Quote:
Originally Posted by 29-1
Another cut down Victory owned, converted and operated by FBI SA George Gillum who started out his FBI career in Rock Springs, Wyoming and after getting married in 1948, was transferred to Las Vegas where he served until he retired in 1970. He served in NV at the time when Vegas was becoming Vegas with all the Mafia ties and influences. His neice Cami Hay, from whom I acquired George's revolver described him as the "tough, silent type that no one messed with, at least more than once." He must of been having served and survived in Vegas all those early years.
Chuck 
 |
This looks a great deal like a gun once owned by the late Geoffrey Boothroyd, and used on the cover of the hardback edition of Ian Fleming's Bond novel, "From Russia, With Love", if I recall the right book.
There is a story behind it. Artist Richard Chopping was loaned the gun to illustrate it, and someone was murdered with a .38 at that time. The cops came around to see Boothroyd's gun and there was some red tape to be cleared up, as Chopping had no UK firearms permit allowing him to possess it.
Boothroyd modified the gun as there were no new US guns available there due to currency/import restrictions at the time. That was about 1956.
Fleming bought his Centennial (maybe the Airweight?) in New York on a US visit. Boothroyd had advised him to get that model, suggesting that it was the ideal James Bond gun. Fleming chose the Walther PPK instead, as he liked small autos. But he definitely bought an S&W Centennial for himself.
BY the time his superb, "The Handgun" appeared in the late 1960's, the Model 60 was available, and Boothroyd recommended it as the ideal Bond gun, due to the stainless construction. But Ian Fleming was dead by then, and nothing ever came of that idea.