Can someone please check this serial number for me and determine if this gun was the standard 45acp or a rare 45 colt. Please...thank you in advance.
SN: 80016
5in bbl, 5 screw, heavy barrel. It says 45 cal. model 1955.

It should have an S in front of the number. But that number was made in 1950-51 so something is wrong with the number. Is that the number on the butt? If not, it's not the serial number and no help.

__________________
Jim
S&WCA #819

I think you may be looking at the assembly number. Check the butt to find the s/n that should start with an S. Also, if the revolver was chambered in 45 Colt, there will be a 7 stamped on the lower left hand corner of the grip frame; if 45 ACP, there will be a 5 stamped there.

Bill

Sorry it took awhile to get back, I was researching a 1955 that was in a local auction, that was advertised as a 45 colt, but was converted. Thanks Doc44, for the information about the number on the grip frame which I verified. It was a beautiful gun but I picked up some other rare finds. Doc44, I just noticed you were in Indiana, or I would have told you about this auction in Knightstown, quite a nice Smith/Colt collection. Are you in the Indy area?

That was a sweet gun. The owner told me it was made from parts, a barrel, a cylinder and a frame which which were not originally mated to each other. He had a gunsmith do it. Obviously a pretty slick gunsmith cause that's a sweet looking gun.

I am curious who picked up that 2nd model .455 canadian colt 45. That seemed to be an original, numbers all matched and canadian proof on the back of the cylinder. It did have a 4 line address and a star on the but, but that should account for the matching numbers and canadian proof on the cylinder. It was won by an internet bid. I wonder if the buyer is in here somewhere.

Did you snag those 38/44s?

beagleye,
No I didn't but those were pretty nice. I was the young kid bidding on the S&W 45 Colts. I picked up the 625 classic, 625-7 3", and 25-5 2.75" nickel which I believe to be a John Jovino gun, it has all the features. I don't know much about the 38/44s but I thought they went cheap and researched them but I don't know much about the Smith's before 1980.

Oh yeah, the young guy. Good get on that 25 2". I was tempted on that one. That's a gun you don't see too often.

I thought that both the 38/44 had been reblued, otherwise I would have been bidding on them. Definitely the later model of the 2, it had a B stamped by the serial number, the other had very shallow smoothed stamps, but I wasn't sure, it had the proper satin finish so I don't know??. They were nice though. The gentleman that snagged them was probably happy to get 2 heavy duty's for a grand.

How bout that gym, like a basket museum.

Pete

Yeah as a former basketball player that was quite a site to see, it had to be a tight squeeze to have an entire film crew in that gym for Hoosiers.
I think the 38/44 had a modern trigger and hammer instead of the original as well. I wanted that 48 22mag, and wish I had upped my bid. That 27-2 conversion into 45 colt/acp was really intriguing to me. Do you know who his smith was that did all of that work?

When I spoke to the gun owner i didn't think to ask that, but the work was good.