Sometimes the blind squirrel indeed finds the nut. And, I think I have found GOLD!

I have never seen anything like this. A mismarked M-64! The crane is stamped M 10-7. I have looked it over carefully, and, there is no chance the stamping has been tampered with. Its clean and without question original. The serial number is 4D09XXX. Perfect bore on this pencil barrel example.

I will be sending off on a letter for this treasure as soon as possible, perhaps Mr Jinks can shed some light on how something like this could slip past the inspectors. It somehow made it through the entire process, blued and shipped without anyone catching on! Unbelievable, huh?

Anyway, here are the photos of the side of the gun, and, the frame stamping. As you can see, the blueing has worn off, just a tiny bit, near the muzzle, exposing the stainless steel underneath. Thank goodness this gun has just a tiny bit of wear on this otherwise pristine example, or, this treasure might never have seen the light of day! To say I am excited, is an understatement. Your comments are most certainly appreciated!




And, as you can see, the frame stamping is PERFECT!!!



I can only imagine what something like this is worth, please, no offers here on the forum, I certainly don't want to break any rules, but, I'll bet more than a few of you are chomping at the bit!!

It sure looks like a blued Model 10-7 to me. Why do you think it's stainless steel?

The stocks predate the gun by at least 10 years.

Been drinkin???

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"I also cook."

Congrats!! Nice find.

A model 64 is stainless that's a model 10 am I missing somthing

That is simply a 10-7 with barrel wear. The "shiny metal underneath is nothing more than bare chrom-moly steel.

Sorry, no sale!

I think the OP has his line in the water just for fun.

If one were so inclined, could that model 10, er I mean, misstamped and blued model 64 could be converted to shoot 44 special? Just a thought . . . . I know I could get a 696 but why would I want to when one could convert a misstamped and blued model 64 . . . .

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vim vi repellere licet

Nope, too small. The 696 is an L frame.

....wow, great find..wonder how THAT slipped by the factory, with the never seen 2.856 inch barrel and fixed adjustable sights and 9 round cylinder...

Is it April 1st already?

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NRA Lifetime Member

Damn! You lucky dog.

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Dennis

You jokers are making my sides hurt!

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You're shy a few manners.

I may have spoke too soon. Lore has it Gen. McArthur had a Model 64 in the Philippines. His buddy George kept calling him a pimp, so he ditched the MOP’s and had it blued (after two drinks, George didn‘t know chrome from shine-ola). According to the story, he wrapped it in some monogrammed undies and left it behind, but when he returned it was gone.

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"I also cook."

I was looking in my copy of the 4th edition of the Smith Historical Inventory Text and found that only 67,634 of these were made after Elmer Cooper and Skeeter Jordan developed the concept and wrote about it in "Shooting Guns" magazine.....the text does mention McArthurs undies...

Ok...I can see there are some doubters, I'm not sure what the problem is. Here is a picture of a known, properly marked Model 65. You can certainly see the color:



Now, here is a picture of the muzzle of this little gem:



As you can see, the color is the SAME where the finish has worn through exposing the stainless steel base metal.

I had a very good friend of mine, who is a CPA come over and look at it. Never underestimate a good CPA, they are SMART people! He said that based on his knowledge, the color looked the same. He is also a stamp collector so, he brought over a couple of his magnifying glasses so we could get a little better look at the grain structure and, for lack of a better term, swirls in the steel where it had been originally finished at the factory. Yup, you guessed it, they look the SAME!

I'm still a little giddy at this find.

Those appear to me to be factory swirls as well....I am convinced....
that is a great find...I would suggest sending it to Hamilton Beach and having it refinished, which would increase it's collector value...

Ok...now I'm a little light headed...do you suppose this is THE actual gun Gen. McArthur carried?????

I really have no business with an hierloom like this. To say I feel an actual, tangible connection to such a historic person is a little overwhelming. Are there any reference books I could find in an attempt to better document something like this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I may need that drink after all.

there is a picture on page 564 of the Smith Historical Inventory Text, 4th Ed....

Thet is not a blued M64. I repeat, THAT IS NOT A BLUED M64.

What you actually have is one of the UBER SELTEN STERLING SILVER M10's. What you are confusing as bluing is actually silver oxide, aka TARNISH. What you need to do is get out the silver polish and the high speed buffer and knock that tarnish off of that BEAUTIFUL STERLING SILVER. I'll bet with a few days effort that thing will REALLY SHINE!!!

Class III

Can you shoot +P in that?

Would you take $5000 for it?
(not an offer- jus wonderin')

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

I think I would be foolish to actually fire this fine old girl! Much less with +P ammo. Based on some internet research I have done, If I'm not mistaken, the +P ammo will crack the forcing cone, possibly in less than 50 rounds.

I'm really not sure on the value. Still doing a little research on it, especially with the info S&WCHAD was kind enough to provide...Again, I knew people would be flooding my PM box with offers, but, I want to make it clear, this is not an offer to sell, just trying to do a little more research on this amazing piece. I hope you are not offended handejector. Hopefully someone that actually deals in rare and historical S&W firearms will come along, do you know of anyone? Again, any help would be appreciated!!

I have a friend who heard of a guy who says he knows of a guy who has several stainless Schofields. He might want it.

Wow, beautiful 64, do the Coke stocks number to the gun too?

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Daniel.

Is the government doing something to the water???

I just found out that I have a lot of money coming from Nigeria. I would be willing to pay you what ever you want for that beautiful and rare 64

What a delight. Last night it was almost 8 pm when I got home from visiting a church members home. This morning I got up and started working on half a pot of coffee. I sat down to check the forum and found this little thread. Absolutely delightful in every way. I am thankful for this forum and the fellowship which members and participants share. Sincerely. brucev.

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<><

hahaha....

Your a little early. You should have posted this on April 1st.

I am just going to be a good boy and keep my mouth shut.........

.38 Super +P+ Plus was Mac's favorite load for it.
The undies have come to known as "The little brown boxers".

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"I also cook."

does your CPA friend work for the gubbermint??????????

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Sure you did

Neat Gun.... Just don't shoot +P's out of it.

Isn't that the Model 64 that J. Edgar Hoover traded to Gen. Mc Arthur for the General's Model 60 (mismarked as a Model 36)?

A friend of my bossman bought a pre-Model 10 that by the serial number was issued sometime during the transition to marking the frames with Model #'s. He was and is convinced that it's some kind of "special black steel" prototype. Even a post on here with pics and the responses of the knowledgable members identifying it as a common blued pre-model 10 couldn't convince him otherwise. I'll show him pics of you're gun. Maybe he'd like to add another "one of a kind" firearm to his collection, if you decide to part with it that is.

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Andy

Well, again, thanks for everybodies great comments and help on further tracking the history of what I have come to call "The Holy Grail of Springfield."

Early this morning, I continues my research on the little gem with a very good friend of mine who is a Master Electrician. I decided I needed to enlist the help of an expert, and, of course, he immediatly came to mind. Using special screwdrivers he brought along, we took the sideplate off, using knowledge I have gained on this forum. I am proud to say, we were able to remove the sideplate with little problem. The screwdriver did slip a little and barely nicked the sideplate a tiny bit, once again, showing the pristine stainless steel under the blue coating.

I found a diagram of a Model 64 on the internet and made the following discoveries. some of the internal parts were not coated with the blue finish and, still show the natural stainless steel, they are bright and shiny. My friend, the Master Electrician, confirmed that the color is EXACTLY the same as parts in the Stainless steel model 65 that we are using as a comparison. So now, two local experts, my friend the CPA AND the Master Electrician have both confirmed what I knew all along. My Master Electrician friend is an older guy who had cataract surgery and he wears those coke bottle looking glasses. I'll tell you what, when I put those on, it was like using a microscope. I swear, I could see the molecular structure of the stainless steel. In a way, it really feels like I am doing historical research. I know now how he felt the first time Carl Sagen looked at the Univerese.

Anyway, these parts, INSIDE the gun, are still in thier natural stainless steel finish:

The hand
The rebound slide
the cylinder stop
the trigger lever
The locking bolt
And, the center pin.

I will continue research on the links to Gen MacArthur, again, thank you S&WChad for giving me another trial to follow on this piece. I have already found some VERY interesting ideas to follow up on.

In this picture, you can clearly see the outline, of what appears to be, a Smith and Wesson K frame under the Generals shirt. As S&WCHAD pointed out, after the little slap down from his good friend George, it would make sense that he carry the gun a little more discreetly. I outlined where the gun is printing through his shirt.



And, another photo showing General MacArthur defending against a gun grab, again, exactly where he would be carrying the model 64:

Do we know the location of this underwear?
It would make a wonderful display with this gun......

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

I used to have CPA's examine and verify my historically significant, one-of-a-kind firearms too. But a few years ago I discovered that there are people who know more about guns than even the sharpest CPA's. Goldfish breeders. Don't laugh. I never go to a gun show without taking a goldfish breeder along with me. I always have them dress incognito.

+Ps
Look carefully at the picture and you will realize that this relic should NEVER be loaded with ANYTHING. There is NO WHOLE On the left side of this gub - DUH
Any idiot knows that if the whole isn't there the gub is just flat unsafe --- Drill a whole and you should be good to go --- Otherwise, ship the gun to S&W for destruction!
It could be that the whole fell off though. In that case the gub is OK and can be loaded with +P+ .357 Magnums.

OTOH -- This hole thread is most likely a hoax!
The OP doesn't even have 500 posts so (obviously) has no idea what he's talking about... The only way to prove that this is really an M64 is to have the original box (with the tools, of course). I may have one here - Send me one of those AMs and I'll look -=- NO PAYPAL!!

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In dog years I'm dead.

Maybe. They mysteriously disappeared years ago, but the authorities may have recovered them. You probably saw the news release.

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"I also cook."

Take a look at that hound's expression (^^^) he wants to get the heck away from that discovery; very funny!

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NRA Life Member

I swear I'm about to wet myself laughing at this one lol.

Almost as rare as my 10" Registered Magnum.

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No life story has happy end.

Wow....this is incredible. What are the odds that right here on this forum within a few days of each other that a stainless 19-3 and a blued model 64 are found by forum members !!!

Don

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Laus Deo! <><

If you know a certified welder he can confirm that it is stainless by touching the frames of your two guns to a grinder. Stainless will not throw as many sparks. This is a seldom used but authentic method of verification.

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Front sight and squeeze

Just as I predicted on the other thread-exploding heads! Good stuff

Dr. Livingston, I presume? Just goes to show you if you keep looking hard enough you'll never know what you'll find. A keeper for sure!
Bob

I've got a polymer frame 29-2, swap you even!

Sir, you are correct. That has happened to my guns about a dozen times (so far).

It could not be stainless steel at all but only a plain ol' Model 45 that was mismarked "Model 10-7" AND incorrectly chambered for .38 Special instead of .22 Long Rifle.

If so then don't shoot CCI Stingers out of it.

Dang that is a nice blacken 64 with some wear, only 50 made with the pencil barrel. Priceless

Is this Saturday Night Live?

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Sure you did