A find that almost wasn't!

[gjamison]

Back in January my LGS sends me a text about an old Smith&Wesson. Well the story goes that an executor to an estate brings in a gun and ask for an appraisal. After sitting down with the executor and looking at this gun, I just couldn't keep my excitement together. You just don't see a pre model 26 in this condition! Well we talked for sometime and I was told the family wanted it, my heart was breaking.

Fast forward to last Saturday. I'm at a gun show in Ohio and my LGS calls and tells me the gun is for sale if I want. Come to find out the family wanted the gun to be given to them and none of them had a NYS pistol permit, as soon as they found out how much the gun was and what the permit cost, they decided to sell.

The gentleman that owned the gun was a professor at West Point in 1961 and he was a lieutenant colonel. He then went to Canada and taught at there military academy. I'm still getting more information on him and hoping to get a picture.

Smith&Wesson model of 1950 serial #S94061. Condition is beautiful and numbers correct.














The Canadien paper work is I believe when he took the gun to Canada, the other paper is from West Point.

 

[Ed Fowler]

Wow, nice find and thanks for sharing!

 

[DCWilson]

Very nice! I'm another one who appreciates the Model 26 and its non-model-marked predecessor. Total production runs to about 2800, so they are not often encountered. One with a slightly higher serial number lives with me.

 

[BUFF]

I've got S100373, maroon box, too. Only one I've seen locally.

 

[JayCeeNC]

That's a fantastic package!

 

[RKmesa]

That's a fantastic package!

Amen - Beautiful package!!!

 

[LEO918]

George:
That is a very nice Pre Model 26 and the complete package.
I have the only one I've seen in this area.
It's serial # S 93995 and about as nice as yours, however no box - just the gun.

 

[long colt frazier]

Very nice congrats!
Mark

 

[bananaman]

Be proud! It is beautiful! I have the modern equivalent Model 25-15.Bob

 

[Club Gun Fan]

George
Good luck on finding more information on the original owner. It is a great gun.

 

[usm1rifle]

Wow, you scored big time on that one. Congrats!

 

[pharmer]

That is the reason I come here. Glad your photo skills are better than mine. Joe

 

[trashy]

You've found a nice one. Great story and wishing you luck on finding more info on the gentleman.

 

[gmborkovic]

That 45LC? just hits the sweet spot. Something about that cartridge
I have all ways liked. Is it to nice to shoot?

 

[gjamison]

It's in 45acp not 45 colt.

 

[Jäger1]

Kingston would be RMC - Royal Military College. AKA, Ringknocker Central. Established around 1875, a few years after Canada became a sovereign nation. Generally equivalent to West Point and similar US military academies in form and function. Cadets running around in uniforms dating back to the 1800's and so forth - lots of tradition, excellence demanded, etc. They don't just hire anybody to teach there; you have to be a head above the common herd.

Given that, if you want to follow up the RMC part of the history, it might be relatively easy. RMC has always fielded shooting teams that compete internationally, and Kingston was and still remains a solidly military city due to all the Armed Forces components based there. If I remember the last time I encountered them, they were titled Royal Military College Shooting Team. There's a pretty good chance that the original owner was able to exercise his desire for target shooting, either within RMC itself, or at one of the nearby military ranges. Still lots of gun clubs around Kingston, and lots of the members are military or have military connections. Being military oriented, probably old membership data, match results, etc available.

Those old docs look pretty interesting - any chance of getting pics that more legible for reading? Appears to be from the time where Americans going to Canada were simply issued a Permit To Convey from Canada Customs, right at the border, when declaring the firearm. You then went on your merry way with your firearm, with the police eventually mailing you a registration certificate.

That changed under Trudeau v1.0, and now it looks like it is going to change again, for the worse again, under Trudeau v1.1. Nice that the revolver made it back home instead of being trapped behind the firearms wall in Canada. A lot of older guys in Canada simply surrendered handguns to the government for destruction each time they turned the screws of compliance a bit more on gun owners.

 

[rt11002003]

Nice find, beautiful handgun.

 

[1blindref]

Outstanding package!
I'm glad it went to someone who'd appreciate and take proper care of it.

 

[S&WIowegan]

That is a beautiful gun with so many accoutrements to enhance the package. It fascinates me that so many old guns survive in great condition. Many people are so cavalier about storage and proper care high quality survivors are great!

 

[huthike]

Wow! Thanks for sharing!


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