I'm sure this has been addressed before but I was going through some paperwork and decided to make a thread on the 4 variations I have.



First, The Prewar HH


Postwar HH (type 1) (note paragraph in Picture 3)




Postwar HH (type 2) (note paragraph in Picture 3)




Centennial Helpful Hints

__________________
Kris
OGCA, NRA LM

Very cool post and THANK YOU for putting it up.

I searched for just this type of information not long ago and came up empty.

I bought a few Helpful Hints brochures and was trying to get a handle on dates of early post war paperwork.

The Centennial Helpful Hints is a seldom seen variation.

Great photos and information.

GF

The person on the front of the pre-war brochure is Officer Ray J. Nowka of the LAPD. He set a new police record in 1930 at Camp Perry with a score of 281 out of 300. He used a S&W M&P revolver.

Bill

very cool Bill!

__________________
Kris
OGCA, NRA LM

If I recall correctly, Roy Jinks once told me the other officer pictured( in long pants) was a Cap't of the S&W Plant Guard Unit. I don't remember his name. Ed.

Thanks, first I've seen of the Centennial.

His name is Harold DeVine. I have his .22 Single Shot Club Gun, his Smith & Wesson Captains hat badge along with other items too numerous to mention. I displayed a table full last year at the annual.

__________________
Don Mundell

There are 3 variations of the second type in my collection of Helpful Hints. Somewhere in the old posts is a chronology of the types that I put together on the old Joe Miller SWCA site and brought here several years ago. I will try to reproduce it now.

The first type is obviously the one with Officer Ray J. Nowka of the LAPD wearing jodphurs.

Of the second type, the first variation in my collection is 7" tall by 7 3/4" wide. Like the first type it shows a half moon front sight, has the S&W rugged design paragraph in the lower corner under the sideplate and has a print date of 7-51. The inner S&W logo is larger and the upper border is two solid lines with a line of O's and dashes in between. The sight pictures shows the 6 o'clock hold at the top and the center hold at the bottom. The photo shows a cylinder stop screw and a hole for the top sideplate screw, so this variation is for the 5 screw guns.

The next varation is 6 5/8" tall and 7 1/8" wide. It now shows a ramp style front sight, the upper sideplate hole is gone, still has the rugged paragraph, the SAFETY paragraph has changed and the sight pictures are now reversed with the 6 o'clock hold now at the bottom. There is also an added paragraph about SIGHT ADJUSTMENT. The S&W logo is smaller and there is only one line across the top of the inner pages. Now shows the cylinder center pin spring. Still has a cylinder stop screw so this should be for 4 screw guns up to around 1961 when that screw was eliminated.

Variation 3 is now 7" tall and 7" wide.The photo of Harold Devine is now blurred compared to the 2nd variation. Appears to be a copy from the 2nd variation. Inside is the same as variation number 2. Rugged paragraph is now gone. Cylinder stop screw and cylinder stop stud now gone from picture. This variation would be for 3 screw guns and should be post 1961 when the cylinder stop screw was eliminated.

I too used to have the rare Centennial version but somehow it has disappeared. Not sure if it got misplaced or if during one of my public displays, someone wanted it more than me.

__________________
James Redfield
LM #497

Thanks..........

Beware of fakes now showing up on Ebay.

Easily identified as having off centered printing inside opened flyer. Also crease is off center on S&W emblem at top.

Paper is too brown and lacks slight sheen of original

Does anyone know if there are .PDFs of these manuals?

__________________
This Signature is too Short!

I recently saw pictures (I can't remember where) of an HH version with some of the letters in red. Anyone know anything about this variation?

__________________
Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Mr. Redfield
James
Would you allow me to use your very detailed observations for my possible future publication on Smith & Wesson ephemera?

__________________
Don Mundell

Mr. Assistant Historian, I would be honored.

__________________
James Redfield
LM #497

Bringing this back up since the information is really good. If you are like me, I did not know about all the different variations. That is why this forum is so great.......so much knowledge.

__________________
Miss My Buddy crsides!!

I'd be interested in this data if it could be resurrected. Another great thread lost to the photobucket curse.

__________________
ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

Yes, and, No.

Click on the insidious grey box. A number of the photos are still reachable.

Haven't tried them all, but, some are.

bdGreen

Resurrecting this thread. I understand the differences between the variations, however there is no connection between which variation goes with which year shipped. I am trying to determine if the helpful hints brochure shipped with the 1947 K-22 model is the first variation showing Officer Ray J. Nowka of the LAPD wearing jodphurs, or a later variation. Anyone know for sure?? Thanks much if you can answer this.

Could be correct. My #K 4995 came with the earlier one. I don't see these going into the dumpster. Big Larry

All this info is nice, but when did they STOP putting these in the boxes? I have one of the later ones. Big Larry

They stopped early to mid 1960’s.

I have a friend that just bought a minty pre Bangor M16-2. K67XXXX. Would this be correct for his revolver? How about a 1959 vintage M48 no dash? Thanks, Big Larry

Just noticed. This variation is for a three screw revolver. Only one I have ever seen. Is this one scarce? Thanks, Big Larry

Would anyone happen to know when Smith Wesson first shipped their firearms with the earliest Helpful Hints booklet? I'm trying to learn if my dark maroon boxed M&P 38, model of 1905, 4th change should include this booklet.

Thanks so much

A box like this one?

__________________
Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Here is a box that is identical to what I have.

Attached Images

Screenshot_20220327-133938_Chrome.jpg (29.4 KB, 25 views)

That is the hinged box. It is earlier than the one I showed from the 1940s.

__________________
Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

My M&P 38, model of 1905, 4th change has Serial Number, 305000. I think this was shipped around 1920 or so. I'm just not sure if the earliest HH booklet was originally included in the box.

I don't know for sure but suspect that brochure would have been in the box. This one, SN 452510, from 1923 has the box numbered to the gun in pencil on the bottom along with a September 1923 date stamp and includes the brochure.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

How many versions are there of the HH pamphlet? Trying to piece that together from the various posts.
The one I had, had a date of 4/56. Assume that was the date it was printed. Was in a box for a Combat Magnum that was shipped 6/56.
Have not seen a date on any of the other pamphlets in this thread.

__________________
David Reynolds

Jeff
That is the same picture on the HH that mine from 1946 has. See my Post #25. I suppose they changed the picture in the early 1950s? Twice? I'm not sure I know the sequence.

__________________
Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Not my area, but I assume the printed date refers to the start date of that specific HH booklet layout, not necessarily the print date.

Somewhere I have a half-dozen or so of them for different models. I bought them maybe 20 years ago in a junk shop in Biloxi MS (pre-Katrina) for a quarter each. But I have no idea where they are today.

Thank you so much for this information. Did one of these come with a Pre-29, or just the registration card? Thanks.
Larry

__________________
Miss My Buddy crsides!!