Came across this demilled K-frame stamped "U S COAST GUARD" on the backstrap, serial is C620249, which dates to 1962 according to SCSW3. Can anyone tell me what this might have been? I've not been able to find any photos or descriptions of any similarly marked S&Ws from this period.

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SWHF #448

My guess (with absolutely no idea as to how to confirm this) would be a model 45-2, since they probably had plenty of surplus .38 Special revolvers at that time and would not have bought new ones. The USCG also bought fixed sight K-22s in the 1930s...which has nothing to do with this gun .

Literally a crying shame to see this...

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Wow, I'd like to have a USCG marked K!

Guess why?

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Fight socialism. Never stop.

Alan, one strange thing about this one is it came with what looks to be at first glance the other half of the gun, but a closer look reveals the front end is a demilled Model 15, which doesn't jive with the C-serialed gripframe. What I suspect happened was someone went through a pile of demilled parts and mis-matched these two up thinking they belonged to the same gun. Here's a couple of the seller's photos of the pair:

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SWHF #448

What a crime. I don't know what model it once was, but if it was a Model 45 its hammer will be of a design different from the .38 Special M+P, which would be the alternative. If you are truly interested and motivated you could, of course, request a factory letter.

The United States Coast Guard is interesting in that it seemed to take particular care to mark many of its hand guns. Alan mentioned the fixed sighted K-22 revolvers from the 1930s that were marked on the back strap. The USCG also purchased, during that pre-war period, Colt .22 Aces some of which were USCG marked. It also purchased 6" and 5" barreled Colt Official Police revolvers in .22 and .38 Special respectively which were marked on the back strap as well. The Victory Models that were shipped to the USCG, however, had no specific factory-applied Coast Guard markings. Post-war Colt .22 Match Target Woodsmans were also purchased by the Coast Guard which are found with USCG markings on the slide.

One could focus an entire collection around the Coast Guard guns. An interesting area.

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Charlie Flick
SWCA 729 HF 215

Damn shame to destroy history!

Who cares -- how does she shoot?

I see two side plate screws. The great basis for a Ford restoration.
I may have some grips. Good collecting.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

What kind of an animal would do such a thing?

How sad. And just a couple of hours ago I read about my old home, the USS Ranger, being scrapped in Brownsville.

I feel your pain. My CGC Rush is now part of some muslim navy. Indonesia, I think.

Sigh...Oh, well, it's not the metal...it's the crew.

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Fight socialism. Never stop.

And the only handgun I ever carried as a Coastie was when we picked up the "underway pay" cash for an Alaska Patrol, and it was a 1911. Circa 1972, maybe?

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Fight socialism. Never stop.

what's a model 45 Alan ?

A .22 LR, fixed sight K frame; never cataloged, made for the US Post Office and others as a training gun.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

WOW, what a shame. I would love a k USCG, I only remember seeing USCG marked weapons in 1989 when I was a member of the Coast guard pistol team, they were colt pre gold cups National match and marked USCG with 3 digit serial no. I was issued 2 45's and a sw 41 with all the accessories bullseye box and cleaning gear. All weapons came from governors island ny armory. I found out the shooting team disbanded in 1969, I joined in 1970 and retired in 1990, and it started back up in 1989. I did pick up a rem. model 12 ga browning design riot gun in VA marked property of US coast guard.

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NRA Life Member
CPO

Thanks for that info, bdGreen. The numbers are pretty close.

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SWHF #448

Probably the Bangladesh Navy. That's where the CGC Jarvis ended up. Best time of my life was the 10 years I did in the Coast Guard. Sad to see the ol'378s go.