5-screw pre-model 28

[littlerocknroller]

Hello again from Germany!
Although I have it since a year or so I would like to introduce you to my rare find, especially in my country.
I found an early 1954 pre-model 28 with 5 screw frame. The SN is in S 104... range which according to what I know dates it back to 1954. It has the well known San Franciscou Police marking. Under these marking you'll see the German proof marks. The guns came with a holster and pretty worn stocks. So I managed to get a better set of stocks which are time correct and give the gun a much better appearance. The old stocks are well preserved. They had a lot of chips and looked like a police gun carried in a holster (and maybe used in service). The gun itself looks used, but not abused. I wish it could tell it's life time story. The action is perfect as one could expect from a Smith & Wesson of that time. I always loved the N frame guns and have some other model 28 and even more model 27. I will report about a few of them later. My rarest 27 is, in my opinion a pre-model 27 with 8 3/8" tube in nickel. But that's for another thread.
Thanks for looking.
Rainer

 

[Retired W4]

That certainly is an early Highway Patrolman. I have S111760 that was shipped June 9, 1954.

 

[Gun Relics]

Hello again from Germany!
My rarest 27 is, in my opinion a pre-model 27 with 8 3/8" tube in nickel. But that's for another thread.
Thanks for looking.
Rainer

That indeed would be rare and I would love to see a picture. I was able to find a gold box in 8 3/8 and glad to have picked it up (for blued model).

 

[littlerocknroller]

That indeed would be rare and I would love to see a picture. I was able to find a gold box in 8 3/8 and glad to have picked it up (for blued model).

This is definitely a tough job to find a gold box for this pre-27 with 8 3/8 barrel. Most people simply threw the boxes away and nobody thought of a future value. I was lucky to find a brand new set of cokes which I never put on a revolver. I also bought a model 27/2 in the S 253...range (1965 proof marks) with coke stocks and a 29/2 in the S 238... range (1963 German proof marks). I didn't know that 27s were also delivered with cokes. The stocks are not numbered and I do not know if the were. They have a nice dark brown finish.
I will post a few pictures within the next days. The nickel guns are a little bit hard to get good pictures of because of the reflection. But I will manage. So stay in touch.

 

[Truckman]

I didn't know that 27s were also delivered with cokes. The stocks are not numbered and I do not know if the were.

Cokes were not numbered Since fitting was not required (until someone produces a pair that was)... ...Ben

 

[DARE]

Rainer, glad to have you with us. I have enjoyed your posts.
Since you are from Germany, here is my .38 M&P Target that shipped in May 1913 to Hamburg, Germany. Has German proof marks.

 

[littlerocknroller]

Rainer, glad to have you with us. I have enjoyed your posts.
Since you are from Germany, here is my .38 M&P Target that shipped in May 1913 to Hamburg, Germany. Has German proof marks.

View attachment 782397View attachment 782398

Hello, that is a very nice gun. The target version is not seen very often. Is this in .38S&W or in .38 Special. Youst in case you do not know - if these land lease guns have been converted from .38 S&W to .38 Special, you will usually find a CB for Carl Bernhard, a German gunsmith who did a lot of conversions. In Charles Pate book is a complete listing what and how many items were given to the German police etc. from what the allied didn't want to use anymore. Many of them have the markings on the backstrap where the sent to. This is a special field for collectors here in Germany and many different narkings can be found. I have one gun which has markings from the Austria police and Italian proof marks from Brescia and Gardone.

 

[littlerocknroller]

As promised to GUN RELICS yesterday I attach some pictures of my "long tubes". First is a pre-model 27 with nickel finish, S/N S 109716, the second picture shows from top to bottom: .44 Magnum 29/2, S/N S 238618 - .357 Magnum 27/2 S/N S 253380 - 44 Magnum 29 no dash S/N S 185397. Last one with 6 1/2" barrel. The next picture is from top to bottom: model 17/4 S/N 3K 28135 - model 47/4 S/N 27K 9308. The two last guns I bought because of the long barrels. For target shooting the max. barrel length is 6" (6 1/2 for .44 Magnum) and that is the reason the longer barrels are hard to find and many collectors don't like them (I do). I hope you enjoy the pictures and the many coke bottle stocks!
Thanks Rainer

 

[DARE]

The .38 M&P Model of 1905 3rd Change Target is .38 S&W Special. This was not a lend lease gun. Those did not happen until around 1940. Here is the letter. Emil Linck was an importer.

 

[Hawg Rider]

Willkommen zuruck im Forum! Congratulations on finding that very early Highway Patrolman. S&W introduced the HP in April 1954 beginning with s/n S103500, and according to the SCSW 5th Ed. only 8,427 were manufactured in 1954. That just happens to be my birth year, and I'm fortunate to have s/n S114481 (July/Aug 1954). Yours shows some honest wear, and definitely has SFPD provenance. I believe that most HPs were shipped wearing Magna stocks, although target stocks were an option. You also have a nice collection of "long tubes" and Coke bottle stocks. Geniessen!

 

[littlerocknroller]

The .38 M&P Model of 1905 3rd Change Target is .38 S&W Special. This was not a lend lease gun. Those did not happen until around 1940. Here is the letter. Emil Linck was an importer.

View attachment 782478

Sure, you are right. A gun delivered in 1913 cannot be a landlease gun. In 1913 WWI was still going on. I have several M&P, some in .38 Special of which a few are converted from .38 S&W and some in the original caliber. Your's is a beauty and has wonderful stocks . I love these HE especially if they have a good provenance.
Of the N Frames I do not onyl like the long barrels, but also the short 3 1/2" model 27. I have a few, some nickel plated and some in blue. From the forum I learned that the model 27 in 3 1/2" is sought after - so in Germany. It is astonishin how good the short barrels shoot on the 25m targets. When I have time I will post a few pictures of the 3 1/2" guns. I also have a 27 with 5" barrel which had practicaly a ruined barrel. Some super clever guy had a stuck bullet and tried to drill it out from the front. You can imagine how the barrel looked like - one side thin as paper. So I had to find a replacement for that barrel which is not easy, because it is a nickel plated gun. Finally my gunsmith found a barrel which unfortunately has the writing Smith & Wesson with a lazy ampersand. But better than no barrel.
Best wishes