Maybe someone got a real deal.
It's a 2nd Model Single Shot .22 with zero serial number. (0146)
I placed a couple bids early, but wasn't willing to spend much given the condition. I don't know enough about the value of club guns to know if it was a deal or a rip-off. I can't figure out the purpose of the drilled holes on the right side. Some strange aftermarket site, or maybe one of the rare factory-installed safety levers? Who knows.
link to closed auction

Chris, that is one unusual gun there. If you notice there is no recoil shield on it..which would make it like a 3rd model (I think). Almost like a mixing of two different models. Also the drilled hole is a mystery. Condition is bad but that serial number is pretty neat. Front sight looks altered also. Not sure what to make of it.

Roger

I have a 2nd Model SS 8 inch with the same front and rear sight set up.
I always figured that the owner got tired of the tiny bead type they came with and changed them out to a Patridge that was easier on old eyes. After all, these were target guns, and whatever made it easier to get into the 10 ring was fair game. Same story with the grips. When you get into the current field of Free Pistol, 10 meter air, etc. you see a lot of filling putty, filing, sanding, and such in an attempt to fit the grip to an individual hand.
Once again, whatever it takes.
I have no idea what the extra holes are for. Were it mine I think I would spring for a letter. My 8” lettered to an individual, but I haven’t been able to find anything else about him. Oh well.. the hope was he would have been in an Olympic Shooting event…………….
As for what was paid, I hope the club gun serial adds some value to offset the condition problems.

The thing about zero-guns is that they were completed in the service department.
Generally they were rejects from the factory floor. As they were completed, and
perhaps even over time, they were given/assigned to one person or another. They
were logged into the zero-book at the time of their completion, with information
as to what they were. If they were not immediately distributed, then that information
was left blank, and in a lot of cases, was never filled in.

So - its not uncommon, in a letter written on a zero gun, to only confirm what the
gun was, but no information might exist for the recipient of the gun. This is a
problem with some zero guns.

If that turns out to be the case with this gun, then a letter may, or may not,
be important to the owner. And, of course, this plays a role in considering what to
do with this gun. If one wanted to invest money to restore the gun, then it would be
important to know where the gun went.

This is one of those cases where there are a lot of unknowns.

Later, Mike Priwer

"Club" gun, ser. number 0146 was a .22 Single Shot, with 10 inch barrel, shipped Jan. 21,1911, according to the factory "Zero Gun" list. Ed.

Ed

That is exactly the point. The question is - where was it shipped, or
to whom ? Gentlemens bet you do not know the answer.

Regards, Mike Priwer

quote:

Originally posted by mikepriwer:
Ed

That is exactly the point. The question is - where was it shipped, or
to whom ? Gentlemens bet you do not know the answer.

Regards, Mike Priwer

Oh but I'll bet you do.
DW

Mike & DW, I know a few things about S&Ws, but where that gun went, I don't have a clue ( as yet), however since we now know it still exists, some forensic backtracking of gun transfer records and prior owners can sometime reveal the first owner and the events that lead S&W to make & ship the gun. There's also the probablity that the work invoice exists in the archives at the CVHM and it will definately tell why the gun was made and for what reason. Some guns on the Zero gun list, show a destination, usually an individual, but sometimes just "Springfield Revolver Club, etc.