Below are pictures of two dealer catalogs offered by Gopher Shooter's Supply of Fairbault, Mn.. They both include an announcement of the then new "Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum". Featured on the inside of the front cover is one of the first .44 Magnum revolvers.(reported to be S130938 - currently on display at the S&W Museum - courtesy of Chuck Odom (29-1)). Catalog #1 consists of 16 pages and was mailed to a Police Chief in Arkansas and includes a special Police Dept. pricing sheet and an ordering affidavit. Also pictures of the then new ".357 Combat Magnum."
Catalog #2 consists of 150 pages and indicates a price of $135 of the .44 Magnum revolver.

Below are pictures of two dealer catalogs offered by Gopher Shooter's Supply of Fairbault, Mn.. They both include an announcement of the then new "Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum". Featured on the inside of the front cover is one of the first .44 Magnum revolvers.(reported to be S130938 - currently on display at the S&W Museum - courtesy of Chuck Odom (29-1)). Catalog #1 consists of 16 pages and was mailed to a Police Chief in Arkansas and includes a special Police Dept. pricing sheet and an ordering affidavit. Also pictures of the then new ".357 Combat Magnum."
Catalog #2 consists of 150 pages and indicates a price of $135 of the .44 Magnum revolver.

Very cool, thanks for sharing.

__________________
John

JayCee: This is the link to Chuck Odom's post that tells the story of the picture above...
http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5301039...111009791#5111009791

Back in the day. Gopher was the supplier of choice to those of us in the cop shops of the upper mid-west..I bought a ton of stuff from them in the 70s and they would sell at dealer cost to cops (you did need a dept. letter to get firearms and ammo) I bought all my reloading stuff and dozens of Pac. grips from them.. Another big player was Gil Herberd <sp? out of Knoville Ill.

GB: Gopher Shooter's Supply had a lot of influence not only with Smith & Wesson but with Winchester. They had commissioned an entire line of the Model 70's made "without" sights and are quite rare and sought after. In the Pre-64 collecting fraternity they're called "Gopher Specials."

friend of mine has a winchester 70 gopher speceal 257 roberts i think. and no its not for sale.

I shoot the .257 Roberts almost exclusively when hunting antelope and mule deer here in Wyoming. It's an outstanding cartridge! Mine is a 1950 Model 70 w/ Weaver 4x manufactured the week of my birthday! For elk, a .264 Win. Magnum Model 70. My "Gopher Special" a .243 collects dust...