Recently I posted a thread about a 1899 target revolver with a Barber silver quarter front sight blade. Attached to the gun is an old hang tag, written in 1946. Its had a rough storage life ever since, and I am having difficulty reading it completely.

I believe the background for the tag has to do with a small hole in one of the cylinder stop notches, that goes all the way through the cylinder wall. It also has to do with not using modern ammo, which I take to mean +p loading.

I am looking for some help in reading this tag. This thread includes both sides of the tag, and my comments as to what I can read, and what I cannot read. Anybody and everybody is welcome to offer their comments. I have higher resolution images of the tag which I can email to anyone who is interested. ([email protected])

This first image is what I am calling the front side of the hang tag.



Here is my reading of this side of the tag. A --- means that I am missing one or more words.

" Revolver is ok(?) in -- respect with the (or this) -- -- of the cylinder.
Do not attempt to place a modern cartridge in this old cylinder."

This second image is what I am calling the rear side of the hang tag.



The first line looks like someone's name, or signature.

My reading of the rest of this side of the tag is as follows:

" S & W Mod(or Made) 1872 (note: 2333 is stamped in the yoke/crane area)
.38 Cal Special
# 6215 (this is the serial number)

11 - 4 - 46 (I take this to be the date of writing the tag)"

Thanks in advance for any and all comments.

Regards, Mike Priwer

There was no +P ammo per se in 1946. However, there was the .38/44 loading, which was much more powerful than the standard 158 grain round nose lead.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

As I read it "Revolver is okeh (an old spelling even then) in every respect with the exception of the cylinder. Do not attempt to fire modern cartridges in ___ old cylinder."

Modern cartridges in 1946 probably meant smokeless. As Muley Gil points out, +P was not "a thing" in 1946. While I'm not aware of anyone loading BP ammo for the .38 Special, that might have been a recommendation to "roll your own" for lower pressure.

Now I need to go look at the pictures in your other post.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

The name looks like it might start with the initials W. C. The rest looks to me to be consistent with Spengler or Pringle or even Springfield, if you allow for severe ink damage.

I think the year is probably 1892 rather than 1872 -- still wrong as a model designation, but not by as much. This is easier to see if you force your eye to read that floating dot as the end of the final stroke of the 8 rather than the origin point of the first stroke of the following numeral.

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David Wilson

.... respect with the condition of the cylinder... (??)

I think "exception" is probably right and not "condition"

The hang tag looks like the type a gunsmith might use... any chance it could have been sent back to the factory and this is a repair/notation tag?

Also... another thought - take a black light to the writing and see if you can read it any better. This works sometimes with old military clothing laundry marks.

.. Mike, hope this helps

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Linda
SWCA #1965, SWHF #245

I've had some luck reading old documents by scanning them at high resolution and then manipulating the image with software. Playing with color filters, contrast, brightness and other controls will often bring out detail you cannot see with the naked eye.

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

0 Revolver is okeh in serious respect with the exception of the cylinder. Do not attempt to fire modern cartridges in ___ old cylinder.

Attached Images

user113749_pic16407_1495670670.jpg (107.6 KB, 40 views)

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

The second image is a persons signature that ends in "nzie" like McKenzie. S&W Made 1892. 38 Cal. S&W. # 6215. 11-14-46.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

I would second, or maybe it's third, the opinion that "modern ammunition" doesn't refer to +P or even the 38/44 but rather to smokeless powder ammunition.

Dave

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RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

I want to thank everyone who responded. The comments captured the full context that I had missed.

These next two pictures were taken by the seller, and the lighting is better. The letter 'o' is barely visible, preceeding the "keh", confirming that, indeed, the word is "okeh".
Regarding the picture of the backside of the tag, it is clearer, but I am still uncertain about the signature. I think there is something after the "zie".





These next two picture are my original pictures, with the 'translation' of the handwriting placed below the image. This will be very helpful, in the future.





Regards, Mike Priwer

Does this help at all?



Could the last name be Frazier?

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

Kevin

Now - that is very interesting. This gun was shipped to a distributor in Mississippi. The most recent seller of the gun, on the GB web site, is Volunteer Ordance Works in Cleveland, TN.

Googling W. R. Frazier shows a person by that name. In the 1940 census, he is 56 years old, living in Sullivan, TN. The only place I can find, by that name, in TN is Sullivan County, TN. Sullivan County is on the northern edge of the state; Cleveland is rather close to the southern edge.

He seems to be a good candidate, for having written that note in 1946. Knowing that the gun was originally shipped to MS, I had thought that, being for sale in TN, the gun appears to have spent its life in the South. W R Frazier fits this general outline.

Thanks for the effort.

Regards, Mike Priwer

I think you're on to it now!

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208