Hello,

I’ve been looking around for one of these for quite sometime now. I’ve never been able to find the correct one for the collection. I should note that I’m not a Smith & Wesson collector, but there’s a reason I wanted this type for the collection. The gun had to be this model, with the box and wax paper, 4 inch barrel and a serial number that’s in range (rather kind of close) to a known historical one.

I’ve gotten close a few times, but all no go’s. Some I’ve seen were earlier variants, or 5 inch barreled types, etc. Tulsa has not had one that I could find anyway. Nobody had one. S&W collectors have told me this one is a little harder to find due to the 4 inch barrel. I’m not sure why, but that’s what I had been told. So, the search went on…….

Until, a super small local gun show came to town. It was a very interesting show as it had primarily older revolvers and “cowboy” type rifles and such. Very little, if much at all, modern weapons or semi autos. This stuff was way out of my collecting theme. Neat stuff, but just out of my league.

Then, I came across the Smith and Wesson pistol I had been looking for. It met all the boxes to check mark on. I had it vetted by a collector and I bought it.

What’s interesting is that this is the type Hermann Goering was seen carrying, surrendered with and is now in the West Point museum. My pistol is a little over 5,000 earlier than the Goering one. So, probably mine was made in ‘31 or so? Goering’s is estimated to be a ‘34 made. I understand that there’s several theories as to how he obtained it, but none verified.

My pistol is #636717. The Goering gun is #642357.

A 2014 sales receipt came with the pistol. The sales receipt has one digit from the serial number misprinted on it. Don’t know if I will “letter” this one or not. I may one day just to piece as much history with this gun as I can.

It’s just interesting that the myriad of great German handguns available to him at the time, and he chose an American revolver. Good gun, but just odd.

The Goering photo, West Point photo are not mine as I borrowed them from the net for education purposes only. The book for information on the Goering S&W is “German Pistols and Holsters 1934-1945” volume II (Revised) by Lt. Col. Robert D. Whittington III, page 183.

Now on to the Hitler Smith and Wesson revolver.

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More photos.

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I'm curious which show you found this one at...Inquiring minds, you know......Ben

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Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

Very nice revolver with correct box. Mine is S/N 676531, don’t have a nice box like you.

The Texas Gun Collector’s Association show in Waco, Tx. It was a really, really small show and I never expected to find anything there. I didn’t even really bring much money either and had to use the ATM there when I found this! For what it was, it was a really neat little show. I liked it because, not only did I find this pistol, but it was predominately collectors selling stuff and they had some really neat displays of stuff and you could talk to them about stuff that I don’t have much knowledge on. Rock Island Auction was there too and they were showing some of the Greg Lempe collection.

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Thanks, that's one I had to miss, regrettably now...But there'll be others...I was going to help a friend at his tables in Brenham this weekend, but with high waters he decided against it...We're going to Mesquite instead......Ben

__________________
Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

I notice that the gun in the book has the logo on the left side of the frame, below the cylinder release thumbpiece. Presumably your gun has the logo on the side-plate on the other side of the gun, as it is not on the left side. If the logo on you gun is on the side plate, it would be much larger than the gun in the book.

There is a very subtle difference in the grips - I believe. First, there is more border of wood around the silver grip medallion on your gun. The curvature around the bottom of the medallion is a steeper curve, compared to the gun in the book. And, the shape of the diamond around the grip screw is different, from one gun to the other. This may be a normal variance among grips of the time period of these guns, but to me, the grips on your gun look to be of a later specification.

I assume that the important numbers on your gun match? I'm referring to the serial number that is stamped on the butt, rear face of the cylinder, flat under the barrel, inside surface of the extractor star, and the inside of one of the grip panels?

Regards, Mike Priwer

Hello,
To me, the S&W frame logo looks the same. The grip panels look the same and yes, it is all matching (I did not take the grips off, so I don't have confirmation on that.). I should have taken photos of those areas and I didn't. Guess I need to do that and add the photos. The photo in the book, in real life, is a bit smaller than the real gun. Maybe it's the two dimensional aspect that's throwing it off a bit?

Very cool!!! Congratulations on your find. Persistence pays off.

Mine is earlier, ser # 631932. I was told probably 1930. No box or anything with mine.

Dan

Nice pistol!

I was at the West Point Museum a few weeks ago and the Goering pistol caught my eye. I remember thinking it looked to be in very nice condition for being carried in a holster every day during the war.

Tiger

Yes - the small logo is indeed on the left side. Probably the lighting used for the photo in the book highlighted the logo, and the lighting you used did not do that.

Regards, Mike Priwer

The TGCA show is a hoot. I've been to a few of them. If you're looking for stainless and polymer, that ain't the place!

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

No it really wasn't the place for that type of collecting.

I really enjoyed it. I went Friday (Dealer set up day) and met a fellow German firearms collector there to pick up a couple of pistols that I bought from him earlier (seemed like a good meeting place), then we went looking around for a bit. Met up with another friend there that set up and met some new collecting people too. I didn't see this pistol on that day as we walked around. I thought I had seen everything in that small show, but knew that all the sellers hadn't probably all came by the time I left on Friday. Got bored on Saturday, so I decided...why not? I went back as my wife needed to go to the store, so she dropped me off. Shouldn't have done that! I figured I would just walk around for a little bit, not thinking anything would be there that would fit my collection. Then, I found this revolver AND a super nice WWII P.38 that I also bought. My wife had a laugh about it when she picked me up as she's a good sport when it comes to my collecting addictions. She told me, "I drop you off for a couple of hours and you came out with TWO new pistols! I can't take you anywhere.". I usually have a back pack or something to put my things in that I buy from a show. This one, I didn't think I would get anything, so I didn't have a back pack or bag, so I had to walk out with two guns exposed. Oh well, got them home okay. Oiled them up and put them in soft cases and into the safe. Sure didn't expect to do all that. You just never know with any of these shows what to expect. I've been to super huge Tulsa shows and the old Dallas Market Hall shows and sometimes I really don't find anything. Then, extremely small shows, I come out finding something I had been looking for, for years.

My recollection from many years ago is that Goering spent some time in the U.S. during the inter-war years. I believe it was probably in an American Rifleman article back in the 1960s. I would expect that there is a good chance he bought his S&W during the time he was in the U.S.

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Gunsmithing since 1961

It’s possible for sure.

Are these boxes supposed to be numbered to the gun? Mine isn’t numbered.

Here’s some extra photos I wanted to do. All matching. There was no way to get photos of the serial number under the cylinder ratchet, but it’s matching as well.

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A couple more photos.

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I believe when yours was shipped they were writing the number on the bottom of the box......Ben

__________________
Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

Just seems to fit here.

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

Yes, it sure does.