I picked this one up at a local gun show today, and I'm hoping to find out a little more about it. It numbers to 1917 (16,xxx), came with the smooth grips pictured, and has 'P889' stamped next to the serial number on the bottom of the grip frame. Under the grips, etched in one of the grip panels is Captain Hill, what appears to be DOP, and some more numbers I can't make out. The seller said from his research it came from a Captain Hill with the New York State Police. Note: I bought the gun and not the story. Anyway, here are some pics.

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You may be able to get some info from NYSP. The "P889" sounds like a rack or ID number.

A letter from Roy Jinks may be in order.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

That is a good looking gun. You were fortunate to have those grips to go on it. They are a little later than the gun (1930's), but what an improvement over the smooth military style grips. I would be tempted to partially refinish those grips, but that's just me. They say the silver medallion grips are a bit harder to find than the three styles that predated them. I should mention what I mean by partially refinishing grips. When the diamond pattern looks good, I sand and refinish everything but that area, being careful not to get any Tru-Oil down in the grooves around the center area. They always come out looking great.

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Dr. B

I was thinking about refinishing the grips. They've been lying in one of my S&W parts bins for years. I worked on a customer's gun and took the grips as a partial payment. I'm in the gun at $750, so I may want to find a 'correct' original set. The old girl has real good rifling, so I can hardly wait to put a few rounds thru it down at the farm.

Wow! You did good. I would have been all over that one at $750. I don't know how you guys are finding these neat old guns at gun shows. Here in Georgia, I haven't found anything at a show in a year. What is out is so overpriced, I just shake my head and don't even make an offer.

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Dr. B

I usually buy at least one S&W from this guy a year. He sets up in the same spot, and has for about the last 10 years. He has a knack for finding some good old Smiths, and he never bothers to look up a value for them. He just figures a profit that he wants to make on them and lets them go. Now, when he gets a Colt SAA it's a different story. He usually prices them $500-$1000 over current market value.