OP
merlindrb
Member
Ed - his son occasionally posts here. I believe he has some of his fathers guns as well!
FBI Agent with Reg Mag - Update
- Thread starter merlindrb
- Start date
Cimarron
Member
OK. Help me out here. Some models are easy and others strain my resources. I recognize the Registered Magnums and the M-66. What's the snubbie? And is the gold one a .38/44 Heavy Duty?
OP
merlindrb
Member
Cimarron - the gold one is a 1930 3rd Model .44 Hand Ejector - sometimes called a Wolf & Klar model as they took delivery of almost all of those made. The snubbie is a rarely seen 1934 2" M&P.
Cimarron
Member
Thank you. Wolf and Klar I know about. Wasn't aware the the M&P was available in 2" that early. What a great collection! I can only dream until financially better days return.
ElmerKeith
Member
I found this threat a little bit late but I found while searching for "HD".
Is there any literature in the US about those days of SA Cambell, Elliot Ness and the the guys of the other side of the law.
Besides the guns I always admire the clothing of those bygone days. It's very stylish.
merlindrb, where did you get all these informations, pictures and guns and gear?
Is there any literature in the US about those days of SA Cambell, Elliot Ness and the the guys of the other side of the law.
Besides the guns I always admire the clothing of those bygone days. It's very stylish.
merlindrb, where did you get all these informations, pictures and guns and gear?
OP
merlindrb
Member
Thank you Elmer. Many of the items came with the guns, piece by piece you might say - I bought 5 of them in all from 2 different sources. I got his original 1930 handcuffs, original holsters (all of them) and photos/files.
I've since done much more research and found references to him in numerous works on the 1930's gangster era. Books about Oklahoma and the Tri-State gangsters (like Bonny & Clyde, Dillinger, Nelson and so on) are readily available through Amazon.
Perhaps most interesting has been information from old newsapers (researched through archives), old magazines (buy them from Ebay) and from information provided by ex-FBI agents from their own archives. As an example - recently I've been informed that it's very likely Campbell was given the job of carrying Dillingers straw hat, .380 Colt semi-auto and cigar (all taken from his corpse) back to Hoover in Washington. They were displayed outside Hoovers office for many years, an obvious example to those who thumbed their nose at the FBI.
I'm still waiting for Campbells FBI record and scheming to get his police record from Oklahoma City PD. Once you start it never seems to end... And I'm currently researching 4 more characters from the FBI
I've since done much more research and found references to him in numerous works on the 1930's gangster era. Books about Oklahoma and the Tri-State gangsters (like Bonny & Clyde, Dillinger, Nelson and so on) are readily available through Amazon.
Perhaps most interesting has been information from old newsapers (researched through archives), old magazines (buy them from Ebay) and from information provided by ex-FBI agents from their own archives. As an example - recently I've been informed that it's very likely Campbell was given the job of carrying Dillingers straw hat, .380 Colt semi-auto and cigar (all taken from his corpse) back to Hoover in Washington. They were displayed outside Hoovers office for many years, an obvious example to those who thumbed their nose at the FBI.
I'm still waiting for Campbells FBI record and scheming to get his police record from Oklahoma City PD. Once you start it never seems to end... And I'm currently researching 4 more characters from the FBI
ElmerKeith
Member
Originally posted by merlindrb:
Thank you Elmer. Many of the items came with the guns, piece by piece you might say - I bought 5 of them in all from 2 different sources. I got his original 1930 handcuffs, original holsters (all of them) and photos/files.
I've since done much more research and found references to him in numerous works on the 1930's gangster era. Books about Oklahoma and the Tri-State gangsters (like Bonny & Clyde, Dillinger, Nelson and so on) are readily available through Amazon.
Perhaps most interesting has been information from old newsapers (researched through archives), old magazines (buy them from Ebay) and from information provided by ex-FBI agents from their own archives. As an example - recently I've been informed that it's very likely Campbell was given the job of carrying Dillingers straw hat, .380 Colt semi-auto and cigar (all taken from his corpse) back to Hoover in Washington. They were displayed outside Hoovers office for many years, an obvious example to those who thumbed their nose at the FBI.
I'm still waiting for Campbells FBI record and scheming to get his police record from Oklahoma City PD. Once you start it never seems to end... And I'm currently researching 4 more characters from the FBI
Thank you, Dave. Are these mentioned 4 more characters well known or are these the unknown policemen who are living in the shadow of an Elliot Ness?
Do you have access to the FBI archives in Washington DC?
ElmerKeith
Member
After watching your pictures again especially of the holster I wonder if or why not there is a hammer thong or something like that to keep the gun in its holster while running or jumping. How did he fix his gun in the Myres holster. I think they didn't know anything about retention levels in those days.
When was the 44HE goldplated? After retirement or when the gun was still on duty?
When was the 44HE goldplated? After retirement or when the gun was still on duty?
feralmerril
Absent Comrade
In those days why run and chase? Just shoot!
Jim Kuykendall
Member
The fit and finish of any of these holsters is designed for just one revolver. There is no play or movement of the firearm. Each holster is moulded in a wet state to the frame/cylinder of the revolver. Gordon Liddy has a good description of the process in his book, WILL.I hope to follow-up with some pictures of this fit shortly.
OP
merlindrb
Member
ELMER - I'm afraid I don't have direct access to the FBI achives. Only the the FOI Act like everyone else. The problem is that the FBI went through a dramatic paper reduction exercise some years ago and many of the personel records have been much abbreviated.
The other FBI SA's guns that I own include
- F.C.McGeary, another of the original untouchables based out of NYC
- Birch O'Neal who went from the FBI into the CIA and finally retired as Deputy Director Counter-Intelligence having carried his RM on duty for over 30 years
- Daniel O'Cornor from Chatanooga TN - nothing else known
- George Fitch of New Haven CT, who I'm told was a well known local figure, but I haven't chased his info down yet.
I also have SA Mahan's gun, purchased from his son. Unfortunately he only served 4 years before retiring into legal practice in 1945, so it's unlikely this one will take much research.
Re the holster, SD Myres made them with and without the safety straps - I've got the pre-war catalogs showing his 'Tom Threepersons' holsters with both options. Campbell preferred the 'without' style, as did his fellow ex-OK City PD colleague Jelly Bryce - the deadliest FBI man on record.
Campbells SD Myres holster fits his two pre-war magnum guns just like a glove, holding the guns very firmly in place. I have several other SD Myres holsters and they all do the same job without straps.
The other FBI SA's guns that I own include
- F.C.McGeary, another of the original untouchables based out of NYC
- Birch O'Neal who went from the FBI into the CIA and finally retired as Deputy Director Counter-Intelligence having carried his RM on duty for over 30 years
- Daniel O'Cornor from Chatanooga TN - nothing else known
- George Fitch of New Haven CT, who I'm told was a well known local figure, but I haven't chased his info down yet.
I also have SA Mahan's gun, purchased from his son. Unfortunately he only served 4 years before retiring into legal practice in 1945, so it's unlikely this one will take much research.
Re the holster, SD Myres made them with and without the safety straps - I've got the pre-war catalogs showing his 'Tom Threepersons' holsters with both options. Campbell preferred the 'without' style, as did his fellow ex-OK City PD colleague Jelly Bryce - the deadliest FBI man on record.
Campbells SD Myres holster fits his two pre-war magnum guns just like a glove, holding the guns very firmly in place. I have several other SD Myres holsters and they all do the same job without straps.
I know I am late to this party, but the pictures and history here are great! I am going to replicate the holster for my new Model 22!
Big Rich
Member
Cool picture, Dave. I really like the historical stuff, and you've got the actual gun and holster. Imagine the stories they could tell if they could talk.
OP
merlindrb
Member
Thank you the comments guys.
Rich - if these items could talk we'd be doing the high $ lecture circuit.
An update to the research on Campbell for anyone who's interested. It appears Jerry Campbell and a rookie FBI agent arrested Dock Barker in Chicago. Campbell was credited with the arrest. Dock was the leader of the Barker-Karpis kidnapping and bank robbery gang, and son of Ma Barker - made infamous by J.Edgar Hoover. When they searched Dock back in the FBI offices they found a map of northern Florida with a circle drawn around an area south of Ocala. The next day Campbell and other "designated shooters" flew down to Florida and checked out rental properties in the area. They quickly found the hideout of Fred and Ma Barker. At dawn the next day they attempted to arrest the pair but both were killed in the shoot-out that followed. At the arrest of Doc and the death of Ma and Fred Campbell was carrying his Wolf & Klar S&W .44 Special - pictured earlier in this post - although it wasn't gold washed at that time.
Rich - if these items could talk we'd be doing the high $ lecture circuit.
An update to the research on Campbell for anyone who's interested. It appears Jerry Campbell and a rookie FBI agent arrested Dock Barker in Chicago. Campbell was credited with the arrest. Dock was the leader of the Barker-Karpis kidnapping and bank robbery gang, and son of Ma Barker - made infamous by J.Edgar Hoover. When they searched Dock back in the FBI offices they found a map of northern Florida with a circle drawn around an area south of Ocala. The next day Campbell and other "designated shooters" flew down to Florida and checked out rental properties in the area. They quickly found the hideout of Fred and Ma Barker. At dawn the next day they attempted to arrest the pair but both were killed in the shoot-out that followed. At the arrest of Doc and the death of Ma and Fred Campbell was carrying his Wolf & Klar S&W .44 Special - pictured earlier in this post - although it wasn't gold washed at that time.
Dave, you're back from the dead!!
Great info, I love the history that goes with old guns.
Great info, I love the history that goes with old guns.
Thanks for these great lessons in history! Keep them coming!
OP
merlindrb
Member
Someone emailed me and asked if this post was still on the system. Here it is again...
DWFAN
US Veteran
Worth bringing back.
DW
DW
Thanks for bringing it back Dave. When I looked at it again I was a little saddened as I thought of times gone by. Not the times represented by SA Campbell...but the group we had here in 2005. I miss the guys who were here then but don't/can't post here anymore.
Time marches on.
Bob
Time marches on.
Bob
