Number S140775 went to St. Louis in April of 1955 (exactly one week after I was born). Number S143776 (at first glance they appear to be consecutively numbered but they are actually 3,001 apart) went to New Orleans in October of 1955. The story that came with them was that in 1970 they were together with one owner who sent them back to S&W for work. But they bear no S&W repair stampings. One had a replacement 5" barrel installed and the other had its barrel cut to 5". Both were fitted with wide, smooth triggers. Both have the original numbered Magna stocks.

I almost split them up in 2005. Both were for sale and I bought one. My wife asked me why I didn't buy both. I didn't have a good answer so I called and bought the other one, too. This is one of those fairly rare instances where I feel like I maybe paid a bit too much for a gun. But I had wanted one for a long time and suddenly there were two of them in front me.