Earlier I promised to report once I received the S&W letter. After some delay, here's my report.

I must confess having had the greedy hope that this revolver would letter to some prominent and well-known public figure of the time. Fall-back position would be some interesting geographic placement indicated. My luck with S&W is about the same as my luck with the Virginia lottery or at a gaming table at Las Vegas. Snilch.

Golcher B

Yeah, that's right. Golcher B. Could be I'm ignorant and just don't recognize the name. After all, he or she is so prominent as to just use an initial for a last name. Anybody kin?





Ok, it's one thing to be stumped by a name, but what really sets my head spinning is the statement that this revolver was proofed under the 1904 rules and again in 1977. Wow! I thought I had some references on English proofing and I thought I knew something about the subject. The 1952 Birmingham viewer's date stamp is clear as a bell.

Either I need to go back to school or the Birmingham Proof House gave a goofy opinion. And if I'm wrong (which is always a front-row possibility), then Nigel Brown and Gerhard Wirnsberger are all wet too. After all, I got my information from their reference works. My analysis, based on their reference works, is set out above and I won't repeat it here.

I am not privy to the inner sanctum here; and I can't join the S&W Collectors, not knowing anyone in my hick town to sponsor me, but if anyone has the ear of Roy Jinks, I would love to know what information he supplied Birmingham, and what exactly the Birmingham Proof House said back in return.

In the end, it's still the 15th .44 Special ever made in commercial production.