Helpful Hints

[DARE]

Wondering about the age of this. One line reads:
S&W 4/56 60M Printed in USA.
So probably printed April, 1956?

 

[Mbrgr1]

Wondering about the age of this. One line reads:
S&W 4/56 60M Printed in USA.
So probably printed April, 1956?

There is one in the box that came with a 32 Reg Police shipped in 1951, same thing but no date on it.

 

[22hipower]

This one is a little different (see police officer's photo for example), but basically the same "helpful hints." This one was/is in a M&P box from 1923; no date on it.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

https://flic.kr/p/2n8Rvaz https://www.flickr.com/photos/194934231@N03/

https://flic.kr/p/2n8L1if https://www.flickr.com/photos/194934231@N03/

 

[sweetwilly45]

Hints

Dave..
I have the same in the box with my "Highway Patrolman", but have no date. Don't have a letter yet so have no idea when shipped.
Bill

 

[RKmesa]

S&W 4/56 60M Printed in USA. So probably printed April, 1956?

This one is a little different (see police officer's photo for example), but basically the same "helpful hints." This one was/is in a M&P box from 1923; no date on it.

https://flic.kr/p/2n8Rvaz https://www.flickr.com/photos/194934231@N03/

Another difference (besides the police officer in the photo) in the pre-war vs the post-war HH is the pre-war hammer block on the side plate detail in the pre-war HH vs the separate hammer block in the post-war diagram.

Some time back, I remember seeing a thread with photos of many of the Helpful Hints through the years... found it - here's the link:

Helpful Hints Pamphlet Variations

 

[DARE]

Thanks, Richard.
I see that there are several variations of the pamphlet.
Did not see dates on any of the other examples.
Think mine is one of the later examples. I think the 4/56 is a date so mine was printed in April, 1956.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

The man in the Post War Helpful Hints pamphlet is Smith & Wesson's Captain of the Guards, Harold DeVine. I have two of his guns, a single shot (Club Gun) and the .38 M&P he carried while Captain. I also have his summer hat with the Captain's badge and his United States Army appointment, appointing him as a Captain in the U S Army, stationed at Smith & Wesson.

 

[DWalt]

The hammer spur shape (fish hook style) in the illustration dates it from being after 1947. 4/56 probably indicates when that booklet style was adopted, or it could also be the date it was printed.