle.
The moves came after Oliver North, the former NRA board president, was ousted from the organization in April after it accused him of leading an attempted coup against Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice president of the NRA who has long served as the organization’s leader. North alleged that LaPierre used the group to enrich himself. As part of the infighting, the NRA sued Ackerman McQueen Inc., its longtime advertising firm, and in turn Ackerman cut ties with the group.
On Wednesday night, the NRA filed a lawsuit against North arguing that he didn’t have the right to legal fees from the NRA. The lawsuit says that Cox, described as a “likely successor” to lead the organization, participated in the failed bid to oust LaPierre.
Related Stories: NEWS: New York State Investigates NRA
The leadership struggle came to a head on April 24, according to the lawsuit. That’s when North talked to a LaPierre aide by phone and threatened to reveal unflattering details about LaPierre’s travel and clothing expenses unless he resigned and supported “North’s continued tenure as president,” according to the complaint, which calls the exchange an extortion.
North also promised to arrange an “excellent retirement” for LaPierre through Ackerman McQueen if he resigned, the NRA claims.
The NRA filed its suit against Ackerman McQueen in mid-April, claiming it refused to turn over details about North’s contract with the advertising firm. Last month, the NRA sued again, claiming Ackerman McQueen engineered the failed coup attempt by leaking damaging information to undermine NRA leaders.
The firm fired back with a breach-of-contract countersuit, claiming that the NRA was just trying to get out of its service agreement with the firm and that it had provided all the information sought by the gun group.
North was aided in his efforts against LaPierre by NRA board member Dan Boren, a former congressman who’s now a top executive for Chickasaw Nation, a major Ackerman McQueen client, according to the NRA complaint filed on Wednesday. Boren “helped to choreograph the ultimatum they presented to Mr. LaPierre,” it said.
In emails obtained by the NRA, Boren “admitted his knowledge that Ackerman may have been invoicing the NRA for full salaries of employees who were actually working on the Chickasaw Nation account.” Those emails also show that Cox was an “errant fiduciary” who “participated in the Ackerman/North/Boren conspiracy,” the NRA claims.
The complaint asks a judge to declare that the NRA shouldn’t be required to cover North’s legal fees for subpoenas arising from its litigation with Ackerman McQueen and from a Senate Finance Committee request for information. North’s attorney had demanded that the NRA cover his legal fees for the congressional probe and for “any other inquiries” that he “may receive” in the future, it said.
Cox’s suspension was reported earlier by the New York Times. Cox’s spokeswoman told the Times that he played no role in the coup attempt.
The suspensions throw the group’s political operation into turmoil just days after President Donald Trump announced his re-election bid. The NRA spent heavily to support Trump during the 2016 race, and Cox has met with the president multiple times during his tenure. Speaking at the NRA’s annual meeting this year, Trump was introduced by Cox rather than LaPierre.
A lawyer for North, Brendan Sullivan, declined to comment and said he would respond in a court filing.
As the group’s chief lobbyist, Cox oversaw nine different divisions, including federal, state, and local government affairs. “Cox develops and executes independent political campaigns and legislative initiatives. He also serves as the Association’s principal contact with the United States Senate and House of Representatives, the White House and federal agencies,” the NRA Foundation wrote on its website in a profile of Cox.
The moves came after Oliver North, the former NRA board president, was ousted from the organization in April after it accused him of leading an attempted coup against Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice president of the NRA who has long served as the organization’s leader. North alleged that LaPierre used the group to enrich himself. As part of the infighting, the NRA sued Ackerman McQueen Inc., its longtime advertising firm, and in turn Ackerman cut ties with the group.
On Wednesday night, the NRA filed a lawsuit against North arguing that he didn’t have the right to legal fees from the NRA. The lawsuit says that Cox, described as a “likely successor” to lead the organization, participated in the failed bid to oust LaPierre.
Related Stories: NEWS: New York State Investigates NRA
The leadership struggle came to a head on April 24, according to the lawsuit. That’s when North talked to a LaPierre aide by phone and threatened to reveal unflattering details about LaPierre’s travel and clothing expenses unless he resigned and supported “North’s continued tenure as president,” according to the complaint, which calls the exchange an extortion.
North also promised to arrange an “excellent retirement” for LaPierre through Ackerman McQueen if he resigned, the NRA claims.
The NRA filed its suit against Ackerman McQueen in mid-April, claiming it refused to turn over details about North’s contract with the advertising firm. Last month, the NRA sued again, claiming Ackerman McQueen engineered the failed coup attempt by leaking damaging information to undermine NRA leaders.
The firm fired back with a breach-of-contract countersuit, claiming that the NRA was just trying to get out of its service agreement with the firm and that it had provided all the information sought by the gun group.
North was aided in his efforts against LaPierre by NRA board member Dan Boren, a former congressman who’s now a top executive for Chickasaw Nation, a major Ackerman McQueen client, according to the NRA complaint filed on Wednesday. Boren “helped to choreograph the ultimatum they presented to Mr. LaPierre,” it said.
In emails obtained by the NRA, Boren “admitted his knowledge that Ackerman may have been invoicing the NRA for full salaries of employees who were actually working on the Chickasaw Nation account.” Those emails also show that Cox was an “errant fiduciary” who “participated in the Ackerman/North/Boren conspiracy,” the NRA claims.
The complaint asks a judge to declare that the NRA shouldn’t be required to cover North’s legal fees for subpoenas arising from its litigation with Ackerman McQueen and from a Senate Finance Committee request for information. North’s attorney had demanded that the NRA cover his legal fees for the congressional probe and for “any other inquiries” that he “may receive” in the future, it said.
Cox’s suspension was reported earlier by the New York Times. Cox’s spokeswoman told the Times that he played no role in the coup attempt.
The suspensions throw the group’s political operation into turmoil just days after President Donald Trump announced his re-election bid. The NRA spent heavily to support Trump during the 2016 race, and Cox has met with the president multiple times during his tenure. Speaking at the NRA’s annual meeting this year, Trump was introduced by Cox rather than LaPierre.
A lawyer for North, Brendan Sullivan, declined to comment and said he would respond in a court filing.
As the group’s chief lobbyist, Cox oversaw nine different divisions, including federal, state, and local government affairs. “Cox develops and executes independent political campaigns and legislative initiatives. He also serves as the Association’s principal contact with the United States Senate and House of Representatives, the White House and federal agencies,” the NRA Foundation wrote on its website in a profile of Cox.
LAKELAND — A 32-year-old woman was arrested on June 15 when she gathered her husband’s guns to turn them over to the Lakeland Police Department.
According to Courtney Irby’s arrest affidavit, she told police her husband had been taken to jail for trying to run over her with a car. Irby said she went to Joseph Irby’s apartment on Village Center Drive in Lakeland and searched for the guns she knew he had.
When she told a Lakeland police officer she had the guns with her to turn them in, he replied, “So are you telling me that you committed an armed burglary?” and Irby answered, “Yes, I am, but he wasn’t going to turn them in, so I am doing it,” according to reports.
Police verified Irby had never stayed at her husband’s apartment until the day of the burglary.
Officers made contact with Joseph Irby, who was still incarcerated at the Polk County Jail, and he said he wanted to press charges against his wife for entering his apartment and taking the guns, reports say.
Court records show that Irby applied for a temporary injunction against her husband and the two were in the process of a divorce.
She was charged with armed burglary of a dwelling and grand theft of a firearm.
Kathy Leigh Berkowitz can be reached at kberkowitz@theledger.com or at 863-802-7558. Follow her on Twitter
According to Courtney Irby’s arrest affidavit, she told police her husband had been taken to jail for trying to run over her with a car. Irby said she went to Joseph Irby’s apartment on Village Center Drive in Lakeland and searched for the guns she knew he had.
When she told a Lakeland police officer she had the guns with her to turn them in, he replied, “So are you telling me that you committed an armed burglary?” and Irby answered, “Yes, I am, but he wasn’t going to turn them in, so I am doing it,” according to reports.
Police verified Irby had never stayed at her husband’s apartment until the day of the burglary.
Officers made contact with Joseph Irby, who was still incarcerated at the Polk County Jail, and he said he wanted to press charges against his wife for entering his apartment and taking the guns, reports say.
Court records show that Irby applied for a temporary injunction against her husband and the two were in the process of a divorce.
She was charged with armed burglary of a dwelling and grand theft of a firearm.
Kathy Leigh Berkowitz can be reached at kberkowitz@theledger.com or at 863-802-7558. Follow her on Twitter
LAKELAND — A 32-year-old woman was arrested on June 15 when she gathered her husband’s guns to turn them over to the Lakeland Police Department.
According to Courtney Irby’s arrest affidavit, she told police her husband had been taken to jail for trying to run over her with a car. Irby said she went to Joseph Irby’s apartment on Village Center Drive in Lakeland and searched for the guns she knew he had.
When she told a Lakeland police officer she had the guns with her to turn them in, he replied, “So are you telling me that you committed an armed burglary?” and Irby answered, “Yes, I am, but he wasn’t going to turn them in, so I am doing it,” according to reports.
Police verified Irby had never stayed at her husband’s apartment until the day of the burglary.
Officers made contact with Joseph Irby, who was still incarcerated at the Polk County Jail, and he said he wanted to press charges against his wife for entering his apartment and taking the guns, reports say.
Court records show that Irby applied for a temporary injunction against her husband and the two were in the process of a divorce.
She was charged with armed burglary of a dwelling and grand theft of a firearm.
Kathy Leigh Berkowitz can be reached at kberkowitz@theledger.com or at 863-802-7558. Follow her on Twitter
According to Courtney Irby’s arrest affidavit, she told police her husband had been taken to jail for trying to run over her with a car. Irby said she went to Joseph Irby’s apartment on Village Center Drive in Lakeland and searched for the guns she knew he had.
When she told a Lakeland police officer she had the guns with her to turn them in, he replied, “So are you telling me that you committed an armed burglary?” and Irby answered, “Yes, I am, but he wasn’t going to turn them in, so I am doing it,” according to reports.
Police verified Irby had never stayed at her husband’s apartment until the day of the burglary.
Officers made contact with Joseph Irby, who was still incarcerated at the Polk County Jail, and he said he wanted to press charges against his wife for entering his apartment and taking the guns, reports say.
Court records show that Irby applied for a temporary injunction against her husband and the two were in the process of a divorce.
She was charged with armed burglary of a dwelling and grand theft of a firearm.
Kathy Leigh Berkowitz can be reached at kberkowitz@theledger.com or at 863-802-7558. Follow her on Twitter