A model 39 was the first pistol I ever bought (used). I sold mine to my brother. I loved the balance it had and it was a good accurate shooter. I regretted selling it to him and recently went on a quest for a 39 no dash. Well, I found one and bought it at what I think was a very fair price ($350)
I went and picked it up today. Turns out it was an Ill. State Patrol issue which meant: Some holster wear but otherwise low miles!!
BUT the guide rod looks pretty rough even though the rest of the pistol looks great. AND the Ill. State Patrol must have had them numbered at the factory because the finish is original where it's stamped.

Anyway....I got it dawg gone it!

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Good for you! More pics please.

1) It's Illinois State Police, not Patrol. To most people it seems one in the same but in police circles there's a difference.
2) The ISP stamped them. The number is an inventory number. It has nothing to do with the Trooper's ID. The number was stamped as it was taken out of the box. No particular order. Back then the state purchasing/inventory rules were that every piece of state equipment valued over $100 had to have a state assigned inventory number afixed to it. Serial numbers weren't good enough as the law specifically said equipment had to have the state assigned inventory number. Even our squad cars had an inventory number afixed as the VIN was not a state assigned number so using serial numbers and VINs did not comply with state law. It was eventually changed to where unique serial numbers would suffice for inventory purposes.

The one you have appears to be in pretty good condition with little wear. The finish showed holster wear pretty quick particularly on the frames. If yours shows very little wear it could have been assigned to an admin person who didn't wear it everyday, could have been a "spare" assigned to either the range or one of the districts, or it could have been refinished. Our records are long gone for those guns so no way to tell anymore.

Here's a picture of mine that I bought from the dept when we went to the 439. You can see the amount of holster wear they'll show from everyday carry/use. This one was initially issued in 1968. The Troop who had it retired not too many years later and I was issued it when I came on. Mine is still a real tack driver.

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183rd FBINA

It must be the week for Model 39's. You have a nice gun there, and you got a good deal too. I just recently got one too, but I haven't shot it yet due to weather. Maybe today will work out better for me. Have fun with your 39.

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J.D. Roy

Nice find, I hope you enjoy it.

Nice bottom feeder ya got there! Welcome to the 39er's, we would rather fight than switch, enjoy!

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Stay safe people!

Thanks for the correction of patrol vs police. I guess we all have a tendency to call them by what out our home state calls them. The only odd thing is the wear on the guide seems to be more than expected when compared to the rest of the gun. Odd.

Mine has the same wear marks as your guide rod altho not as pronounced. It's from the barrel bushing rubbing during recoil. My 459 has the same wear. If you work the slide real slow you'll notice that the marks start at the point where the barrel begins to tip down. That also causes the recoil rod to tip some. Yet the slide and bushing is still moving straight with the frame. So the guide rod is going thru the bushing at a slight angle at that point.

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183rd FBINA

Around 1982, I bought two of the ISP marked 39s. A local hardware store had about a dozen of them they had gotten from somewhere. If I remember right I paid $300 for the pair. They were pretty rough on the outside but one of them shot like a laser. I kept it and sold the other one for enough to get my money back that I had in the pair. Foolishly I polished the frame out on the one I kept and removed the ISP mark. I had the slide reblued and put new grips on it. Like a dummy I sold it after I had it for a few years. Great guns, checking my records I have owned thirteen, that's unlucky-I need another one.

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Danny A.

My 39 was given to me by my father who purchased it in the early 60's. Never has been in a holester and still looks new. Over the years it probably has had 1000 rounds through it. As far as accuracy I think it's easier to use given equaly range time then my 459 carry gun.

My first 39 was "money". Maybe it was just the fluidity of me and the gun. Like shooting pool with YOUR cue stick instead of a "house" stick. It was just automatic. Boom! Bam! on the money. A real sweet experience. Realistically, this will not be my go to. It's more of a sentimental thing at this point.