"Factory letter"

[selmerfan]

I'm new here, so please bear with me, because I'm not afraid to ask questions, even basic ones. I have seen many, many references to "factory letters" on S&W revolvers, particularly collectible ones. What is the purpose/function of a "factory letter"? I just sent out the money order and FFL to a seller for a 1948 K38 Masterpiece - should I get a factory letter on it? From what I can pick up, a factory letter is like getting a genealogy report/family tree report. And I can't wait to get my "new" gun...

 

[Old cop]

I've never asked for a factory letter but you're exactly right, the letter will get you a family history of your gun. I see this as a good idea for someone who is a collector and it does help establish a value.

 

[Art Doc]

You don't get all that much info on your specific gun. It gives the barrel length, finish and date it was shipped. Very seldom is anything else noted. If that's worth $50 to you then send your check.

Back when the cost was $20 I lettered most of my revolvers. The vast majority shipped to a big sporting goods store in a city, or to a hardware store in a small town. The only one I found mildly interesting was the 22 Combat Masterpiece that shipped to Honolulu, HI. At $50 I got out of the habit. If I had a very rare or unusual gun, it's worth $50. For most, not worth it to me.

 

[Doc44]

A factory letter will also tell you where your K-38 was shipped. Most of the time guns were shipped to distributors, but sometimes to an individual.

Bill

 

[Peak53]

Collectors also use the letter to confirm - or disprove - that certain characteristics were original to the gun such as sights, target vs. magna grips, blue vs. nickel finish, or barrel length. For a gun in standard configuration and that is not all that unusual, it may not be worth it. For rare, expensive examples, the letter helps sustain a rare, expensive price. Your K-38 is a wonderful gun, but not all that unusual. Only you can decide if it is worth the cost of the letter. I only have two letters, one for an antique that belonged to an ancestor and shipped to the largest distributor in New York City. I can fill my spare time wondering how it got to Texas. The other is for a common .357 that shipped to Oklahoma Highway Patrol. All interesting, but not required. Good luck and have fun.

 

[selmerfan]

Thanks guys. You confirmed what I had inferred. I wish I could get a factory letter from Stevens on the 44 1/2 that I inherited from my great grandfather that I know he purchased new over 100 years ago, complete with 6x Stevens external adjustment scope, No. 368. Now I understand. No, I won't be sending in for a letter on this gun unless I notice something unusual.

 

[DWalt]

In general, unless you have a gun which is unusual or historic in some way, a factory letter won't tell you much. But if for some reason you must establish an exact factory shipping date or must verify that some attribute (such as finish, barrel length, or grip type) is original, a factory letter is valuable. As stated, the shipping destination given will nearly always be some S&W distributor, etc., not the first retail purchaser. Many seem to think that a factory letter will establish that the gun was sent directly to great-grandpa. That's extremely unlikely.

Bottom line - you can usually find out more information about your gun by asking a question here than you can get from a factory letter.

 

[JSR III]

Unless you find out that the gun shipped to someone in the Wesson family or some famous pistol person. You can only find that out by requesting a factory history letter.

It can be a gamble until you find that one gun with provenance, then it all seems worthwhile.

Its like buying scratch tickets, most aren't of much value but when you hit that one for $100,000, the price paid for the others seems not to matter.

 

[JSW]

Please also note that on older guns it is possible that your S&W shipped to an individual. I have several pre-war guns that shipped directly to the buyer, which is interesting and worth the cost of a letter to me. I normally letter my pre-war guns but not the post war. Most post war guns shipped to wholesalers and it’s just not worth $50 dollars to me to find out the gun shipped to So-and-So Sporting Goods. The only time I will letter post war guns is if I’m trying to confirm some unusual feature is from the factory.

 

[JP@AK]

I've become pretty selective in which guns I letter. For example, I requested a letter on a very early Model of 1902 .32 Winchester 5" Target to ensure that it left the factory in its current configuration (it did).
Also, on a gun like my MSHP 5" Combat Masterpiece, I wanted a letter because it is a rare piece and because I have documentation for all the rest of the revolver's life before it ended up in my hands. A letter completes the file.
But run-of-the-mill guns, both pre- and post-war, even if they are in high graded condition, don't usually get a letter. Being mostly retired and on a fixed income, the $50 bills add up. Seven of them and I could have enough money in my pocket to pick up a stray, nice revolver at the next gun show. I'm often amazed at what turns up at those, available at a very decent price.

 

[Hondo44]

Thanks guys. You confirmed what I had inferred. I wish I could get a factory letter from Stevens on the 44 1/2 that I inherited from my great grandfather that I know he purchased new over 100 years ago, complete with 6x Stevens external adjustment scope, No. 368. Now I understand. No, I won't be sending in for a letter on this gun unless I notice something unusual.

That would be my decision as well. The letter usually gives you a little info on the evolution of the gun which is interesting. But if you don't have the Standard Catalog of S&W, 3rd edition, spend the money on that and you'll have some very interesting reading on your gun and every other S&W as well.