Anybody want to see an RM I found?

Sgt 127

Sgt 127

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Already been lettered. Originally shipped to the LA State Police. (I just happened to have a correct era badge to go with it) All numbers match. I know that sometime in its life, it was carried by a Dallas PD Officer that eventually became a Deputy Chief (1940's) Factory King front sight. Straight from the family. Bet it could tell some stories. It certainly has character doesn't it? (Nice way of saying rode hard and put up wet) Is it the nicest RM I've ever seen? Well...no. But, there have to be a few others out there that will tell me how classy it is, as it is. If not, I am going to get it bead blasted and hard chromed.
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Already been lettered. Originally shipped to the LA State Police. (I just happened to have a correct era badge to go with it) All numbers match. I know that sometime in its life, it was carried by a Dallas PD Officer that eventually became a Deputy Chief (1940's) Factory King front sight. Straight from the family. Bet it could tell some stories. It certainly has character doesn't it? (Nice way of saying rode hard and put up wet) Is it the nicest RM I've ever seen? Well...no. But, there have to be a few others out there that will tell me how classy it is, as it is. If not, I am going to get it bead blasted and hard chromed.
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RM1.jpg


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RM5.jpg
 
Hey, sarge...
I'll bet that old butt has cracked more than a few perps' skulls!
Preserve that gun and love it.
It's earned a comfortable retirement!
Don
 
What is the barrel length ? It looks to be about 4 1/2 ?

If we are voting, I would vote to have this gun restored - not chromed, but
restored to its original finish. I'm on record as nominally opposing refinishing.
In this case, the value right now is pretty much its early ownership. It has
nothing going for it finish-wise, and that has a very significant effect on its
monetary value.

A good refinish, along with a Keith Brown restoration of those grips, will do
a lot for the gun. There is a lot less stigma to a restored LEO gun, than to
a restored nothing-special gun. All those KCPD guns are restored, and no one
blinks !

I don't know what you paid for it, but I would think that , at the very least,
you could get your cost plus restoration costs back out of it, and then some.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a better picture must be worth
more words !

Later, Mike Priwer
 
I'm personally, for leaving guns the way you find them - especially, LE guns and RMs in particular. About the only thing I feel 'right' about doing is putting a "stop" to any rust problems. It's condition is part of its 'story' such as the condition of the grips. Since, you have the 'prior' History - Family records etc. I would leave it as is.

I had my old Model 19-3, that I carried on duty refinished and I have really always regretted having done that. It was worn and had been Electroless Nickeled after begin originally a Blued gun but that was while it was still a "duty" gun.

OMO,

Mike
 
My apologies. It is a 5". First off, I promise, I would not get it hard chromed. I was kidding. No idea if I will get it refinished. My other RM was refinished and rebarreled (to a 4 inch) at the factory in the 50's. It a Utah HP gun and looks really good. Of course, if I get it refinished, I wouldn't want to play with it and it winds up laying in my safe.

I'm in to this gun fairly reasonable. Not cheap though. It was a friend that needed some money, and, I likely erred on the side of being generous. Oh well, hopefully it will fill up my good Karma cup a little. I based the price on various auctions and discussions on the board. (yes, I don't want to say what I payed, lest somebody think I am crazy..somebody make me feel better by telling me they would give $(?) for it. If somebody gets close, I'll eventually admit what I paid)

I figured with the honest history, LE use and all matching numbers, it had a little value. If all else fails, I resort back to, I didn't pay too much, I just payed too soon...
 
my first thought was to leave it as is. what you paid for it is your business and is what you believe to be reasonable, what more could you want. my second thought is also to leave it as is unless you want to leave it, in perfect condition, to an heir
 
I really really like that gun. I have one that's been nickeled but was originally blued. I have the hots for a blued one just about like yours. I am clearly going to have to persue a trade or a sale of mine. My vote would be to leave yours exactly as it is. I wouldn't change a thing on that beauty. congrats..

Roger
 
I like the "character" is has as it is now.
However, if you had someone like Gene Ford reblue it to a high polish and had Keith Brown restore the grips it would be a stunning pistol.
 
Great find Sarge! Love the history not many RMs that were carried by a State Police and a City officer in another state. Badge collectors win again
 
Nice gun and with some history too. As much as I like to re-do and rebuild older guns, I'd say that here's one I'd leave alone. Anything short of a 'done at the factory' refinish isn't going to get you much of a return in the investment department IMHO and that isn't going to happen anytime soon. I'll take the well worn original finish to a done over gun on this particular one. If it had already gone through a refinish or was badly pitted or altered, then I'd have some plans for it!
 
After taking another look at your pictures, I don't think it needs to be refinished. I would get the grips re-cut/checkered, but not refinished to the point where they look new. That is a handsome gun. Thanks for sharing.
 
Sgt127

What a great looking RM! Frankly, I love the looks of these pre war guns that show signs that they were used as they were intended. Yours certainly doesn't look abused to me so I would probably be reluctant to refinish it. If anything, the grips look a little more "used" than the gun does, so I might consider having them restored...not to new, but just freshened up a bit.

When a gun hasn't had some disfigurement the only person's opinion that really counts in the "restore/don't restore" argument is that of the one who owns it. I've done both and I'm still happy with the results and able to sleep well at night.

Here are some examples of prewar magnums (both restored and unrestored) that have some similarities in their background to your gun.

The first is a 5 1/4" that also shipped to LA and was carried by a LEO in Mississippi. It is still in the original condition and will remain as such since it is the only one known in that barrel length.

The second is a 3 1/2" that was shipped to a LEO who was Kentucky HP trooper and also a local officer. It shipped as one of the few nickel non-registered magnums but when I got it it had been badly reblued. I elected to return it to its original condition. It is wearing a set of Keith Brown grips.

The third is a 3 1/2" that was, like yours, shipped to a Dallas officer. I believe that it was refinished a long time before I got it.

I think that we are pretty close to each other here in TX so if you would like to compare notes and guns, drop me a note.

Bob


5.25" RM
standard


3.5" non-RM's
standard
 
the grips look a little more "used" than the gun does,
Click to expand...
Bob; A lot of these old LE guns had the sharp checkering on the Stocks sanded down by the Officers. This was also done by a lot of 'shooters' who found the very sharp checkering to be a bit hard on the hand when firing long strings of fire. Some of these 'shooters' were also Officers who just liked to shoot. Like a couple of Back-to-Back PPC courses of fire; which meant 120 rounds of fire, plus whatever "practice" or "sight-in" rounds were allowed. Not to mention the number of "Duty Loads" that many Police Departments 'required' their Officers to fire up during their "Qualifications" shooting. I can't tell you the number of Triggers I have been asked to 'smooth up a bit' by LE Officers over the Years.

While many Agencies didn't have "Shooting Qualification" requirements as part of their 'Standards' for many Years; those were the Years when an Officer could take a trip down to the town dump and pick off Rats, Crows or Sea Gulls for practice.

The first "Agency" I worked for back in the '70s would provide any Deputy who ask for it, a .30 Ammo can, with 1,500 rounds of .38 wadcutters - every Month if they wanted it. All they had to do was turn in the used Brass to the Range Master. It fact, that was how I got started with that Department. I used to see the Range Master going into the Fire Station next to the building where I worked several times a week. I finally got to wondering what was so interesting and found out that was where he did the reloading for the Department on a "Auto-Load" electric reloading machine. It was a truly amazing process to watch. I had some time off from work and offered to lend a hand. That machine would kick out 3500 rounds a minute if you could keep it fed properly. Helping out I got to know the RM and he talked me into becoming a Reserve. I took the NRA Police Firearms Instructor Course and became the Reserve RM. I finally became a full time member of the Department Pistol Team and a full time Deputy. It was common practice to smooth off the checkering on a Duty Gun if you were going out to shoot a Ammo can of wadcutters in a weekend. Being a member of the Pistol Team I could get all the ammo I wanted to Practice with and as the Reserve RM(which I continued to be after I went full time) I also had a 'key' to the Department Range and could shoot any time I liked.

Ah, "The Good Old Days"

Mike
 
A lot of guns had their "outside" grip sanded by countless brick walls, car doors or door jams, and who knows what. Guys are so wide. With full gear they tend to be a few inches wider than they're used to. When trying to hide, they get real close and familiar with whatever it is they're hiding behind. Scratches and nicks and dents just happen.

Only chiefs guns get lots of drawer time and survive relatively unscathed.
 
Only chiefs guns get lots of drawer time and survive relatively unscathed.
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Dick; You said a Mouthful there. I have an original Centennial Serial Number 1002 that spent its life in the Desk drawer of a Seattle PD Detective - or so I've been told. It looks it. Shortly after I got the gun the hammer pin broke loose from the Frame. I sent it back to Smith and they fixed it at no charge and then offered to 'refinish' it for me; also at no charge! I decided to leave it the way it was when it came out of the box! And, yes, it even had the 'disabling' pin still under the smooth high horn stocks. The only non-standard feature is the fact that it had a "White" insert installed. I have no idea how or when this was done but it does go nicely with the White dot under the rear sight notch. I've never had this one 'Lettered' and I just might one of these days. Roy said it left the Factory in April of 1953.

Mike
 
Sarge,

In my book, that is one classy RM. I'd just about kill to stumble into one like it.
 
Sarge,

Great looking RM! Congratulations. My own take on the finish would be NO. I think that piece exudes history - and class as is. Regards, Jerry
 
I think that rascal looks just like it should, a grand old lady with a few miles on her.

KKG, that was a very interesting post. Since both grip panels look very similar, I think you may be onto something. You see a lot of service guns with the strong side panel showing most of the wear and the weak side, which would be against the body, looking pristine in comparison.
 
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