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03-23-2015, 02:48 PM
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and he said " I built that gun" Roy Jinks
I recently acquired through auction a 1963 dated nickel plated 6" 17 .22. Inside the cylinder crane was stamped RJ. I had never seen this before. I Decided to call Mr. Jinks and he said "I built that gun" he said he always stamped his guns. Never heard of this. How cool is that! He declined to comment on value. Letter application going in the mail today, though he said he was about 13 months behind. I'll post pics later. Sometimes you just win. 
Last edited by texascop; 03-24-2015 at 01:04 PM.
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03-24-2015, 08:21 AM
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very cool...thanks for sharing the story!
Bill
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03-24-2015, 09:23 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by texascop
I recently acquired through auction a 1963 dated nickel plated 6" 17 .22. Inside the cylinder crane was stamped RJ.
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I am surprised this thread isn't making more of a splash, considering the other thread about a nickel 17 going for 11 grand. Can you give anymore details about your revolver?
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03-24-2015, 11:54 AM
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Tex, can you please post pictures of your 17, Thanks
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03-24-2015, 12:26 PM
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Last edited by Göring's S&W; 03-24-2015 at 12:27 PM.
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03-24-2015, 01:06 PM
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pics posted...any info on this piece would be great, thanks!
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03-24-2015, 01:11 PM
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Very interesting M17 you have there. I'm sure it will illicit more than a little interest on here! Congrats. 
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03-24-2015, 01:12 PM
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I would say that if the letter comes back showing this left the factory as a nickel gun - and it hasn't been refinished - you, my friend, have hit the jackpot!!! Between the absolute rarity of nickel 17's and the fact that Roy Jinx built the gun, I can't begin to imagine what it may be worth - you would definitely be in the 5-figure realm. Hold onto it and keep us posted.
Adios,
Pizza Bob
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03-24-2015, 01:31 PM
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He may have hit the jackpot so long as no one tried to forge RJ's RJ......the letter is critical to its value no doubt. All the best and I will be back in 13 months....yikes.
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03-24-2015, 02:20 PM
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For some reason I cannot see the pics. I just got a letter from Mr. Jinks, It was just a shade over 5 months. The load of requests must have gone through the roof.
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03-24-2015, 03:42 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chukar60
For some reason I cannot see the pics. I just got a letter from Mr. Jinks, It was just a shade over 5 months. The load of requests must have gone through the roof.
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"Guns" magazine did an article about lettering old guns in their recent surplus weapons issue. That may have increased demand.
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03-24-2015, 05:11 PM
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That is cool!
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03-24-2015, 05:45 PM
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Super Cool, I hope when it letters everything checks out.
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03-24-2015, 05:50 PM
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13 MONTHS! Are You sure You heard him correctly?
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03-24-2015, 06:16 PM
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Thanks, I didn't know he signed them.
Always stuff to learn!
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03-25-2015, 03:22 AM
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I wonder if others did that too. I've got a Model 19 from about the same time. I noticed there is a "J W" stamped in about the same place on that one.
Which was interesting to me mostly because my initials are W J.
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03-25-2015, 02:21 PM
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TOO COOL
TOO COOL. Seriously, that is just fantastic to luck into that. You just won the lottery.
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03-25-2015, 03:50 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pizza Bob
I would say that if the letter comes back showing this left the factory as a nickel gun - and it hasn't been refinished - you, my friend, have hit the jackpot!!! Between the absolute rarity of nickel 17's and the fact that Roy Jinx built the gun, I can't begin to imagine what it may be worth - you would definitely be in the 5-figure realm. Hold onto it and keep us posted.
Adios,
Pizza Bob
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Pizza Bob
If Roy Jinx built the gun, it won't be worth a lot. If Roy Jinks
built it and it letters that way, it will be. Please get his last name correct.
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03-25-2015, 04:59 PM
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Doh! Sorry.
I keep wanting to make it Jenks, but remembered it was "i" not "e" this time and then blew it with the "x"
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03-25-2015, 06:08 PM
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No worries, PB.
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03-25-2015, 06:16 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 05CarbonDRZ
13 MONTHS! Are You sure You heard him correctly?
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Actually 18 WEEKS is the latest I saw posted by Roy.
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03-25-2015, 06:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jmace57
Actually 18 WEEKS is the latest I saw posted by Roy.
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That sounds about right,But not 13 Months.
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03-27-2015, 03:29 PM
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That is a great history...
Did you pull the grips to see what the markings are??
The pics are not too big or too clear, but are the hammer and trigger nickel...if they are I am betting it was nickeled after leaving the factory...what about the ejector star...blue or nickel...
Bob
Last edited by SuperMan; 03-27-2015 at 03:31 PM.
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03-27-2015, 03:37 PM
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That is cool! So, now the real question is..... How many of us will admit to pulling all our Smith's from the safe and looking for those initials this weekend? Yes, I bet it will be a few of us. Looking to hear of other finds like this. Kyle
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03-27-2015, 06:37 PM
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So, years ago, Roy is sitting there at his desk. Boss walks in; whut 'r ya doin' there young man? No letters to reply to? Will thin GIT TA WERK! Go bild sum dern guns ya lazy #$%!
Or something like that.
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03-27-2015, 07:17 PM
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What follows is not as good as having an S&W with Roy Jinks' initials in it, but it's likely as close as I'll come to a revolver involving him:
Years ago there was a big gun-related event held here at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville. I went to it and Roy J was there representing S&W.
In the course of conversation with him at the S&W booth, I mentioned an old S&W that I had seen at a pawn shop the day before. Model of 1902 round butt, 90%+ condition, long barrel, original grips, and a price that was fairly low for the time period.
Perhaps he was just being polite, but he said something to the effect that, "If I were you I think I'd go get that one."
So I took off work Monday and bought it.
I always think of that one as the only S&W I have that was "personally recommended" by Roy Jinks.
(I know it's stretching things, but it's a nice revolver and I'm glad I have it. The related RJ story is just a little "extra"...)
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03-27-2015, 07:33 PM
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I'm curious. How old is Roy Jinks and is he mentoring a protege? His contribution to SW seems almost irreplaceable. I've looked for a detailed bio on him but haven't found one. Was he a smith/builder first, later becoming historian or how did his career develop?
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03-27-2015, 07:53 PM
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chaparrito, Buy yourself a copy of "History of Smith & Wesson" by Roy. G. Jinks. Get one with the original dust cover and there is a nice bio in the inside flaps of the dust cover. Back in the 1970s, Roy showed me a stainless steel Model 17 that he said he had specially built for his son. That was before S&W came out with stainless revolvers. I don't recall now if it had the "R.J." stamp, or not. Roy had a background in metallurgy before he went to work for S&W. Ed.
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03-28-2015, 06:25 AM
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opo...you may be a little off on your dates...the Model 60 was the first stainless steel gun made and that was 1965...
Bob
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03-28-2015, 09:52 AM
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I remember a long time ago in High Power and Long Range competition the match winner was often described by the gunsmith who made the rifle, not by the shooters name. Therefore, when someone asks what cha shoot in' '. ?
You can say "my Roy Jinks" gun
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03-28-2015, 10:36 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperMan
opo...you may be a little off on your dates...the Model 60 was the first stainless steel gun made and that was 1965...
Bob
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Ed didn't say when Roy built that stainless M17 for his son. It could have been pre 1965, for all we know.
I'm sure S&W built prototypes before introducing the M60 as the first production stainless revolver.
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