Chief Willie Bauer, Beaumont TX, 44HE 3rd transition...

[texmac1]

Willie Bauer and Raymond McCall

I have the gun in the photo nickel 44 pearl grips, I should check the history on the gun. Where can you get the information is it from Smith ?

 

[The Gila Bender]

I have the gun in the photo nickel 44 pearl grips, I should check the history on the gun. Where can you get the information is it from Smith ?

Do you know the men in the photos, the city or town where they were officers, when the photo was taken (roughly) and the make/serial number of the firearm? Any information is a good start.

For instance, I started by spending $50 to get a historical letter for the revolver, which stated that the revolver was shipped to City Detective Willie Bauer in Beaumont Texas. From there I googled everything I could about Willie Bauer, then contacted the Beaumont Police, and finally hit the jackpot when I found the Tyrrell Historical Society in Beaumont - they had everything including the chief's personal scrapbooks that he maintained throughout his career as a motorcycle officer, desk sergeant, detective, assistant chief, and chief. I even found an interview of him in a PhD thesis discussing the 1943 race riot.

So start with a letter, it may lead to something else.

 

[05CarbonDRZ]

Are you sick of that Gun yet Tom? I know a good Buyer......

 

[The Gila Bender]

I was just admiring it last night...

 

[choc]

chief bauer's gun

Do you still have the gun? If so, would you think about selling it to me? It has significant sentimental value. Thank you very much for you consideration.

 

[iskra]

Transitions Are Great Guns

Wow! A beautiful Transition, A 44 Spl, And a great history! That seems something of a home run! A lot of luck coming together there!

Perhaps my favorite Smiths are the "N" (why not say "S"?) frame Transitions! Like rburg, in 44, mine include the elusive Translation Target. Yet my favorite 44, below, is the 6 1/2". SN: S 633xx,

As another post above, I also have a correct appearing gold box; nomenclature: "1926 Model Military Revolver". with end cap including: "Blue 6 1/2 - Inch Barrel". Yet I've been given to understand on best authority the Maroon box only is correct for 38/44 Transitions so I assume the same true for the 44 Specials. And if so... Go figure!

Anyway, GREAT FIND! And that...
My absolute take!

 

[Muley Gil]

"Perhaps my favorite Smiths are the "N" (why not say "S"?) frame Transitions!"

Because they are N frames, not S frames. The N frame dates back to 1908 and the New Century aka Triple Lock revolvers. These revolvers started with serial number 1 and did not pick up the "S" prefix until post WW II, when the new hammer block was adopted.

 

[texmac1]

Willie Beauer gun

Originally Posted by texmac1 View Post
I have the gun in the photo nickel 44 pearl grips, I should check the history on the gun. Where can you get the information is it from Smith ? I did forget to say the guy in the Squad car is Willie Beauer the other is my grand father R.M. Mcall
who or wear do you get the Historical letter ?

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! You get the letter from the S&W Historical Foundation...from former S&W historian Roy Jinks. Links to the letter request form are sticky posts. It costs non-SWCA or Historical members $100.

 

[CQB27]

I love threads like this. Old revolvers and old pictures of men who where valuable to their communties....brought back to life for us to veiw and wonder about times long gone by.

I wonder if 75 years from now on some future forum men will post pictures of old polymer Glocks, Sigs and M&Ps along with archived photos we took last year and wonder about the "Good Old Days". I can't imagine it happening, but Willie Bauer probably thought the same thing in his time too.

Thanks for the post OP......It made my day!

 

[Muley Gil]

Originally Posted by texmac1 View Post
I have the gun in the photo nickel 44 pearl grips, I should check the history on the gun. Where can you get the information is it from Smith ? I did forget to say the guy in the Squad car is Willie Beauer the other is my grand father R.M. Mcall
who or wear do you get the Historical letter ?

Welcome to the Forum, texmac1. The grips look like stag to me.

 

[texmac1]

Willie Beauer gun

Nope mother of pearl these grips and the gun i think came from Wolf & Klar.

Smith & Wesson's Third Model Hand Ejector revolver, also called the Wolf & Klar Model.

 

[handejector]

Where can you get the information is it from Smith ?

Smith & Wesson Collectors Association

BUT, all you're gonna learn is that a 5" nickel 44-3rd shipped to W&K on a certain day.

Great gun with great grips, and belonging to Granpa is fabulous.

 

[quinn]

You didn't say what agency your grandfather was with. I see you live in Katy. Houston (today next door, then a drive away) ordered this model gun for HPD in the 30's but they were marked on the backstap. Wolf & Klar sold many of these guns directly of officers all over the state but the individual records are long one. I collect Texas LEO S&Ws from the past. I have found the department records, city historical sites and newspapers.com (through Ancestry .com) to be good sources. Also, many departments have unofficial historians who can be helpful. There are other LEO collectors here who have found other sources.

BTW, those look like W&K steerhead grips to me. If they are W&K MOP, they will probably have a large size Roman numeral on the inside. Just be very careful removing and replacing them not to overtighten. MOP can be fragile. Beautiful heirloom you have.