Some years ago, when this Forum began, I posted most of the info. above, and it's good to see a new thread on the subject. Unfortunately the Test Report, or other military archives, did not list the serial number of the two S&W test pistols, (assuming they had serial numbers which they may well have not) or whether they were returned to S&W after the tests. One was destroyed by the rust test, which one is unknown. The late Ray Cheely, his brother Ken, Hugh May and I had lengthly correspondence and discussions on the test guns and the other N frame guns produced in 1906, most of which chambered the .45 S&W Special cartridge, aka .45 Frankford ( or Frankfort) . Somewhere I have four examples of the .45 S&W Special round, each with a different head stamp. Exactly how many guns exist today in caliber .45 S&W Special is not known. Ser. #s 2 & 9 are in .45 Special . Ser # 1 is in .44 S&W & has an additional cylinder in .44 WCF. The approx. one doz. extra .45 Special test frames were made up with zero prefix serial numbers , in the 080's range, and sent to VIPs, but most have .44 Special barrels & cylinders.
My friend , Dan Meigs, has insinuated above the I was present at the Tests but they would not let me shoot my .45 Schofield. He is misinformed. They did let me shoot it and an upcoming article in the Journal correctly identifies my gun as a New Model No. 3 Target in .45 Schofield caliber, not as a .45 Schofield. Ed.