S&W model 39

[jwest1967]

I have a nickel or stainless model 39 with s/n 63XXX. Pistol is in very good condition but the grips are well worn. Can anyone tell me when this gun was made and possibly if its worth anything.

[Goony]

First off, welcome to the forum.

Your Model 39 can only be plated, not stainless, and the finish may not be original. Posting a photo or two would really help in evaluating your pistol. From the serial number you've given, it dates from the mid to late 1960's. Only accessing factory shipping records can pin that down with more precision.

[jwest1967]

Thank you so much for the quick reply. ill see about getting some pics up. I recently was given this gun from my father in law who carried this gun as a illinois State Trooper.

[mbliss57]

Yes pics will definitely help.
I don't want to get too excited but there are only 5 verified Nickel Model 39s according to the SCSW. One of the S/N is 62220..right in their with yours. If yours is really original nickel then it is definitely worth something including a piece of history. But a factory letter will be needed to verify.. I may be getting ahead of myself but... get us some pics!! If it is a nickel example it will have a blue, hammer extractor, trigger, sights..rosewood grips were standard on the one mentioned in catalog....like I said I don't want to get too excited but...HURRY UP!

[jwest1967]

ok guys heres the pics

[jwest1967]

and heres on i forgot. forgive me pls, im not the best photographer

[ispcapt]

Originally Posted by jwest1967

Thank you so much for the quick reply. ill see about getting some pics up. I recently was given this gun from my father in law who carried this gun as a illinois State Trooper.

If it was an issued ISP gun then it was nickle plated afterwards or it was a personal purchase. If it was personal purchase then it was not carried while in uniform. Nickle 39s were not issued nor were nickle guns authorized/carried in uniform.
My 39-nothing has serial # 106XXX and was an early issue. I don't know if any 5 digit guns were issued.
The ISP first issued and started carrying 39s in 1967 but most were issued in 1968. Best I can reall all issued 39-nothings and some 39-2s were stamped on the left side of the frame forward of the trigger guard with "ILL S.P." or "I.S.P." and an inventory number.
After looking at the pictures there is no ILL SP or ISP stamp on the forward frame. The numbers/letters do not appear sharp which lends me to believe it has been nickle plated afterwards. The grip wear is indicative of uniform wear for a right hander. Between the bucket seats was the radio console. Most of us built boxes to fit behind the console and between the seats. This would cause wear on the right side grip just like pictured.
When the ISP went to the 439 or prior to that when the 39 was still be carried when a Troop retired he could buy his issued gun. I forget the price when we went to the 439 but it was something like $225.

[jwest1967]

Im sorry he wasnt a state trooper he was a Mchenry county sheriff and i know he carried it in uniform because i remember seeing on him before he retired. i just talked to her father and he said he bought it off a deputy sheriff so its possible that the finish is not original. The original owner passed away several years ago so i can ask him about it.

[ispcapt]

Originally Posted by jwest1967

Im sorry he wasnt a state trooper he was a Mchenry county sheriff and i know he carried it in uniform because i remember seeing on him before he retired. i just talked to her father and he said he bought it off a deputy sheriff so its possible that the finish is not original. The original owner passed away several years ago so i can ask him about it.

Impossible to say what the various sheriff's offices and deputies carried. A lot of places the deputy buys their own guns and there are few limitations on what they could carry.
I have a good friend who is a retired McHenry Co Sgt. He probably knows your FIL and the other deputy.

[mbliss57]

I would agree about the sharpness of the letters it was nickel plated after purchase. Is that the original box? If it is and the S/N match it will say "N" under finish on end label for Nickel or B for blue. That will tell you for certain.

[jwest1967]

Originally Posted by ispcapt

Impossible to say what the various sheriff's offices and deputies carried. A lot of places the deputy buys their own guns and there are few limitations on what they could carry.
I have a good friend who is a retired McHenry Co Sgt. He probably knows your FIL and the other deputy.

His name is James Connelly and he was a SGT. He retired in 1996

[mbliss57]

Oh and I forgot.. welcome to the forum! Even if it's not an original Nickel finish it is still one of the finest pistols S&W ever made plus it has a priceless place in your families history. I would bet it shoots "real good"

[jwest1967]

Originally Posted by mbliss57

I would agree about the sharpness of the letters it was nickel plated after purchase. Is that the original box? If it is and the S/N match it will say "N" under finish on end label for Nickel or B for blue. That will tell you for certain.

i cant find anything in or on the box with a s/n or a letter.

[mbliss57]

The end label is missing. I have a 39 No dash and it doesn't have and end label either. My 39-2s have them. AS do almost all of my other guns. I don't know when they started putting them on the pistol boxes. At any rate it looks refinished from what I can see but don't take my word for that. Maybe someone more expert that me can verify from the pics. You can always send for a SW Factory letter that will tell you how it left the factory (blue or Nickel) etc. and where it shipped to and what date. That's $50. You might want that anyway as it is a family gun. Or you can be satisfied with knowing what has been said on the forum.
Mike

[jwest1967]

Originally Posted by mbliss57

The end label is missing. I have a 39 No dash and it doesn't have and end label either. My 39-2s have them. AS do almost all of my other guns. I don't know when they started putting them on the pistol boxes. At any rate it looks refinished from what I can see but don't take my word for that. Maybe someone more expert that me can verify from the pics. You can always send for a SW Factory letter that will tell you how it left the factory (blue or Nickel) etc. and where it shipped to and what date. That's $50. You might want that anyway as it is a family gun. Or you can be satisfied with knowing what has been said on the forum.
Mike

thanks i apprieciate the help. btw how would i contact s&w for that letter?

[Goony]

Since nobody has mentioned it yet, the slide is obviously not original, clearly from a much later Model 39-2. Given that there's that disparity already, I'd be pretty certain that the nickel finish (if that's what it is) was a later modification of the gun.

However, your serial number is in a range where steel frame Model 39's are recorded. I'd see if a magnet will stick to the frame.

[jwest1967]

Originally Posted by Goony

Since nobody has mentioned it yet, the slide is obviously not original, clearly from a much later Model 39-2. Given that there's that disparity already, I'd be pretty certain that the nickel finish (if that's what it is) was a later modification of the gun.

However, your serial number is in a range where steel frame Model 39's are recorded. I'd see if a magnet will stick to the frame.

ok i found a decent magnet and it did stick

[mbliss57]

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-han...uest-form.html
Request for letter thread..
A steel frame 39 is also a much sought after gun...They were made before any of the 1st shipped Model 39s but not shipped until that s/n range.. Someone else can fill in the details...but they are highly sought after.
Mike

[2K7]

Originally Posted by ispcapt

If it was an issued ISP gun then it was nickle plated afterwards or it was a personal purchase. If it was personal purchase then it was not carried while in uniform. Nickle 39s were not issued nor were nickle guns authorized/carried in uniform.
My 39-nothing has serial # 106XXX and was an early issue. I don't know if any 5 digit guns were issued.
The ISP first issued and started carrying 39s in 1967 but most were issued in 1968. Best I can reall all issued 39-nothings and some 39-2s were stamped on the left side of the frame forward of the trigger guard with "ILL S.P." or "I.S.P." and an inventory number.
After looking at the pictures there is no ILL SP or ISP stamp on the forward frame. The numbers/letters do not appear sharp which lends me to believe it has been nickle plated afterwards. The grip wear is indicative of uniform wear for a right hander. Between the bucket seats was the radio console. Most of us built boxes to fit behind the console and between the seats. This would cause wear on the right side grip just like pictured.
When the ISP went to the 439 or prior to that when the 39 was still be carried when a Troop retired he could buy his issued gun. I forget the price when we went to the 439 but it was something like $225.

The original ISP M-39's were marked ILL S.P. on the left side of the frame followed by an inventory number. Serial number range went back at least as far as 83XXX. The first 500 issued were sent back to S&W and a 2 piece, wide"modified" shotgun style extractor was installed that dramatically improved their function. Buy back price from Law Enforcement Equip. Co. was $212.00.

McHenry County Sheriff Lieutenant Matt Schalz carried a nickel M-59 on duty with custom walnut grips, checkered and fashioned to look exactly like the factory plastic ones. A road Deputy from the Marengo area (can't recall his name) carried a nickel M-39-2, but his had smooth goncalvo alves stocks.

[jwest1967]

Originally Posted by 2K7

The original ISP M-39's were marked ILL S.P. on the left side of the frame followed by an inventory number. Serial number range went back at least as far as 83XXX. The first 500 issued were sent back to S&W and a 2 piece, wide"modified" shotgun style extractor was installed that dramatically improved their function. Buy back price from Law Enforcement Equip. Co. was $212.00.

McHenry County Sheriff Lieutenant Matt Schalz carried a nickel M-59 on duty with custom walnut grips, checkered and fashioned to look exactly like the factory plastic ones. A road Deputy from the Marengo area (can't recall his name) carried a nickel M-39-2, but his had smooth goncalvo alves stocks.

As a side note here. i just found out that the original owner was McHenry County Sheriff Art Tyrrel

[Goony]

For anyone interested, there's more material (pictures especially) with regard to both the ISP and steel frame pistols in the foloowing threads:

Model 39 (non -2) Picture Thread

Steel Frame Model 39 Picture Thread

[Cyrano]

To my somewhat untutored eye, the tang on that frame looks awfully long to be on a steel frame. The tang on the steel frame guns was the short tang like on the original pre-39s.

[grif684]

Welcome to the forum, I absolutely agree that it has a later model 39-2 slide and was probably nickled sometime later in life, the box should also have been silver if it was a factory nickel gun (usually), as far a the frame being steel, make sure you are placing the magnet on the frame, where the serial number and model number are located, not on the slide, which houses the barrel, in case you weren't sure....if the frame is steel it's a rare one for sure....I would get it lettered....you also should check the bottom of the box for a hand written serial number or a portion of it, this was the usual practice before the use of end labels....

[Goony]

Originally Posted by Cyrano

To my somewhat untutored eye, the tang on that frame looks awfully long to be on a steel frame. The tang on the steel frame guns was the short tang like on the original pre-39s.

Good point, I wasn't paying attention to that detail. As it turns out, it is evidently an alloy frame, but I have personal knowledge of a steel frame that's less than 50 off from the serial number of this one, so that's why I had suggested the magnet test.