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02-24-2021, 10:34 AM
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Help with a friends model 66 ?
A friend of mine, asked me if I could help him ID this model 66 for him, that his son recently bought . I replied with what I thought might help, but thought I'd post his question, to see if any S&W "guru's" could shed any additional light on this . He does not have any available pictures, I'm afraid. Appreciate any input that any help him out...thanks !
Roofuss.
My son picked up a S&W 2 3/4" bbl Model 66.
A real early production, of interest is on the side of the frame is ENGRAVED not stamped AF98625-E1. He says it is very faint, and appears this gun was carried for a long time by someone.
Engraving does not match the SN.
I'm thinking Air Force issue of some nature.
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02-24-2021, 10:38 AM
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I thought the AF personnel in security carried 4 inch model 15 and used .38 special, exclusively. I also thought they used the 130 grain FMJRN ammo in those. There might have been snubbies maybe issued for special investigators, and air crews carried snub .38s. But I am not aware of magnums used by the military. You can get a Smith and Wesson factory letter which I assume would reveal if the gov't was the customer and the date sold etc. Generally US military arms are quite clearly marked unless the markings are obliterated. They want you to know it is their property, not make it hard to read or notice.
Last edited by tom2; 02-24-2021 at 10:40 AM.
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02-24-2021, 11:19 AM
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It is probably an Air Force Officer's service number issued in the mid-late 1960's, so your friend may be able to identify the person it was issued to. On the other hand, it might have been his personal property, and he just put the number on it himself.
You can look up information on service numbers online, for example:
>>>>>>>>>
After the initial issuance of the first Air Force officer service numbers, the service numbers were increased with the second range extending from 20 000 to 99 999. These numbers were set aside for past, present, and future Regular Air Force officers with this range being used from 1948 until the discontinuation of Air Force service numbers in 1969.
<<<<<<<<<
The suffix probably identifies the service grade:
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E: Used until 1965 by male Regular Air Force warrant officers
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and:
>>>>>>>>>>
Service numbers are public information available under the Freedom of Information Act, unlike social security numbers which are protected by the Privacy Act of 1974.
>>>>>>>>>>
So, your friend may just be able to submit a request to the Air Force, and find out where the officer with that service number was posted, and what his job was, etc.
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02-24-2021, 02:38 PM
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Not at all likely it's Air Force issued.
The 4" Model 66 was first produced in 1971. The 2.5" was not produced until a couple of years later. Therefore the theory that it's USAF issued from the mid/late-1960s isn't valid. The 66 wasn't around in the mid/late 60s.
Additionally, the USAF did not issue the Model 66. Standard issued revolver was the blued 4" Model 15. Some 2" were also issued. There were also some Model 36s issued to OSI. USAF issued revolvers were usually, but not always, stamped with USAF.
Any stampings or engraving on USAF weapons was USAF, not AF.
Just because it's "AF" engraved does not mean USAF. It could also very easily be an evidence number. Or it could be someone's driver's license number. The DL was a commonly seen engraving some people use to put on items of value.
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02-24-2021, 02:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ispcapt
Standard issued revolver was the blued 4" Model 15. Some 2" were also issued. There were also some Model 36s issued to OSI. USAF issued revolvers were usually, but not always, stamped with USAF.
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Also, the Model 56
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02-24-2021, 03:14 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ispcapt
Not at all likely it's Air Force issued.
The 4" Model 66 was first produced in 1971. The 2.5" was not produced until a couple of years later. Therefore the theory that it's USAF issued from the mid/late-1960s isn't valid. The 66 wasn't around in the mid/late 60s...
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My "theory" was that the service number was most likely issued in the mid-to-late 60's, not the revolver. Public records seem to show that those service numbers were issued in the late 60's, and the last personnel with those numbers retired around 1980, so they would have been in the Air Force when that revolver was new. I did not mean to say the revolver was necessarily issued by the Air Force, or even by the Government.
"AF" followed by a number in that range, followed by an "E", that just looked to me like too much of a coincidence...
edit:
As an aside not all Air Force revolvers are stamped USAF. Several shipments of K-38 were made to the US Air Force, stamped "AFPG" (SCSW, page 170). Before anyone asks, no, I don't have one of those handy to take a pic...
Last edited by PeteC; 02-24-2021 at 04:25 PM.
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02-24-2021, 03:16 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteC
"AF" followed by a number in that range, followed by an "E", that just looked to me like too much of a coincidence...
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I was just going to say this as well
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02-24-2021, 05:17 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GaryHK
Also, the Model 56
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Which is nothing more than a 2" Model 15 as I already stated. There weren't that many made stamped Mod 56 and good luck finding one today.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteC
"AF" followed by a number in that range, followed by an "E", that just looked to me like too much of a coincidence...
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Maybe coincidence looking to you but to me it looks like an evidence inventory number.
Also if you look at the range of the old USAF service numbers range they were in the millions.
It may look like a coincidence to you but it would be a real stretch of an imagination.
Quote:
edit:
As an aside not all Air Force revolvers are stamped USAF. Several shipments of K-38 were made to the US Air Force, stamped "AFPG" (SCSW, page 170). Before anyone asks, no, I don't have one of those handy to take a pic...
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As I stated not all USAF revolvers were stamped with USAF. We had several in our armory that bore no USAF stamps.
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02-24-2021, 06:15 PM
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@ispcapt: I'll take your word for it. Public information seems to say that the officer's service numbers were five digits, and lists when the numbers started and when they finished, as well as the letter suffixes. That was what I went by. It does not make you wrong though, just what I found. Only reason why it occurred to me to look it up in the first place, the uncle of a friend in h/s had his written on just about everything, and I remember wondering what all those numbers were on his gear when we went camping, lol.
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02-25-2021, 09:57 AM
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Thanks for all the ideas, opinions and input. I will relay these to my buddy, John, and hopefully will shed some light on what his son has. Thanks, again !
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02-25-2021, 10:02 AM
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Doofuses, have your friend sign up to this forum, it doesn't cost anything, and he could ask questions himself. He could even post pictures. We like pictures.....
WR
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02-25-2021, 10:17 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wrangler Rich
Doofuses, have your friend sign up to this forum, it doesn't cost anything, and he could ask questions himself. He could even post pictures. We like pictures.....
WR
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My friend asked me to help him, and I gave him the info I was able to come up with. So I turned to this forum in hopes of finding out more about his sons find.
It was my call to ask folks on this forum for additional help, and several were nice enough to do so. Thanks for yours as well.
Last edited by Roofuss; 02-25-2021 at 10:19 AM.
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02-25-2021, 10:39 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteC
My "theory" was that the service number was most likely issued in the mid-to-late 60's, not the revolver. Public records seem to show that those service numbers were issued in the late 60's, and the last personnel with those numbers retired around 1980, so they would have been in the Air Force when that revolver was new. I did not mean to say the revolver was necessarily issued by the Air Force, or even by the Government.
"AF" followed by a number in that range, followed by an "E", that just looked to me like too much of a coincidence...
edit:
As an aside not all Air Force revolvers are stamped USAF. Several shipments of K-38 were made to the US Air Force, stamped "AFPG" (SCSW, page 170). Before anyone asks, no, I don't have one of those handy to take a pic...
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My Model 15-1, shipped Warner-Robbins AFB, GA is stamped only with U.S.. I have the S&W Letter on it.
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