Jack Webb/Dragnet Model 39

[357magster]

S&W tweeted this photo the other day. Thought it was pretty cool, so sharing it for those who might have missed it.

Jack Webb being presented with a S&W Model 39 at the S&W factory in 1954. Serial #714, of course.

 

[mag318]

Very neat photo.

 

[hkcavalier]

Supposedly this is the only one with a serial below 1001, the "official" starting point of the pre-39s. I am sure some longtime collector will be along to dispute this

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Did Sergeant Friday get one, too?

 

[gmborkovic]

Hey Saul, see Im not crazy! There it is 714. Mike

 

[Jeppo]

Very cool photo.

Before he became "The" Jack Webb, he worked for my grandfather.

 

[ibthumper]

Way cool. Loved my 39-2 back in the day. Sadly, sold it during hard times.

 

[SPEEDGUNNER]

Where is that 39 today? Wow!!

 

[M29since14]

Wonder what old Jack was doing in Springfield? Didn't he always wear a Colt on Dragnet? Maybe S&W twisted his arm for the visit? In any case, nice old photo. Thanks for posting.

 

[Walter Rego]

I believe the young man holding the Model 39 is Kelly Lookabaugh (or Lookinbaugh, have seen it spelled both ways). He was the West Coast Sales Rep for S&W. His dad Walter was an S&W Distributor in Los Angeles. I have an early post-war Smith & Wesson M&P that shipped to Walter Lookabaugh in November of 1946, found it at a SouCal gunshow about 60 years later.
The guy on the right is Ben Alexander who played Sgt. Friday's partner Frank Smith first on radio, then on TV until 1959.

 

[Old cop]

My badge number was 514, just 200 employees too early for that famous number.

 

[357magster]

Wonder what old Jack was doing in Springfield? Didn't he always wear a Colt on Dragnet? Maybe S&W twisted his arm for the visit? In any case, nice old photo. Thanks for posting.

Coincidentally, I just bought the 1967 series of Dragnet. In the third episode he is definitely carrying a S&W.

Here's a close-up of the gun and a screen capture of Jack holding it. He was loading it in this scene ... then he flicked the cylinder shut very fast and hard. My S&W sensibilities are still reeling from witnessing that.

 

[robertrwalsh]

If I recall correctly Jack Webb was the only civilian ever to receive an official LAPD funeral.

 

[SG-688]

From an old thread in 2012:

Jack Webb's .44 29 and 9mm 39 are in a display case at the LAPD Academy, in the hallway in front of the old PT Staff office. Used to look at them daily when walking up and down that hallway to the Captain's office or the Academy store.
Bob

See the online Guns magazine downloads for July, 1955 with a short blurb on the 39. "My Favorite Gun"

1755806 is given as the serial number of Sgt. Friday's S&W in the 1967 "Shooting Board" episode.

Colt DS in the 1950's series; S&W M&P in the 1954 movie.

 

[Engine49guy]

Love those early Pre 39's

Looks like a 5 screw Pre Model 12 with aluminum cylinder, flat latch and high speed hammer

 

[Barrie]

Great Looking Gun. I would hate to have to buy one now with to-days prices only going North on a very quick pace.

 

[GaryS]

I seem to remember from an older thread that LAPD used only S&W revolvers. I'm sure that someone on this forum knows for certain.

Love those early Pre 39's



Looks like a 5 screw Pre Model 12 with aluminum cylinder, flat latch and high speed hammer

 

[model3sw]

There were supposed to be a handful (about 10) guns for presentation with special serial numbers, all under SN 1001, including Jack Webbs #714. however, the existence of these pre-production "handful" is suspect and not yet proven except for Jack Webb's #714 that is well documented.

There are, however, several prototypes, experimental and tool-room early 9mms that seem to be in stages of development. Some had an access plate on the right side of the frame, others had a swing down trigger guard like the model 41 and 46.

The experimental / prototype slides and extractors look nothing like the commercially released version (those having that LONG extractor bar that everyone rags about).

The experimental / prototype slide (in one variation) has a shorter extractor arm in sort of a hairpin shape to the rear of it and the rotating axis bar of the Walther's safety does not go through to the right side of the slide.

See here: http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...rly-pre-39-prototype-upper.html#post140100140

 

[model3sw]

S&W tweeted this photo the other day. Thought it was pretty cool, so sharing it for those who might have missed it.

Jack Webb being presented with a S&W Model 39 at the S&W factory in 1954. Serial #714, of course.

Very cool. Thanks for the Photos. Are there any display pictures of Jack Webb's #714 showing BOTH sides of the pistol and some of the finer details and markings ?

 

[jhnttrpp]

Did Sergeant Friday get one, too?

That was the first thought I had.