Quote:
Originally Posted by cougar015
P.S. I heard a rumor that a pre 39 s/n 13 does exist. Perhaps Roy can enlighten us.
|
The ledger sheet Roy provided to the members was stated to be pre-issue 9mm autos that were thought (or "rumored") to be given out as promotional gifts. Roy produced a ledger page which was in response to a question I posed, which was stated to represent all of the pre-issue promotional SNs except Jack Webb's #714.
Upon closer examination of that ledger sheet, the several listed all had ... what appeared to be ... ship dates and regular serial numbers withing the normal SN range. Dates ranging from 1950s to 1970s.
I discussed this with Kevin Williams and is currently under review but seems to be exactly as it describes, just 9mms, within the normal serial number range, that have some special significance or went to special S&W customers.
And .... the pre-production 9mm SN: #13 that was supposed to be Roy Jinks', seems to actually be a special order 39-2 SN: 000013 delivered to Roy on October 17, 1975, currently in Richard McMillan's collection, and not a pre-production 9mm or production issue pre-39.
I corresponded with Richard McMillan who added a valid point of conjecture to that Pre-39 SN: 13 story (rumor). Richard offered for consideration that Roy did not work for S&W in 1955 (I actually though he had) when it would have been ordered, commissioned or authorized, Roy began working for S&W years later and not in a higher ranking position until a few years more. (perhaps not exact words but very similar)
This is just my own speculation, however, it seems the only verified serial numbers lower than 1001 is Jack Webb's SN: 714, plus any of the surviving experimental and development (R&D) models X-serial numbers.
1001 through 1020, included all / some or promotional models with some of those being shipped to the U.S. Military.