Pawn Shop Find M-36

[Retired W4]

My gun show partner called Saturday and said he was looking at a really nice model 36. I looked the SN up and determined it is from about 1963-64. It came in a cut out book, The Reformation (1957) with two HKS speed loaders tucked away with it. I could not get to the shop until today and it was still there. Original stocks and it appears to be unfired out side the factory and has never been in a holster. Apparently someone made the book hideaway 60 years ago and there it sat, then to the pawn shop and now to me.

I thought I would snap a quick photo to show it off. I've got some cleaning up on this cool package and it will likely end up on the coffee table in front of where my wife usually sits. She likes the little J frame guns.

 

[peterdeb]

SWEET. An unfired, flat latch, diamond grips Model 36. What's not to love?
Congrats! Nice find.

 

[toroflow1]

That backstory is great. Sitting in a cut-out book on a shelf for 60 years! Always ready to go just in case! Now, it sees the light of day!

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

... Original stocks and it appears to be unfired out side the factory and has never been in a holster. Apparently someone made the book hideaway 60 years ago and there it sat, then to the pawn shop and now to me.

Apparently the original owner wanted self protection, if needed. Whoever inherited it decided cash was important to them.

Great find indeed.

 

[pasound]

The mdl. 60 may be the standard, but the mdl. 36 IS the classic. Very nice find. In a book for 60 years? Take it apart and clean it - twice. My 1973 36 was practically glued together by old lubricant.

 

[lihpster]

That's a great pick up! Always wanted to make one of those. Now you got me thinking, "Which book?" Part of me thinks it should be something cool like "Defending the Keep" or "Protecting the Flock", but it might be better if it was "The Ungulates of Sub-Saharan Africa" or "The Collected Wisdom of Pauley Shore".

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Congrats on that gem.

Let's see it in its hideaway book--opened and closed--please.

 

[Retired W4]

Congrats on that gem.

Let's see it in its hideaway book--opened and closed--please.

I'll get some pics up in a bit. The title of the book is The Reformation, a History of European Civilization from Wycliff to Calvin: 1300-1564 by Will Durant. Some pretty heady stuff with maps of midaeval England and Wales, The Swiss Confederation, the Ottoman Empire, etc. Midaeval is their spelling so I guess it is correct. I've read some that was not carved up. Strange.

 

[Retired W4]

I suppose they had pink Styrofoam in the mid 60's. Not exactly a professional job. I think I will try to make a liner for it.

 

[71vette]

Very cool, OP. I’m jealous. That’s a nifty setup.

 

[ken158]

I suppose they had pink Styrofoam in the mid 60's. Not exactly a professional job. I think I will try to make a liner for it.

Not a burglar in the world would have looked in that book!

 

[peterdeb]

Thinking of heading to the thrift store to the book section. Would make a nice project......

 

[JRB416]

Very nice find. I would have brought that one home too. Maybe it didn't see a lot of action, but I wish it could talk.

 

[19leben]

I suppose they had pink Styrofoam in the mid 60's. Not exactly a professional job. I think I will try to make a liner for it.

That’s anti static closed cell polyethylene. Probably wasn’t developed until maybe the 80s or so.

Neat find with an incredible M36!

 

[dsf]

Kind of fortunate, I think, that there was no humidity absorbed by the paper or moving around of the gun. Have seen a few (and own one) with freckles or a neat wear line where the cylinder rested against the paper.

 

[A10]

A blue velvet liner would look pretty slick. A bit of spray glue and trim it after its installed.

Great find!

 

[Retired W4]

A blue velvet liner would look pretty slick. A bit of spray glue and trim it after its installed.

Great find!

I'm going to Michaels to find fabric and spray glue today. Mrs. Retired W4 will have to help on this project. Then I will want a good copy of the book. Mr. Durant comes down pretty hard on the corruption and debauchery of the churches of the 14th and 15th centuries.

The 36 has a little corrosion on the back strap and some freckling on the side plate and cylinder but it should clean up well. There is almost no turn line. Some 158 gr. LSWCHP will complete the set.

 

[peterdeb]

Check this out. Once cut out, inside material at your discretion.
Book With a Secret Compartment (with Pictures) - Instructables

 

[Oldengineer]

A very pleasing model 36. I recently acquired a model 36 with a 545697 serial number that had rubber grips. The condition is similar, and your post helps me determine what the correct stocks should look like. Can you please advise on your 36’s serial number? I’m not sure if what I’m looking for should have diamonds. Thanks for the post.

Tom H.

 

[AJ]

Not a book, but a Bible Case and not a M36, but a Colt M1903 Hammer.