Hi all.

I recently purchased a Model 66-1 2 inch for my wife as a retirement gift. She is retiring from ATF and the 66 was her original issue weapon. I would like to get the ATF badge engraved on the frame similar to the originals but with her badge number. Does anyone know of an engraver who might be able to do this work?

I have ATF line art.

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Tod Glenn

See if you can find Ken Hurst who ran an engraving school in Lynchburg, VA some years ago. I heard he is in North Carolina now. He had a soft spot for LE and did a few side plates for me way back for retirement guns.

I think that S&W will do this for you.
I know they offer guns with a department logo on them.

I'd contact them and see what type of engraving they offer, as in laser or hand-cut traditional.

Look here:

Engraving Services | Smith & Wesson

Welcome to the Forum

What you want can be done by almost every large jeweler in any major city

The really good sized ones have modern high power fiber lasers. I have access to a 30 watt unit when I want to engrave stuff like this. The attached images are all stuff we have done with the Fiber Laser. The Badges were done from departmental like art.

Additionally many machine shops have CNC mini-mills that can do this kind of engraving as well using line art as the source.

Both of these routes will be far cheaper than hand engraving.

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GunTech

Congratulations to your wife on her upcoming retirement. Colt Sea is correct anyone with the correct engraving equipment and a quality piece of art work can do the job. A trophy/awards shop can probably do good work. The only issue is with anyone without an FFL. I have been told by more than one engraver that they can't accept a firearm for any work without being an FFL. To that end there are two options: 1. Remove the side plate to be able to leave it and do the work on their schedule. Only issue is making sure the side plate does not get warped or the edges damages by clamping. 2. Have the work done while you are there. Hope this helps. hardcase60

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You want me to do what?

Also check trophy shops, they usually also do laser engraving from artwork. When my son became an Eagle Scout a couple years ago I bought a new .22 rifle and had his name and the Eagle Scout emblem laser engraved into the wood stock by a local awards/trophy shop. It came out beautiful and I think it cost $40! They do this all the time on metal plaques, etc, shouldn't be any problem on the frame of a revolver.

Should have mentioned this

Without an FFL, a firearm can not be "taken in" for work (left overnight)

However engraving like this (or other work) can be done while the owner waits. That way the owner is still "in possession"

My original Model 66 no dash snubby has the S&W logo on the sideplate, so the badge would end up needing to be on the frame
If the sideplate of the OPs 66-1 has no logo on it, then it does not matter. You can leave or ship the sideplate anywhere

The need for an FFL to leave a gun may depend on the state. When I had the stock engraved I did remove it from the rifle, but the shop owner who had it for several days didn't really care. Now this was SC where the law and/or attitudes are a little more lax than other places, you may not run into any problem in the more independent MT either (gorgeous state by the way!). Also, does removing the cylinder no longer make it a gun and prone to FFL rules? If so you could send it anywhere, there must be a lot of guys that specialize in laser engraving firearms.

Colt Sea,

"Without an FFL, a firearm can not be "taken in" for work (left overnight)

However engraving like this (or other work) can be done while the owner waits. That way the owner is still "in possession"."

My bad I left out the overnight part.

Russ,

The "taken in" and overnight issue is federal statue/ATF rule (don't recall which). If an engraver or other person without an FFL chooses to either ignore or not care, IMHO they do so at their own risk of prosecution.

hardcase60

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You want me to do what?

Yes, call S&W and even if they won't do just a one - off they might steer you in the right direction. Maybe you will luck out and they will........

John Pease engraved the gun shown below. I sent him the side plate and
a badge to copy, not the whole gun. John has a web site.

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SWCA 1932 SWHF 135