I have a Smith pre-26 model. While researching this model, I made a search for the Model 26 no dash. Nothing came up. Then I found information on the Georgia State Police (GSP) Commemorative 26-1 model. While reading about these, there was reference to an overrun of the model without the GSP commemorative markings. There were 40 of these made. Does anyone here on the Forum have a 26 no dash or the 26-1 overrun? Would you please post photographs of these firearms?

__________________
That's gonna leave a mark.

Funny you should mention this variant. Someone thought very highly of this one (link to very recent completed auction):

Just a moment...

__________________
Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

BTW, that would have been a great duty revolver.

Thank you for sharing.

A model marked Model 26 is a rare bird. I would like to see a picture of one, just to know that they exist.

I have recorded two original Mod-26 marked revolvers. One was a 6.5” and the other was a 4/4.5” can’t remember at the moment. Selfishly I wasn’t too surprised by the recent auction linked above, as I own a LNIB example myself. A handful of them are owned by members here, but they are rarely traded/sold. I’ve only had a few shots at buying one, so it’s a buy one when you see it.

__________________
Beau
SWCA #3106 - SWHF #643

Here is an earlier thread with pictures.

26-1 and Culina Grips

__________________
S&WCA 1729

WOW! Three weeks ago I missed one of the overrun guns at a Cabelas (I forget where) that was advertised on GI for $1795 - by the time I called it was, as you would expect, already gone. Anybody on here get lucky?

Adios,

Pizza Bob

__________________
NRA Benefactor Member

I saw the same thing. Cabela's in Rogers, MN had it on-line. I sent an email saying I would take it. When I called, I was told it had sold the week before. Then the Cabela's employee told me that they had had TWO LNIB. Both sold. One popped up on Gunbroker within a few days. I won the auction but it sure put a dent in my bank account. I started this thread to see how many of the members here had the others and asked for photographs to see them. I still have never seen a 26 no dash and was hoping someone had one to show us. I haven't gotten the firearm yet but am looking forward to it. I will let you know if it is as nice as the photographs murphydog posted.

__________________
That's gonna leave a mark.

This is the problem of seeing all these guns hitting the auction site a dozen or two years after selling one out of your collection......



Wow, if only............. nevermind....

__________________
.............SmithNut

I just picked up. NIB

I have a recently purchased model of 1950 pre model 26. I can't find much info on them. It was manufactured in 1958.

I too would love to see more 26-1's and especially a 26 no dash.

There is a bit of information available on this forum. Start a thread, in the appropriate forum, include photos and the serial number. Lots of us will help, if we can.

Kevin

__________________
Unshared knowledge is wasted.

Surely, there are more 26-1 owners on the Forum than have already come forward.

__________________
That's gonna leave a mark.

Just picked mine up and it is as nice as the photographs posted by murphydog (same firearm).

__________________
That's gonna leave a mark.

This is interesting. The Spec. Ord. for BBU7737 is 9115, which is a Julian Date for the 115th day of 1989.

Below is the box end for BBU7717 with a Spec. Ord. of 8335, which is the Julian Date for the 335th day of 1988. Only twenty numbers apart, but almost 5 months apart. The old adage about S&W doing things out of order is once again proven.



This is a picture of the box ends of 2 of the BBY serialed revolvers. Both have the same date as BBU7737. They also have the hand written numbers that appear to be the same handwriting.

__________________
S&WCA 1729

Isn't a 26 a skinny barreled. 45 ACP? These guns look like they have long cylinders like a 25-5 45 Colt.

I was thrilled to see that GunBroker auction at over $5,000. Then I felt sick to my stomach over the $1,795 at Cabelas because I paid over twice that a year ago for this 26-1:







So this example is from Special Order 9115, but look at the serial number. In an earlier discussion, I got the impression that not all 26-1 revolvers have identical frames. I was left with the thought that the overrun might have been barrels originally and Springfield just stuck them on whatever frame was handy that day.

Edit to add: does anyone think there is significance to the pencilled numbers on the box labels? I see no rhyme or reason based on the examples here. Also, any idea about the apparently random numbers above “Model” in the upper left corner?

Thank you very much for the information.

__________________
That's gonna leave a mark.

Many dealers write the inventory book page number (and sometimes line number) on the box to keep things straight.

Ivan

TheTinMan: I saw the penciled numbers and thought all of these firearms went to the same business. I asked Roy Jinks and he said no. See our conversation in the SWCA section.

__________________
That's gonna leave a mark.

Patrick L: The Model 26-1s are 45 Colt and not 45 ACP.

__________________
That's gonna leave a mark.

Your impression is correct.



The upper revolver is the newer style frame (BBY serial number) and the lower is the old style (BBU serial number). The differences in these frames would be model dash changes in other models. Here it was like nobody cared.


Also the yoke screws are different.



BBY serial number frame with new style yoke and plunger style yoke screw.




BBU serial number frame with old style yoke and screw.

I agree they used frames that were "lying around." The BBU frame looks a whole lot like a Model 28.

__________________
S&WCA 1729

Tennexplorer - I am not clear on what to look for in terms of frame and yoke screw differences. Mine seems to be the only BBF serial number among these examples.







Does this fit with either the BBY or BBU examples?

Thanks in advance

Chip

Thank you TheTinMan! I learned something today. But weren't 26s generally skinny barrel, adjustable sighted .45 ACPs?

Not TheTinMan,

But, yes, the Model 1950 Target and subsequent Model 26 was usually a 45 ACP, tapered barreled revolver.

However, the Model 26-1 was a different kettle of fish. I believe it was built for the Georgia State Police and the requested it be chambered in 45 long Colt. (Not near my 4th edition so if someone can check and correct me?)

Kevin

__________________
Unshared knowledge is wasted.

Yes. 45 Colt

S&W does not seem inclined to add the word Colt to gun or box.

Oh sorry! I was not careful when I looked back!

But thank you as well!

TheTinMan,

About the time these guns were made, S&W switched from a yoke screw that was one piece. It was the same as the lower sideplate screw that is to the rear of the trigger guard, except that it is fitted to the yoke, so the cylinder can open and close easily. That style is what is on the BBY guns.

The new one on the BBU gunsis larger in diameter and is in three pieces. There is the screw body, a tiny spring, and a pointed plunger that fits into a "V shaped channel in the yoke. The easiest way to determine is to take out the yoke screw and look at it.

As to the frames, the BBY guns' frames are more rounded on the top at the front of the frame. On the BBU guns, you can see the continuation of the channel that was milled in the frame for the rear sight body.

Your BBF appears to be the same as the BBU.

__________________
S&WCA 1729

It might not be pertinent for collectors, but I knew some GSP troopers back when these were issued and they were happy with them until they started having lack of penetration problem through vehicles, especially glass obstructions. As I recall, upon the revolvers' mass replacement those that weren't purchased by the troopers were sold to a "cop shop" in Dekalb County. (Unless those were 25-5s from Doraville? Sorry, didn't keep notes way back then!) The name of the store may come to me at some point. Or if i can locate an old friend who worked there...

BTW, I'm pretty sure the issue ammo was the Federal 225gr LSWCHP.

ETA: It would seem the supply store is defunct. Nothing pops up in the area with a Google search.

The .45 Colt 26-1 was never an issue gun for the GSP, nor do I think any were ever carried as duty guns. It was a commemorative gun done for them by S&W and GT Distributors, the law enforcement distributor for Smith and Wesson. GT didn't buy the excess, they were the ones that sold all of them, spec'ing the gun with S&W, getting them engraved, having cases built, etc. There were a small amount of extra guns left over that were not made into commemoratives. I got two of them at the time from my old friend the late Bill Orr, founder of GT and highly respected S&W collector.

FWIW, it’s Georgia State Patrol.

Another pertinent point is that I don't believe these are technically factory "overruns", as the non commemorative ones are often called in the threads about them. The commemoratives were built to order, and my understanding is that these were just guns from the original order that ended up not being needed for commemorative orders. At least that's my memory of what Bill told me at the time.

I always thought they were Model 25-5s, so where does the 26 fit in? We were in Doraville, and lots of of LE overlap in the area.

I always thought they were Model 25-5s, so where does the 26 fit in? We were in Doraville, and lots of of LE overlap in the area. Even the ATF hung about a lot, as their offices weren't but a couple of miles away. The.45 Colt Smiths were issued to somebody and were used for some time. The GSP certainly seems correct, but it has been 40 years, after all!

The 25-5 .45 Colt was a regular catalog item, and many were used as carry guns at various departments all around the country. The 26-1 .45 Colt "Kit Gun", is a special makeup done exclusively for GT Distributors. They used them as the basis for the GSP Commemorative, of which a small amount were leftover and not made into commemoratives.