TEU serial number pistols were included in the first 250 test pistols sent to the FBI Academy. TEU does NOT stand for Test and Evaluation Unit. TEU was simply the serial number series on the line at the time they were selected for shipment to the Bureau. The confusion may stem from the fact that the group of Firearms Instructors that tested the original S&W and Colt entries in the contract competition was called the Test & Evaluation Group. Other serial numbers have been found among the 250 test pistols. And at the time the FBI 1076s were manufactured the pistol frames were pulled from line inventory with no thought of serial numbers and in fact FBI 1076s bear a wide variety of pre-fixes including among others TEU, TEV, TFE, TFF, TFH, TFK, TFL, TFN, TFP, TFX, THB, and THC. I believe that all of the test pistols had the horizontal lines. The crosshatch design on the grip was set forth in the contract and appeared on the pistols at a later date. I believe that all 1076s actually issued to Agents had the crosshatch grip.

If I may, I would like to briefly address the media coverage of the FBI 1076 at the time it was being selected and issued. As is always the case, not everything you read in the magazines of the day was accurate. Just because something appears in writing does not make it true.

Thanks
D