.38 Military 1st Model Target

[DARE]

Serial number 3554, blue, 6.5-inch barrel and adjustable rear target sights. Shipped to Phil B. Bekeart & Company, San Francisco on March 22, 1900.
Number on the barrel is 3555. Roy Jinks says 3555 went to a very famous Olympic shooter. It was special ordered with an 8-inch barrel. The 6.5-inch barrel with that number ended up on 3554.
Front sight has been replaced and the rear notch widened.
Not marked with caliber. Understand that started around s n 7000.

 

[DARE]

This is the only S&W I own that is not marked with the caliber. Until I bought this gun did not know such a thing existed.
Are there other S&W models without caliber markings?

 

[Muley Gil]

This is the only S&W I own that is not marked with the caliber. Until I bought this gun did not know such a thing existed.
Are there other S&W models without caliber markings?

Some of the .455s aren't caliber marked.

 

[RKmesa]

David:

That is a fun gun and I love the natural silvering on most of the gun. It looks like it spent a lot of its life coming in and out of a holster. The more aggressive finish deterioration on the left side of the frame looks like what I have seen on some guns that wore rubber grips for a while and got a little moisture trapped under them (interesting that there is no such finish deterioration on the right side plate).

Did you find out who the "very famous Olympic shooter" was? That would sure be a fun to reconnect that historical fact with the gun itself.

 

[DARE]

Richard,
The famous Olympic shooter was Dr. R. H. Sayre, captain of the United States Shooting team. Mike Priwer owns the gun. Here is the letter.
Just received a new letter for my gun. Earlier letter had an error. The earlier thread was kind of long so started this one.
Have seen pictures of Mike's gun in some other threads. Maybe he will post one here.

.38 Military & Police Target Model of 1899

 

[RKmesa]

Aaaahhh - now I see.

 

[bobsguns]

Roy Jinks says 3555 went to a very famous Olympic shooter.

Mr. Jinks may have shipped it himself...................

 

[Model19man]

This is the only S&W I own that is not marked with the caliber. Until I bought this gun did not know such a thing existed.
Are there other S&W models without caliber markings?

I think caliber markings were kind of rare for S&W weapons prior to this one. Look at the top breaks for example. Now we expect it.

 

[DARE]

Think the top gun is Dr. Sayre's 8-inch gun owned by Mike Priwer.

 

[murphydog]

Cool gun.

Mike Priwer has an older thread narrowing down the serial number at which the model 1899 was marked with the chambering/caliber.