A Pair of Austin PD Heavy Duties

[ringo1597]

A big thank you to a fellow forum member for allowing me to purchase this 38/44 Heavy Duty, 6 1/2" barrel, marked "Austin Police Department 25"
With it is it's brother, which I posted about a year or two back. Also 6 1/2" barrel, marked "Austin Police Department 6"
Thanks and enjoy.
Larry Richardson
SWCA
2494

 

[DCWilson]

Super nice! By now it must take less time to report the APD guns you don't have than to list the ones you do.

How can this onetime Austin boy not approve? Keep up the good work!

 

[Kframe]

Very nice!

Good to see some high quality stampings, too.
(As opposed to ones scrawled by hand with one of those vibratory engravers.)

 

[Olddave]

Larry,
They do look great together

 

[ringo1597]

Thank you Mr. George...Be watching for a package in the mail in the next couple of days.
Larry

 

[moosedog]

Very cool indeed.

 

[Memphis]

Lovely pair! And nice pictures too. I especially like the gripstrap markings.

Roger

 

[vonn]

Those are very nice,do you know when they were in use? They look so good in the pics they must not have seen a lot of use.

 

[quinn]

Real nice, Larry. Individually, those would seem rather scarce... but, as a pair?! How close are the serials? Any count on how many HDs the Austin PD ordered?

 

[ringo1597]

Vonn...Thanks for your comments. APD had a history of sending their guns back to the factory for refinishing, both of these guns have been back.

Randy, APD ordered 249 of these guns between 1952-1964, all were nickel plated with 4" barrels, except for 2, which had 6 1/2" barrels.

As for the serial numbers, they are close, but still a few hundred apart.

Thank,
Larry

 

[Retired W4]

Vonn...Thanks for your comments. APD had a history of sending their guns back to the factory for refinishing, both of these guns have been back.

Randy, APD ordered 249 of these guns between 1952-1964, all were nickel plated with 4" barrels, except for 2, which had 6 1/2" barrels.

As for the serial numbers, they are close, but still a few hundred apart.

Thank,
Larry

You answered my question with this last post Larry, that being the break out of barrel lengths. Thank you.

 

[Retired W4]

Another question for the APD guys here. Were magnas or targets more common when originally shipped from S&W? My partners factory re-do has targets from the period of its trip back to Smith.

 

[DGT]

Great post. Why don't you pack up a couple of those great revolvers and join Austin and me in Tulsa for the show?

 

[DCWilson]

Another question for the APD guys here. Were magnas or targets more common when originally shipped from S&W? My partners factory re-do has targets from the period of its trip back to Smith.

I'm thinking magnas, but I don't know. I have APD No. 153 (S147982, shipped to Austin in June 1959) with diamond magnas, but the stocks are undoubtedly replacements and can't be new as of the 6-76 refinish because of the diamonds. They look too good to be original stocks and also overhang the frame a bit. If I remember right, they are not numbered. The gun is hard to get to right now or I'd pull it out and look.

It's my belief that several dozen Austin HDs were sold off as a batch in the early to mid '70s, and that the commercial purchaser had them refinished by S&W so they could be marketed to collectors. If I got either the circumstances or the quantity wrong, somebody please correct me. I'd really like to have a better idea of what happened to these guns after they were retired.

 

[ringo1597]

Retired W4...When I got on with APD, the Heavy Duties had already been retired and sold. However APD was still issuing and using the 27-2's with the 3.5" barrel. From my understanding these 27's were shipped with Magna's, however most all officers changed to Target Stocks.

 

[ringo1597]

Dave, this is for you. Over the years I have become good friend and close with some of the old time officers whom have been retired for some time, they are a wealth of info pertaining to anything APD.
One such person is a older retired Lieutenant, who during the 70's was the Supervisor over the range and all firearms. I have had many conversations with him. He told me once that Smith/Wesson had a representative that paid him a visit at least once a month, and it was at the representative's advice that APD would ship batches of guns back to the factory for refinishing.
His impression was it was just a way for Smith/Wesson to keep customers happy and stir up business.
One last thing Dave. I have acquired all of the records for every APD gun brought into inventory since 1950 (except for the HD records). It is absolutely amazing how many different makes and models of guns APD purchased, and issued.

 

[ringo1597]

Great post. Why don't you pack up a couple of those great revolvers and join Austin and me in Tulsa for the show?

I would love to make it back up to Tulsa, especially to finally meet you (and attempt to get some more of your $$$). But health issues makes it difficult, but I am planning on being in Baton Rouge next year.

Tell Austin he is missing one of the best little West Texas shows that weekend. Austin enjoy's going to Junction, they only have that show once a year.

Thanks,
Larry

 

[wbraswell]

Outstanding. I am enlightened, because I didn't even know they were in 6.5" barrels, I thought they were all 4"s. I am also sick with envy. An APD nickel HD is the pistol I covet most.

 

[saturner1]

I want one so bad!!!!!!!!!!!!! I keep looking for just one to come up for air. Great pair. You are a lucky man to have so many.

 

[tekarra]

Very nice pair indeed.