S&W Letter

[CJKarl]

I see on here some S&W owners are getting letters for their guns. Obliviously great for an older piece. But what about newer guns? Will this add to it's value in the long run? I don't have any 90% collectors in my safe, but I do have a few S&W shooters.
The one I'm most curious about is my grandfathers .38 that he carried as an auxiliary CT Sate Trooper.

[boykinlp]

It might be worth it for your grandfather's gun, but most newer guns are just shown with a large distributor for the "ship to". This, to me, would not add much value or important information. If the gun has something unusual such as engraving, different sights or grips, the letter will confirm whether or not they came from the factory. Hope this helps.

[CJKarl]

Thanks for the info, I'll wait.

[kraigwy]

How far do they go back, I have a Model 3 in 44 Russian, my great-grandfather gave my grandfather when he left home to work the ranches in Colorado and New Mexico.

I also have my duty revolver, a Model 28 that the Dept let me keep when I retired.

I'd like to get letters on both. (The letter for the Model 28 would go with the Letter from APD giving me the gun).

[bobelk99]

Originally Posted by kraigwy

How far do they go back,
I'd like to get letters on both.

(The letter for the Model 28 would go with the Letter from APD giving me the gun).

Call Smith and they will advise.

[JSR III]

I would definitely letter a gun that came down through my family. I would also letter the model 3. You never know where some of these guns have gone or to whom. As others have said, it might just show as being shipped to the Podunk Hardware Store, but it also might show that it was one of the Wesson familys personal guns or shipped to someone famous. It's only $50 and could add hundreds to the value of the gun. Not to mention that it just looks cool when you display it with the gun.

[Armyphotog]

It is relatively inexpensive to get S&W letters, unlike Colt letters, so why not? And although you may not like to think about it, your newer guns will be older guns one day, and for whatever reason the information may become unobtainable later on for a number of reasons.