Police billy club for model 15 revolver

[gene ortman]

I have this 1919 Billy-Club Extension, which was designed for the k frame Smith and Wesson revolver. The club part has a bore running through it, so the revolver can be fired while it's attached. I realize it is somewhat rare, and would invite any thoughts on value. Thanks in advance. (photo on weapon is for description only, gun not for sale.) A few other photos, but 5 is the max. I can load at one time.

 

[billwill]

Now that is a collector deal for sure. I would think it is somewhat unwieldy. Perp could wrestle you handgun away. Still cool piece

 

[bulletslap]

That is about the damndest thing I have ever seen, and I mean that in a good way !

 

[DWalt]

I have never seen or heard of anything like that. I cannot imagine what its purpose might have been. Who would want to carry a revolver with that thing attached to it? It would probably be very desirable to a collector of police hardware.

 

[Watchdog]

I can't tell by looking at the photos...is the billy club's bore rifled?

It's pretty interesting. Only possible practical use I could see for it would be in some sort of riot or melee situation. Not too sure about that, either, because if you started hitting people it might tend to knock the barrel or front sight out of alignment.

It doesn't look like something that saw a huge production run, no matter who made it. More questions about it than answers.

 

[Iggy]

As dumb an idea as that is, those outghta be rarer than whale ****.

 

[JH1951]

Never saw anything like that that was a 'production' piece.
I am open to learn more if there is more to be learned.
Is it rifled?
And, yes,...... welcome to the forum from Pennsylvania.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

That just has to be a very rare accessory. I suspect that more than a few high-end collectors would love to have that piece to add to their displays. Establishing a market value is likely to be difficult, certainly lots of research and documentation involved.

Fortunately you are on the site that attracts S&W collectors, possibly even a few who could have some useful knowledge.

 

[oink]

Are you sure that's not actually a suppressor?

 

[Jtown]

Looks to be well made, even if useless. I think oink may be right could it be a suppressor?
Walt

 

[WR Moore]

I hate to be a nit-picker, but the model 15 didn't exist in 1919. That item is probably one of those products of the good idea fairy until practicality tanked the idea.

All that said, there's probably some one somewhere that would love to have it.

 

[lawandorder]

Collected Antiques of law and order for nearly 50 years have seen lots of nightsticks , slappers, tear gas Billy's and other impact devices but never ran on to one of those.
Probably best to let the market set the value by running it on an auction site.

 

[DWalt]

I'd think if the idea was for it to have been used as a billy club while attached to the revolver barrel, it would probably have resulted in a bent barrel the first time it was used. Something that unusual has to be rare and worthy of more investigation. Searching patent records of that time might provide more information. I am certain the tube down the middle would not have been rifled and that the device was not intended to be a suppressor. In 1919 silencers (suppressors) were entirely legal for anyone to have and use but they really didn't work very well on revolvers.

 

[WCCPHD]

I've been to two worlds fairs and a goat roping and I've never seen anything like that.

 

[6518John]

5 second Google search

Amazingly turned up this:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRRkycvOZL0[/ame]

 

[Hondo44]

Welcome to the forum.

I'm convinced there's no way it was meant to use as a billy on the gun. With all the leverage it would bend the barrel the very 1st time used. Barrels bend easy enough when used as billys.

Have you shot with it and if so was there any noise suppression?

 

[6518John]

Mr. Supica seems to indicate in the video it’s use was as a club. But I agree 100%, it sure seems it would act as weight to bend a barrel.

 

[dr. mordo]

If it is rifled, maybe the intent was to use it to extend the barrel to make a pseudo carbine or Buntline Special.

 

[F75gunslinger]

My guess would be that it would be used either as a club or for longer shots where a long barrel would be better perhaps ? Did they make an attachment to use a shoulder stock on model 10's ?

 

[vipermd]

Welcome to the Forum. Is it rifled? Be Safe,