Greetings all. Another one of those ****** tales where someone loses someone that they really cared about, but when the smoke starts to clear, they find that they were given something to take care of. And so I find myself in the possession of this .357 Magnum that started with my grandfather and was passed to my uncle before making it to me.

So I've included a few pictures to see if anyone might have some insight as to what the stamped letters on this particular boom-stick's yoke could be. When my mother handed this to me, she told me that my grandfather loved this gun even more than his shotgun. And that's saying a LOT. So I'm wondering if there was more to it. Perhaps it's the origin or previous journey that was meaningful to him.

And that's what I'm trying to find out. So it looks like C.I.S. to me, with the small possibility of having a "T" in the middle.

If anyone has anything to throw in, please do so! Wild guesses are also gladly accepted and welcome.

Edit: I just thought of this, but if region/location might help at all, he was a rice farmer in southern Louisiana in the Oberlin/Kinder area.

Attached Images

	IMG-2185.jpg (85.3 KB, 84 views)
	IMG-2184.jpg (89.1 KB, 80 views)
	IMG-2188.jpg (194.6 KB, 92 views)

That's an early model 65-1 STAINLESS STEEL. 357 with pinned barrel and recessed cylinder chambers.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

The CIS (C1S?) U may be assembler, fitter or inspector marks. Do you see anything similar on the sides of the grip frame with the stocks off?

__________________
Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Removed the stocks as you suggested, and found more than I thought I would...

Attached Images

unnamed.jpg (100.7 KB, 80 views)

Forgot to say "welcome". And mystery solved, except what type of worker put the stamp there will likely remain unknown. Be sure to take care of that rust with a little oil and bronze or copper wool.

__________________
Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

That's a fine handgun many of us here would love to have. Please do follow the suggestion about rust removal.

__________________
You're shy a few manners.

At ease gentlemen! lol. Definitely thanks for the suggestion, murphydog. And the weapon WILL be pristimaculate.

A final newbie question series: Were all of these models slated to go to either a military or police unit? If so, would the lack of such a unit mark perhaps show that my grandfather somehow came to possess "a special military model that most regular guys can't get right out the factory?" Or something of the sort?

Once again, I'm just trying to find some reason why he would have cherished it so much. And please trust me, I am not completely brushing off the history, name, and/or "air" of the weapon. It could MOST EASILY have been nothing but those very things.

These were very popular duty sidearms for law enforcement, but if your grandfather owned it since new that would pretty much rule out it being an ex-LE gun. The Military & Police model name was assigned by the marketing department way back when.

He probably just had really good taste in guns . Enjoy and cherish it!

__________________
Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Done and done. I appreciate your time and help, sir.