AND WHY DID IT COST WHAT IT COST?
That's a good point retiredbadge8091, Does anyone know what that gun cost back then?
As noted after this question, it retailed for $60.00. Also as noted, it was discounted to certain categories of individuals---LEO's, Military, and whatnot. Needless to say, it was also discounted to the distributors----who sold it to the retailers----who sold it to the end users---ostensibly for that $60.00.
Mine (coincidentally also shipped in December, 1935) was one of three (#643, 644, and 645) sold to Shapleigh Hardware (distributor), who sold them to Sports, Inc. (retailer) who sold them to one James A. Kasperski--------who had ordered them through Sports, Inc.. Shapleigh was billed $47.04 for each of the three guns. That leaves not much for profit for Shapleigh, AND for the retailer. And THAT----is peculiar, plum strange is what it is. One begins to wonder why S&W was being so unkind to their distributors (at least). One might also begin to wonder how much it cost S&W to make those guns.
Seeing as how one doesn't know the answers to these questions for sure and certain, one begins to weave a tapestry from the bits and pieces one DOES know. These are them: I own the K-22/40 shipped (1940) to Philip B. Sharpe---gratis----free for nothing. The cost for that gun was charged to S&W's Advertising Account-----$14.55 (including "grip adapter attached")---seemingly the cost to make the gun---and adapter. I also own a .44 HE 2nd Target (shipped 1940) as one of 39 identical units to a New York City distributor at what appears to be a VERY attractive close-out price of $17.00 each----pretty damn close to what it cost to make them----or so one would assume----knowing that $14.55 is cost for a 22/40---and grip adapter. As an aside, the regular distributor price for an Outdoorsman (.22) was in the mid 20's---$23-$25 something (I'd have to look that up.)
So what's the difference between a 22/40, and a .44 HE 2nd Target, and an RM? That requires a bit of sittin' and starin'---just a bit----not very much!! How 'bout the finish? It's identical. How 'bout the material? There's a little dab more in the N frames than the K frames-----and a teeny bit more in the RM because it has a rib. Right----the rib---it's checkered too. I wonder how much it cost to make two passes on the checkering machine? Not much. Well yeah, but how 'bout the "hand fitting" on the RM's? Yeah, how about that? There's no evidence of any such thing---no evidence one can see---or measure----or feel. Right about now one is figuring it didn't cost appreciably more to make the RM than it did to make anything else. So what's the deal?
How about this for the deal? S&W was facing hard times----same as lots of others. S&W needed to do something about it----sooner rather than later. How about this---how about we make a very special gun, and sell it to some folks who have money to spend on such things? Yeah, but what's going to be special about it? What's going to be special about it is what we say is special about it------------and the caliber. It's the CALIBER dummy----the CALIBER!! Right!!!!----the caliber Sharpe came up with----- THE .357 MAGNUM-------the most powerful handgun in the world---and will blow your head CLEAN OFF!!! And we'll throw in some bells and whistles----and we'll even sight them in for the folks. WOW!!!
You know what else? What? Let's promote it DIRECT to the individual----get ALL the money for ourselves. Yeah but---our distributors will be steamed, won't they? A little, sure; but they'll get over it---and besides---we'll still sell these things to them---just not allowing for the regular margin ----we're going to keep some of that----we NEED it!!
And guess what?!! It worked!! And that's how hero's like D.B come to be---and how heroic guns like RM's come to be----and how S&W saved their bacon---that time. And they keep on keeping on.
Is that what really happened? Beats me----it's simply a tapestry woven from bits and pieces---but I believe it.
Ralph Tremaine
I only have one RM with a mostly complete package. It's a 7" RM with certificate, gun, box, tools, brochure, warranty card, caution card, tan tissue paper, but sadly no mailing tube and the box is on the worn side. Coincidentally, it too was shipped to a LEO.
