Sargent Sowell Co. Pre-M29

rusty37874

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I have a 5-Screw Pre-M29 that was shipped to Sargent Sowell Co. in Grand Prairie, Texas on July 13, 1956. I was wondering if anybody has heard of this shipping destination before. I can't seem to find any info on them.
 
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Welcome to the forum!

If Doc44 sees your post, Im sure he will respond. He would be the man who would be able to answer you if anyone can.
 
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I have a 38/44 that shipped to that dealer in 1960. I asked about it long ago and was told it was either a police supply shop or a shop that also supplied a number of regional police agencies. Unlikely a cop would pack a 29 so they likely also ordered sporting guns for customers.
 
Saxon--Thanks for the info., I did a search on e-bay for Sargeant Sowell, and came up with a mid 50's advertising booklet for police related equipment, but as you said, I doubt a L.E.O. would carry a 6 1/2" large frame, and have it remain in nearly mint condition for over 50 years.
 
Sargent Sowell Co.

Sargent Sowell Co. was a police supply dealer in the industrial area of north Grand Prairie, just south of DFW Airport. In the 1970's, individual police officers could walk in, talk to a sales person and walk out with a handgun, at the lowest price around for new S&W's. I bought a Model 29 4" there in 1976, I forget what I paid for it, but I remember that I made money on it when I sold it after the Dirty Harry boom in M29's. Wish I still had it!

They were still in business in the early 80's, when I bought a 3" Model 64 there. Wish I still had that one, too!

See the trend here? In my later years, I'm getting better about keeping the great guns I have!
 
Ordered a Model 27 5" from that Police Supply house in 1975. They sent their mail order catalog to police agencies throughout the United States.
 
I was still in college (1976) when I started at my first department in Illinois and i remember the S-S catalog. An individual officer could buy from S-S on department letterhead and they shipped to the gun to the department. A number of us carried S&Ws, mostly Model 66s and Model 59s. S-S was one of the few places, Ray O'Herron in Danville, Illinois was another, that had a good stock of desireable S&W guns.
 
Hi:
When I started in Law Enforcement in 1962 this was the Police Equipment Supply that I ordered my equipment from. The Agency furnished uniforms and badges only. Starting salary was $2600.00 a year.
Jimmy
 
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My Daddy was the purchasing agent for the county we live in back in the late 50s/early 60s. He would bring the old "Sa-So" catalogs home. I would drool over the pictures of the S&W revolvers. I remember they advertised the complete line of revolvers in the book. I took the catalogs to school with me in fourth and fifth grades. I remember getting strange looks from some teachers, but none of them said anything. Besides the revolvers, the neatest thing I remember seeing in the books was the bigger-than-life metal school zone police officers, complete with Sam Browne belt, extended gloved hand, brimmed cap, and a friendly, yet authoritative smile. The three-handled shovels for use during ground breaking ceremonies were pretty cool, too.
 
I have a 5-Screw Pre-M29 that was shipped to Sargent Sowell Co. in Grand Prairie, Texas on July 13, 1956. I was wondering if anybody has heard of this shipping destination before. I can't seem to find any info on them.

Sargent Sowell Co. was a police equipment company and they also sold guns and related products. The company did business as SA-SO, if memory serves. I used to get their catalogs, and they were the same sort of company as was W.S. Darley, if you remember that company.

SA-SO is a different sort of company now, selling safety supplies, traffic signs and so forth, but they are still in business.

SA-SO Traffic Signs and Facility Signs
 
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Sa-So was a great source for S&W's. I bought a M-36 and Bianchi ankle rig as my first back-up in 79. They would ship directly to your agency. $139.00 as I recall...
 
I wonder if this company is still in business, if it would be possible to get record of the original sale--53 years ago--Did they have to record sales then?
 
I just bought a Model 40 that shipped to SA-SO and then sold in 1973.

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