So what pushes you to send in for a letter? I have a couple of older ones I would like to know about but I'm not sure if its worth the $50. Ones a Model 19 from around 1959. I would like to pin down a ship date for that one. Another is a Model 31 from around 1960. It was purchased new by an elderly gentlemen in my home town. I'm really curious which store it came from. Is this enough to justify spending the $50 to you? What's your criteria for getting one lettered?

I generally only letter pre-war guns. I have found that there is limited interesting information in the letters on post-war guns. There are exceptions to my general rule, but not many.

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Aside from a shipping (NOT manufacture) date, a factory letter is unlikely to provide much information of value for more ordinary and recent specimens. The shipped-to location is more likely to be some large gun wholesaler or jobber than to some gun shop or individual. But there are exceptions. If, for whatever reason, you feel you must know an exact shipping date, a letter is the only way to find that out. If you would be happy with an approximate date, just post your SNs here and someone will provide some good date information.

I also letter prewar revolvers.
Some are very intresting and some are boring.......

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

I would not spend $100 to letter these guns if they were mine. I only letter guns that are rare or pre war.

I understand that you are curious but in the end you'll just have 2 pieces of paper with some information on it. It sounds like you are not trying to obtain info in the hopes of gaining more money in the sale process, which I do from time to time.

Shoot and enjoy the 19 and use the 31 as a carry gun....and ENJOY THEM ! Both are great guns.-Dan ( no harm intended )

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HIS Trains 'a LEAVIN

Like Richard and Dewey said, I, too, also only letter the pre-war guns unless there are significant circumstances on any other one. Those might include determining the original shipping configuration, or some potential historic link.

A letter costs 10% of a $500 gun and 1% of a $5000 gun so only you can determine if the information that you might potentially gain is worth the investment. In the more modern guns, that is seldom the case.

Bob

Thanks for all the input. The M-19 is one of those guns that you keep forever, passing it down to my son down the road. Book puts it around 1959. It's in beautiful condition but it will be shot now and then. Im on the lookout for tool and paperwork to go along with the box. But I always love to hear a story behind the gun.
The 31 was a recent purchase from a LGS that the original owners son traded in with box, paperwork and a receipt dated 1960, with the owners name and street address. The numbers on the receipt don't match the pistol but the date works out right and it makes you wonder why the receipt was in that box. I believe the number may have just been some type inventory number but who knows. It's one of those that if the right gun came along, I might trade it, but only after a lot of thought.

I lettered a 1937ish k-22 outdoorsman with a humpback hammer that I recently purchased, just to see if it was shipped with the humpback. I also lettered a 4 screw 29 as there was some concern as to if had been re-barreled with it's 8 3/8 barrel, it was shipped with the proper barrel. Any S&W with an unusual, rare configuration is a good candidate for lettering IMHO.

There are general rules, and they've already been covered. There was a time when I ignored them and sent in a bunch of letter requests for postwar guns. Mostly they were a waste of time and money. I probably don't regret the factory engraved guns, and Lee had the 1950 target lettered. But for those 2 that may prove worthwhile, I've got over a dozen that were just wasted effort and lost money.

Prewar guns are different. Back in that era some guns went to individuals and many went direct to hardware stores. Basically what most of us do is letter a gun with unusual features to prove they were on the gun when shipped. It just removes doubt that the gun shipped with the features.

So if you've got a gun that has features that are rare on that model, and they seem to increase the value of the gun, go for it. The other answer is if you have too much money and want to redistribute it to Roy, its OK with us here on the forum.

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Dick Burg

I letter every S&W I get. It's only $50.00. I have 3 semi-autos. All three were in the first shipment. I recently sold a 586 that looked like any run of the mill 586. Turns out it was in the first month of production and came it it's original two piece box. I also own a Model 66 that was a salemans sample. You never know unless you letter them.

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Don Mundell

jsfricks,

If, as you said, you intend to pass the M19 on to your son, that would probably trigger me to letter it. We can't forget that Roy Jinks won't be creating those letters forever and when he isn't it is far from sure that any more letters will be forthcoming. The gun will continue to increase in value over the years and today's $50 letter cost will become a decreasing percentage of the total value.

Re: the M31. I don't see any real reason to letter that one.

Bob

http://smith-wessonforum.com/blogs/p...ot-letter.html

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Pace

I lettered this oldie hoping maybe it was sent to someone famous or someplace interesting... No such luck.. I would not bother on newer stuff..

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