Thanks! When I have access to the gun I'll look closely at it to see if has maybe had markings removed.

When I got that letter from Roy my immediate suspicion was that someone ordered a personal target gun and just had it shipped there for a police discount. Have you seen anything like that?

I haven't but I am sure it happened. I used to use it for a discount at Burger King and now I use my disable vet discount anywhere I can!

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I have a friend who was good friends with a Boston retired detective, who moved to Maine for a while back about 10 years ago. He sold him two guns, that he told me were issued to him at one time. One was a colt detective special and I know who has it now and it was not marked. The other was a S&W model 59 it was like new so I don't think it was carried, It had the box and I was told it turned up missing from the house of the guy who bought it. I didn't see them on your list so I thought I would mention them.

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Bob
Sic Semper Tyrannis

The Colt Detective Special is on the list, but everyone I know about is marked BPD, are you sure it wasn't ground off? I have never heard of a S&W Model 59 with the BPD.
I will check with Steve regarding both guns and get his input and let you know.

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bob1956
are you sure it wasn't a 659?

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According to my sources, the Boston PD Historian and a BPD Detective who is an authority on what guns Boston carried, it is possible the Colt was unmarked, but they carried 659's not 59's.

A factory letter on either would answer the question.

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This is what probably happened, it makes sense. List updated as well.

Hello...I have a Colt Commando 38 special marked B.P. D. with a 4 digit number..I purchased this gun from Marble Hardware in Wareham Ma. somewhere in the late 60's...They had a board with like 50 of them stuck in it...I noticed you are looking for Boston guns...I am in the process of trying to determine value,the prices seem to be all over the place...Would you be interested ?

srqpete
Like anything it all comes down to condition. Some people feel any markings including the police markings hurt the value of a gun, but police collectors such as myself actually look for them. But then that being said the 3 things that determine value are condition, condition, condition.
Of course rarity also helps. My S&W pre-Model 45 was one of only 20 guns the BPD had and 1 of only 40 (or 50) that Smith ever made so that adds to the value. The Commandos were not rare and there is not record of how many they had but at a guess it was hundreds, so it is condition based.

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List updated.

Steve

the Model 45 in .22 is actually a Pre-45 it is a recognized model by S&W per Roy Jinks Smith Historian.

S&W made 25 6" barrels, 20 of them to BPD, I know of 3 others, 1 in Michigan one in Florida and supposedly one down the Cape. They are very rare and quite pricey

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I see BPD carried some 659s. I have one that I was told went to the Atlanta PD but Roy said "It was shipped to a PD far away from Atlanta." But it appears BPD guns are always department marked and mine is not. So still wondering. But not enough to pay for a letter to find out. Your collection is impressive.

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The resurrection of this thread caused me to re-read it.

Great thread by the way!

But I maybe should also note in case it was missed, that the SWHF got documents on my gun:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/140368934-post7.html

So the gun went to 'Dorchester PD' but was actually for a State Policeman. So not a BPD gun.

Great info SixGunStrumpet, Thank you. List updated.

List updated.

Had a nice 2 inch 36 BPD marked round butt with magnasthat now resides with a certain S.Kelly. I still have a 2 inch round butt model 10 from the Metropolitan District Commission.

Trying to find info on a Victory model
sn V1625.
Black, converted by Cognswell and Harrison.
When was it made

I missed this thread, over the years! I have sn 694106, a 2" .38 M&P. It's marked B P D 118M, and was shipped to the Boston PD July 7 1940. I wrote a story about this gun, and 694105, an identical gun. The BPD order was shipped, because LEO's were exempt from DSC controls. 694105 did not ship until late 1946, along with a whole bunch of 2" M&P's.

Regards, Mike Priwer

Welcome to the Forum.

You need to start your own thread since your question doesn't fit here. You'll also get more responses. Please post pictures and include the new caliber.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

I had a 2 inch Model 10 with MDC markings. Let me know if you want to part with it!

Updated with Victory Model info

I have two BPD marked Victories, both letter to the Maritime Commission but was told by the person who got them from the BPD armorer many years ago when they were disposing of them that they had been acquired by BPD and hand stamped. I can believe that because they slightly bent the backstrap when stamping them with BPD and a rack number.

No other provenance than that.

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EDIT: this was written in a time of stress and have come to my senses in the meantime!

I am going to be selling most of my BPD collection including my Glock 19, a couple riot guns and many handguns. I will be keeping my Boston Police Pistol Team Collection which includs my 3 Colt Officer Model Targets (sequentially serial numbered from 1932) and the two Colt Woodsman .22 targets (sequentially serial numbered) and the .22 Colt Officers model target and the S&W .22 Pre-45. as well as one snubby. THis way my family won't have as much to deal with when I pass away. I am putting together a list of what I am going to be selling. of course they are pretty much all on Home - Boston Police Fan site Memorabilia Equipment Photographs

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Updated!!!

I am concentrating on the Boston Police Pistol team rather than just Duty guns.

While not S&W I added an extremely rare Colt Woodsman Match Target .22 LR pistol, Boston PD only had 6 of these pistols received in 1939. I now have 3 of them, two are sequentially serial numbered. I also have 3 of the Colt Officers Model Target .38 SP revolvers, ALL Sequentially serial numbered, they only had 10 of these.

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I can confirm first hand that the Tommy Guns were still in the basement armory at the Berkeley Street headquarters in 1964. My dad was a high ranking City of Boston official. One Sunday he took me to see the just released D-Day epic "The Longest Day"at Cinerama on Tremont Street. I was seven years old. Ten minutes into the film the theater manager rushed down the aisle with a BPD Superintendent in uniform. Mayor John Collins neededmy Old Man at HQ immediately. The Boston Strangler had just struck again. An old cop was detailed to stay with me. At the movie's conclusion the audience spontaneously rose and sang God Bless America.
The old cop let me push the siren all the way to Berkeley Street.There we toured the armory and my love affair with the Thompson began. I also got to see my Old Man conduct a press conference with Mayor Collins on the Strangler. I still beam with pride recalling it.

I have come across a S&W pre model 10 with the back strap marked BPD 123M. Any info?

FYI, I have a Victory # V486897 shipped 1-3-44 to the US Maritime Comm. I lettered it as the backstrap was marked BPD 445-V and the letter stated it was sold to the Boston PD after the war. No date given. A little scarcer, I have a 1930 Regulation Police, numbered and shipped with 15 revolvers, to the Chelsea, MA PD in 1930. I was born in Chelsea and lived in Boston in 1942. Dad was a Marine stationed at the Boston Navy Yard. Sorry no pics. Don't know how to post them on this Forum. Big Larry

Wow! A 14 year thread and info still coming. I'll add a little. We had a long time sheriff in Forrest County, Miss. He started law enforcement in the late 40's after a tour of duty in the USMC in WWII. He first served with the Mississippi Highway Patrol and later as a deputy sheriff in Forrest County,Ms. He was elected sheriff in 1964 and held that office until 1992. Several years after he retired and a few years short of age 92 when he passed away he took his collection to a local pawn shop and consigned many handguns and long guns. Unfortunately I didn't know about it until it was over. One of my friends, who did know about it bought several rare guns, including pistols, revolvers, and long guns. One of the revolvers was a Colt Detective Special marked BPD + a rack number. How the retired sheriff got that gun and how it got to Mississippi is unknown. Back before the 80's, or earlier, officers were able to keep confiscated guns if a judge or DA didn't get them first. I have a few myself, many of them involved in homicides and shootings.

Most likely Boston PD however you need to get a factory letter on it to be sure. I have several that are close to that.

Re: scarce guns I am now concentrating on Boston Pistol Team guns and pictures. I only have 7 but 3 are Colt Officers Model Targets sequentially serial numbered (3 of only 11 that BPD had) from 1932 and 3 are Colt Woodmans Match Target Semi .22's sequentially serial numbered from 1938 (BPD only had 6 total and sequential).

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