What a thing of beauty to behold! Thanks for the pics,
Jerry
Jerry
FBI Non-Reg Magnum
- Thread starter 29-1
- Start date
OP
Actually, an FBI shipped Registered/non-Registered magnum is considered a premium piece and will cost more. How much more I really don't know and will leave that to the real pre-war mag collectors on this forum to say.
Chuck
BruceHMX
Member
Very nice Chuck. Good to see that one again. Lonegun let's break it down like this. I have owned both FBI and Kansas City Reg Mag's. In my mind they are both nice and highly collectable. But you realize Jimmie Stewart didn't play a Kansas City cop but FBI in the FBI story. The tv show in the 60's was the FBI not the Kansas City PD. Plus the FBI received fewer of these than a mass contract of KCPD guns. Plus there are documented cases of FBI agents taking down bad guys during the pre-war years with these guns. Once again not to play down KCPD guns I've had some nice ones. Enjoy your KCPD gun. I know I did mine.
handejector
Staff member
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Chuck,
That is a fabulous gun.
You better give her badge back! If you don't, please sell tickets to the fight. I wanna see that one!
To say that they lacked the skill of the factory workmen is a gross understatement.
So, the CONDITION of the KC guns is what affects their value adversely.
That is a fabulous gun.
You better give her badge back! If you don't, please sell tickets to the fight. I wanna see that one!
That is not actually the case. Most of the KC guns were refinished by the KCPD armorer at least once, often twice, and possibly 3 times for some. Basically, every time one was turned in by an officer leaving the dept, it was refinished before reissue. There have been threads here about that with pics of them working on the guns.
To say that they lacked the skill of the factory workmen is a gross understatement.
So, the CONDITION of the KC guns is what affects their value adversely.
This is Registered Magnum 1419 shipped to a F.B.I. agent in 1936. In 1939 the owner requested S&W install a ramp front sight and humback hammer but objected to the price of the front sight and only opted for the humpback hammer. The gun only show a work date on grip of 3-48 not the 1939 date for the humpback hammer. The rework information was in letters between the owner and S&W service department uncovered by Bill Cross seaching through documents scanned for S&W HISTORICAL.
The humpback hammer has since been replaced.
The grips were crafted by Keith Brown.
The humpback hammer has since been replaced.
The grips were crafted by Keith Brown.
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medxam
US Veteran
If ever there was a birthday gun for me, a 1940 collector, that would be it, though I am sure that I would have to sell my plantation to get it out of your cold, moldy, dead hand. Maybe your estate would be kinder to me!
Fantastic gun! My favorite barrel length and the provenance is outstanding. Many thanks for sharing it with us. My only problem would be that I would want to shoot the hell out of it (only with .38 Sp. in respect for it's age and mine) but I am sure that the gun would love to eat some more .357's.
medxam
Fantastic gun! My favorite barrel length and the provenance is outstanding. Many thanks for sharing it with us. My only problem would be that I would want to shoot the hell out of it (only with .38 Sp. in respect for it's age and mine) but I am sure that the gun would love to eat some more .357's.
medxam
Jim Kuykendall
Member
Great firearm and the shield has a nice shine. Does it,the shield, have a number?
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The FBI badge should be numbered on the reverse side if it is an issued badge. Mine was 98xx, issued in '86. The badge number is for tracking/inventory only. Credential numbers are used for ID purposes.
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Jim Kuykendall
Member
I didn't mean to hijack the thread. Just curious to know the number. My dad carried # 937 from '39-61. It's my understanding that you may keep your shield or a copy when you retire now.
OP
Jim, I had to get the bride to give me the numbers. Her badge is stamped on the back with 19XXX, quite a few numbers after your dad. But she didn't start until after 2000 so you can get an idea of the number of agents that came and went since your father. He was an early agent for certain and was in service the same time the original owner of this revolver, SA Bice.
Chuck
Chuck
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I've got this one:
Its was a St Joseph, MO, PD gun:
that later became an FBI gun when I bought it and put it on my POW list.
If 61113 is out there it would be cool to get them all in one thread.
The S&W forum is great with so much historical information and a fun place to search. That is what I spent too much time doing on a Saturday when I came across the post above.
I have the same gun, two actually, consecutive serial number 61119 and 61120 and they have the same shipping date and destination as serial no 61115. Mine went to the St. Joseph Police Department.
They have an excellent old reblued finish and pearl grips.
Nice resurrection of a great thread, thanks.
Beautiful pair.
Beautiful pair.
. . . It was a St Joseph, MO, PD gun:
that later became an FBI gun when I bought it and put it on my POW list.
In the FWIW department . . . I'm pretty sure Wyeth Hardware was in St. Joseph and not St. Louis as indicated in the factory letter. I once had a 5" Heavy Duty that shipped there.
Russ
FBI Non-Reg Magnum shipped 3/7/1940 to an FBI agent in Seattle, WA. SA Bise was Hoover's Chief of Staff between 1940-1945.
Enjoy
Chuck
Outstanding photo's and history.
