You ever think you kind of know something only to find out that maybe you don't and then when you attempt to dig deeper you kind of find out maybe a trusted source is possibly confused also?!
The ubiquitous Model 41 (and to a lesser extent, the 46), I knew these pistols had been built in Houlton, Maine, but I had been under the impression that 41 production was moved there some time in the early 2000's... or possibly the very late 1990's.
Well, the SCSW 4th literally says that Model 41 production was moved to Houlton, ME in 1957.
And a fast web search tells me that S&W opened that facility in Houlton, Maine in 1966.
Whole lot of things are not adding up.
On top of this... every 41/46 that I've ever seen before the early 2000's says Springfield, Mass on it. It's only the more modern 41's I've seen that actually say Houlton, ME on them. This is no solid reference because I'm simply going from memory.
I only own one example of a 41 and mine was built in 1991 and it says Springfield, Mass on it.
I recall seeing Houlton, ME stamped on some 422/622/2206 guns but my memory tells me that only the latest examples of these were so marked, and these guns were out of production by 1996 I think. The tiny ones (2213, 2214) were made a few years after.
What about the original rimfire, the Model 61 Escort, where was that made?
What other guns were made in Houlton, ME? I have seen a rare few extremely late production 3rd Gens marked with this location, but those are very few in number also.
Smith & Wesson was never in the business of keeping fantastic notes and information and making it available to collectors and fans, but we still find this stuff interesting.
Who knows lots of information about the production history of the facility in Houlton?
The ubiquitous Model 41 (and to a lesser extent, the 46), I knew these pistols had been built in Houlton, Maine, but I had been under the impression that 41 production was moved there some time in the early 2000's... or possibly the very late 1990's.
Well, the SCSW 4th literally says that Model 41 production was moved to Houlton, ME in 1957.
And a fast web search tells me that S&W opened that facility in Houlton, Maine in 1966.Whole lot of things are not adding up.
On top of this... every 41/46 that I've ever seen before the early 2000's says Springfield, Mass on it. It's only the more modern 41's I've seen that actually say Houlton, ME on them. This is no solid reference because I'm simply going from memory.
I only own one example of a 41 and mine was built in 1991 and it says Springfield, Mass on it.
I recall seeing Houlton, ME stamped on some 422/622/2206 guns but my memory tells me that only the latest examples of these were so marked, and these guns were out of production by 1996 I think. The tiny ones (2213, 2214) were made a few years after.
What about the original rimfire, the Model 61 Escort, where was that made?
What other guns were made in Houlton, ME? I have seen a rare few extremely late production 3rd Gens marked with this location, but those are very few in number also.
Smith & Wesson was never in the business of keeping fantastic notes and information and making it available to collectors and fans, but we still find this stuff interesting.
Who knows lots of information about the production history of the facility in Houlton?
