Early Short Action .357 Magnums to the Kansas City Police Department

[lestert357]

The Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) was a prolific buyer of the Pre-War .357 Magnums having purchased at least 482 Registered and Non-Registered Magnums. 473 of these 482 RMs/NRMs had 4" barrels, 2 had 3-1/2" barrels, 5 had 5" barrels, 1 had a 6" barrel, and 1 had a 6-1/2" barrel.

It is known that the 4" KCPD RMs/NRMs were used in police service from 1939/1940 up until approximately 1957 when the KCPD replaced them with the 4" Heavy Barrel K-38 Masterpiece. These Pre-War .357 Magnums were used hard and over 90% of them extant have been refinished one or more times.

I was also aware of the fact that the KCPD purchased some early short action 3-1/2" .357 Magnums (Pre-Model 27's) such as the one pictured below, serial# S77886, currently in the collection of Forum member 22hipower - thanks Jeff…..

To my knowledge very few of these early short action 3-1/2" KCPD Pre-Model 27's have surfaced in our collector community, and therefore up until recently my belief was that the KCPD had only purchased a small handful of them to supplement their aging supply of the Pre-War RMs/NRMs.

However, recent information has surfaced that indicates that the KCPD purchased a fairly significant quantity of these early Pre-Model 27's. I have shared that information below:

- January 27, 1950 - fifteen (15) .357 Magnums, 3-1/2" blue, shipped to Richards & Conover Hdwe Co., Kansas City, MO, for Board of Police Commissioners, Kansas City, MO. Most serial numbers were in the S75XXX range with a few in the S76XXX range.

- January 30, 1950 - ten (10) .357 Magnums, 3-1/2" blue, shipped to Richards & Conover Hdwe Co., Kansas City, MO, affidavits supplied by City of Kansas City, MO, for Kansas City PD. Serial numbers were in the S75XXX and S76XXX range.

- March 31, 1950 - nineteen (19) .357 Magnums, 3-1/2" blue, shipped to Richards & Conover Hdwe Co., Kansas City, MO, for Board of Police Commissioners, Kansas City, MO. Serial numbers were in the S75XXX and S76XXX range.

- March 31, 1950 - nineteen (19) .357 Magnums, 3-1/2" blue, shipped to Townley Metal & Hdwr Co., Kansas City, MO, for Board of Police Commissioners, Kansas City, MO. Serial numbers were in the S75XXX and S76XXX range.

- September 26, 1950 - four (4) .357 Magnums, 3-1/2" blue, shipped to Richards & Conover Hdwe Co., Kansas City, MO, affidavits supplied by City of Kansas City, MO, for Kansas City PD. As previously reported on this Forum, serial numbers were S77886 (nicely refinished, pictured above), S79149, S79665, and S79842.

- September 20, 1951 - five (5) .357 Magnums, 3-1/2" blue, shipped to Western Auto Supply Co., Kansas City, MO, for Kansas City PD. Serial numbers were S76XXX, S79XXX, S80XXX, and two were S81XXX.

The above listed shipments total 72 Pre-Model 27's shipped to the KCPD in 1950/1951.

For SWCA members, the above shipments are listed in detail with specific serial numbers in the Post War .357 Magnum database.

If anyone viewing this thread has information on additional Pre-Model 27 shipments to the KCPD not listed above, please share that information. Also, if anyone owns a Pre-Model 27 that was shipped to the KCPD, please share pictures for us.

 

[22hipower]

Great info Terry. The rest of them, most anyway, have got to still be out there somewhere in the wild. Although if they're not marked, and mine isn't, the only way to know they're KCPD guns is to letter them. I only lettered this one because there was a debate here on the Forum about whether the barrel was original or had been cut. Finding out about the KCPD connection was a bonus in addition to confirming it's in the original configuration.

So, anybody with early 3.5 357s in the ranges listed here's a reason to letter them. Thanks for digging up the detail and sharing it with us Terry.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[Nightowl]

I recently did a deep dive on my 1950 model .357 Magnum. It turned out my first letter information was from another serial number. Anyway, the copy of the shipping shipping log was included, and the serial number right after mine indicated that gun went to the KC MO police Dept. That serial number was 75957, If I recall correctly. I have not looked to see if it was included in our serial number data base. It was also a 3.5 barrel.

 

[quinn]

And Terry strike again! Now something to add to my grail list.

 

[mchom]

Count me in with Randy

I didn't know it until today but I really need one of these.
Thanks a lot Terry

 

[Tijeras_Slim]

Being issued one of those almost makes me want to be a cop.

 

[lestert357]

I recently did a deep dive on my 1950 model .357 Magnum. It turned out my first letter information was from another serial number. Anyway, the copy of the shipping shipping log was included, and the serial number right after mine indicated that gun went to the KC MO police Dept. That serial number was 75957, If I recall correctly. I have not looked to see if it was included in our serial number data base. It was also a 3.5 barrel.

Richard, yes, serial# S75957 is in the database. It was shipped to the KCPD in the 15 gun shipment on 1/27/50.

 

[fourb20]

Terry, I have a pre-model 27 with a 3 1/2" barrel, s/n S 81078. Is that by chance one of the Sept 1951 guns? Thanks.

 

[lestert357]

Terry, I have a pre-model 27 with a 3 1/2" barrel, s/n S 81078. Is that by chance one of the Sept 1951 guns? Thanks.

Serial# S81078 is not one of the .357 Magnums currently identified as being shipped to the KCPD and it is not currently listed in the database. If at some point you obtain a factory letter and provide me the revolver condition I will add it to the database with all the relevant information.

 

[Fessor]

I have pre-27 #S76090. Haven't lettered it yet. Is it perhaps in the data base?

 

[lestert357]

I have pre-27 #S76090. Haven't lettered it yet. Is it perhaps in the data base?

Serial number S76090 is not in the database, but 2 very close serial numbers did ship to the KCPD, 1 on 1/30/50 and 1 on 3/31/50. Of course that does NOT mean that S76090 shipped to the KCPD. If at some point you obtain a factory letter and provide me the revolver condition I will add it to the database with all the relevant information.