Hello
I've been talking to a guy who has a Model 66 US Border Patrol Anniversary Edition, 1924-1974. It is new in the original presentation box. The serial number is roll-stamped on the frame below the cylinder on the left side. The number is USBP 1116. Minor turn line on the cylinder. Everything else looks perfect.
He has no idea what to ask for it.
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks.
JP

USBP 116 is the Border Patrol's control number for this gun.
However it is not the serial number.

The serial will be found on the butt of the gun.
You may have to remove the grips in order to view it.

If you want the gun to be dated just give the first - oh say 5 digits then x out the rest.
Such as ABX12xx

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John 3:17
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Thanks. I know where S&W serial numbers are found. I was told there was a special sequence for these BP Anniversary Edition guns. Are you saying all 3,000+ of the Border Patrol Anniversary Edition guns had the same number stamped on the side? Seems unlikely.
JP

No, the number stamped was not the same.
But it's still just a BP number & isn't the serial number

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John 3:17
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Further note to Yurko:
According to SCSW, page 230, these guns had a serial number prefix of USBP and there were 3,138 of them made in 1976.
Keep in mind, this is not a regular production gun that was just issued to BP officers. It was a special anniversary edition built by S&W for the occasion. I doubt any of them were given inventory numbers and issued to the troops.
JP

Well, Yurko is correct. They did have USBP and a number stamped on the left side of the frame but it was not the serial number. The serial number is located on the butt and inside the yoke cut.

The USBP commemoratives seem to have been Model 66s in the 7K5xxxx serial number range.

Well, what you say makes perfect sense. It is contradicted by SCSW, however.
But, at this point, I really don't care about that very much. What I'm trying to find out is a reasonable value for this limited run revolver.
Can we stop bickering about what the correct serial number is and try to figure out the value? Please?
Thanks.
JP

I had three of them in the day; steered two to friends and eventually traded the last off. Other than the markings and the case they were very much standard M66s. It might be just me but I would ball park an NIB one at about $600.

A lot of people are ambivalent about commemoratives and there's not much of a demand or premium attached to them.

Just an opinion.

Thanks, my friend.

I share your sentiment. I'm not big on them either. In this case, I'm just trying to help out an acquaintance who wants to sell his gun.
JP

They are a collectable and don't seem to come up for sale often. Like any collectable, they are worth what someone is willing to pay. Folks that want a collectable really badly will pay top dollar. Back in the 80's and 90's, I saw a few folks trying to sell their 1974 commemoratives for from $1,000 to $1,500. I don't know of any that sold for those prices. I was recently offered one and a commemorative Randall knife. I wasn't interested, so I didn't inquire about the price. Bat Guano has more experience in this area, and his price probably reflects the going rate.

We just had a thread on these gun/knife combo's. It was kind of interesting because I was told they weren't part of a combination and about everything else under the sun. My personal opinion is the prior thread ended without a very good representation of the subject. I tried, but was kind of shouted down and told a range of things, varying right up through the knife wasn't included.

There apparently was a BP agent who took charge of getting the thing off the ground and ran interference with both S&W and Randall. Significantly more M66s were ordered than the Knives. At this stage, the Knife is the senior partner in the deal, being worth more than the gun.

I'll agree that the gun is worth in the range of $600, possibly a bit more if perfect. There isn't much to distinguish the gun from a run of the mill M66. Just the number on the left side, the BP badge on the sideplate, and the unique roll marking on the barrel. The knife is a little different. It has the "Border Patrol" handle and hilt, the serial number on the right side in a very deep impression, and then on the handle itself its got a round medallion inset. Its a pretty massive fighting/survival style knife. Pretty impressive.

We've got a big gun show coming up in a week and a half. I'll see the guy I bought it from there (its been over 10 full years). I'll ask him again what he knows about the series. He's more of a knife guy than a gun guy, and he's my go to expert on things Randall.

Here's the link to that earlier thread: Question US Border Patrol M66 Commemerative

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Dick Burg