Centennial

[OldDominion]

After much searching and patience, I was finally able to find an early Centennial for my 1952 Centennial Catalog roster. I don't have the ship date yet, but I believe it should be around October-November 1953. Only one Centennial, #104 shipped in the first year they were offered (1952). This one shows no evidence of firing since it left the factory and still has the lock pin under the matching number 2639 stocks. Lee

 

[Engine49guy]

Very nice congrats !

Its higher but Serial 5694 shipped in January 1955

 

[beagleye]

Cool as a cucumber.

 

[Modified]

These guns are really dang neat and yours is dang nice. I sort of lucked into my 4 digit S/N pre 42, I didn't really know what it was I was buying when I bought it in my early S&W collecting.

The reason I bring it up however is that the Bug Screw has always been one of the neatest things about it. I would think that yours would have had a bug screw on it too, or was that just an Airweight thing?

 

[05CarbonDRZ]

The Bug screw was only on Airweights.

 

[OldDominion]

The Bug screw was only on Airweights.

I have an early Chiefs Special Airweight with the lock screw. I'm guessing that at first the factory wasn't sure about the ability of the aluminum frame to hold the top screw tight. I have an early M&P Airweight from the same time frame that doesn't have the lock screw so maybe just the J frames got the lock. Just one of those things that make you go..."hmmmm..."

 

[rburg]

Where'd you get the information about the one shipping, #104? I've got #157 and when I lettered it, Roy said "open on company books". So we really don't know if it was a lunch box gun, or one lifted by a salesman to show off. Mine's surely not new and has signs of some honest usage. I still kind of like it, having paid way too much for it back about 1999 ($500).

 

[Malysh]

I have Centennial Airweight sn 3651, with lock screw.
It shipped in early 1954 according to my letter.

 

[OldDominion]

Where'd you get the information about the one shipping, #104? I've got #157 and when I lettered it, Roy said "open on company books". So we really don't know if it was a lunch box gun, or one lifted by a salesman to show off. Mine's surely not new and has signs of some honest usage. I still kind of like it, having paid way too much for it back about 1999 ($500).

Richard, Roy gave me the info that #104 shipped in Decemeber '52, also Steve Hughes has that on his web page about Centennials. I have been in "negotiations" for months over a three digit Pre40 and that's when I got the shipping info from Roy about 104. I have no doubt yours was part of the initial production run. From what I have learned about the two guns, the Airweight was produced first and the first guns were ready to ship in November and the first steel frame guns in December. I don't know if any Airweights actually shipped in '52 or like the steel guns until '53. Lee

 

[SDH]

Nice score Lee! As for mine...
“We have researched your Smith & Wesson .38 Centennial Pre-Model 40, caliber .38 Special, in company records which indicate that your handgun, with serial number 171, was shipped from our factory on July 17, 1953, and delivered to Union Hardware Co., Los Angeles, CA. the records indicate that this handgun was shipped with a 2 inch barrel, blue finish, smooth walnut high horn grips.”
It my anecdotal observation, Centennial serial numbers shipped in very random order.

 

[Hondo44]

I have an early Chiefs Special Airweight with the lock screw. I'm guessing that at first the factory wasn't sure about the ability of the aluminum frame to hold the top screw tight. I have an early M&P Airweight from the same time frame that doesn't have the lock screw so maybe just the J frames got the lock. Just one of those things that make you go..."hmmmm..."

Lee,

That's a sweetheart!

Some of the M&P Airweights have the lock screw.

 

[1blindref]

Very nice Lee, congrats!
Your 1952 collection is really outstanding.

 

[Malysh]

Richard, Roy gave me the info that #104 shipped in Decemeber '52, also Steve Hughes has that on his web page about Centennials. I have been in "negotiations" for months over a three digit Pre40 and that's when I got the shipping info from Roy about 104. I have no doubt yours was part of the initial production run. From what I have learned about the two guns, the Airweight was produced first and the first guns were ready to ship in November and the first steel frame guns in December. I don't know if any Airweights actually shipped in '52 or like the steel guns until '53. Lee

Lee, that information is also in Mr. Jinks' book, History of Smith & Wesson.
Having read this years ago, I always felt that S&W probably shipped relatively few Centennial Airweights and Centennials in 1952, having only two months until the end of that year. Because of the start-up date I consider 1953 part of the first year of shipping of these two models. At least until Nov. or Dec. 1953 which would make the first 11 and 12 consecutive months of production.