Letter of authenticity - missed the cut!

Lee, you know what is, at least to me, is as good as a letter? When someone leaves the receipt in the box with the gun. Tells me more than a letter would with the exception of the distributer. At that point I have all kinds of provenance and history with that gun. I'm finding a lot of 60's and 70's guns that are pristine in the box with that receipt in the bottom.
 
Originally posted by jjones33:
Lee, you know what is, at least to me, is as good as a letter? When someone leaves the receipt in the box with the gun. Tells me more than a letter would with the exception of the distributer. At that point I have all kinds of provenance and history with that gun. I'm finding a lot of 60's and 70's guns that are pristine in the box with that receipt in the bottom.
Click to expand...

I agree with Ted on the provenance. 2 years ago I bought a 99%+ Model 28-2 at an auction, that had everything with it in the box, including the original sales receipt, AND, it also had the original cancelled check that the original buyer used to pay for the gun.
 
it also had the original cancelled check that the original buyer used to pay for the gun.
Click to expand...
I bet you deposited it to try and get some of your money back......
icon_rolleyes.gif
 
Originally posted by handejector:
it also had the original cancelled check that the original buyer used to pay for the gun.
Click to expand...
I bet you deposited it to try and get some of your money back......
icon_rolleyes.gif
Click to expand...

As a matter of fact I did. I am used it to buy my plane ticket to Tulsa. There is even a little bit left over. I'll be able to treat you to a small coffee at the show.
icon_biggrin.gif
 
Funny how Ruger will tell you over the phone and send you a letter free.
 
I agree a letter is free from Ruger, But .... You get absolutely no detail of any substance from them. A ship date is all you get along with the model number. They have only to go back to the 50's also. While S&W has a little more history and the Total Volume of guns produced is considerably more.

Dan
 
Originally posted by Andy Griffith:
Originally posted by jjones33:
Originally posted by handejector:
Originally posted by Gary:
A big part of the problem is that a lot of people want a letter for every S&W that they buy and are willing to pay for them. This means that a lot of time is spent sending letters letting people know which distributor their 625 was sent to in 2003. This delays processing the letter requests for the older guns which may have historical significance. Perhaps the price increase will help.
Click to expand...
Better get your steel pot and flak vest out- you're gonna draw fire with that one.....
icon_biggrin.gif
Click to expand...

I don't letter even older guns when I know that it will come back as shipped to Springfield Armory or shipped to this and that distributer. If I have no feeling that it wasn't sent as a PD gun, a Victory, etc. why waste my money and his time. I'm afraid I agree with Gary. Who gives a rat's tail that someones model 29 was shipped to Lew Horton. I've paid for my share of letters and none has not proven to be pedestrian as I pick and choose which guns to have checked.
Click to expand...

I have to agree with the above posters.
However, if a person has a reason to letter a recent manufacture firearm- by all means do it.
For instance, if a gun was sent directly from the factory to a dealer with a special "C/O" or "Attention to:" that will show up on the letter as being shipped to a certain famous/historical person...such as a country singer, statesman, etc., I think the letter is well worth it.

That is, of course, if you have the $50.00 to send in for the letter.

Let's see...for the price of ten letters, you could get a very nice pre-war something.
For the price of 20 letters, you could have a nearly a down payment on a Registered Magnum.
icon_wink.gif
Click to expand...

Saying that people who letter recently manufactured, mundane or otherwise "regular" guns are part of the back-log problem sounds a little like an "elitist" attitude don't you think?
 
Originally posted by handejector:
Originally posted by Gary:
A big part of the problem is that a lot of people want a letter for every S&W that they buy and are willing to pay for them. This means that a lot of time is spent sending letters letting people know which distributor their 625 was sent to in 2003. This delays processing the letter requests for the older guns which may have historical significance. Perhaps the price increase will help.
Click to expand...
Better get your steel pot and flak vest out- you're gonna draw fire with that one.....
icon_biggrin.gif
Click to expand...

I'll take the point for this stretch of trail.

I think it ought to be $100. Maybe at that rate, they could afford to hire a helper. I think it's worth it. And it is good to discourage trivial requests.

I don't have my steel pot and flak vest on, but I've got a thick skin.
 
Originally posted by glypnir:
Originally posted by handejector:
Originally posted by Gary:
A big part of the problem is that a lot of people want a letter for every S&W that they buy and are willing to pay for them. This means that a lot of time is spent sending letters letting people know which distributor their 625 was sent to in 2003. This delays processing the letter requests for the older guns which may have historical significance. Perhaps the price increase will help.
Click to expand...
Better get your steel pot and flak vest out- you're gonna draw fire with that one.....
icon_biggrin.gif
Click to expand...

I'll take the point for this stretch of trail.

I think it ought to be $100. Maybe at that rate, they could afford to hire a helper. I think it's worth it. And it is good to discourage trivial requests.

I don't have my steel pot and flak vest on, but I've got a thick skin.
Click to expand...

Trivial requests?

So if a first time gun owner (who bought a S&W revolver for example) wants to get a letter on his gun, you're going to tell him not to do it because it would be a trivial request?
 
It seems to me this is pretty straightforward. Regardless of age, all S&W letters have the same information, ie, general backround, where shipped, date and original configuration. On rare occassions, Mr. Jinks can add a little additional info. Neither S&W nor Roy Jinks, who BTW are the only people involved whose opinion matters, place any limitations on what age guns can be lettered. It thus follows that a person has a perfect right to letter any gun they want.

It matters not what the Gladys Kravitz's of the S&WCA or collecting community at large think. It is what it is...deal with it.

Bob
 
I know I'm swimming against the tide, but here it goes.

It was the easiest $30.00 S&W could ever hope to make, and good PR. Why should S&W or anyone else care what vintage gun people want to letter. I imagine the bean counters work pretty hard at the bottom line and price points on all their products, it's easy money! They should be more customer friendly and have better and quicker service for factory letters. Sending un-cashed checks back because they are behind in their advertised service? That's poor customer relations.

I appreciate that Mr. Jinks is a fine man and very available and approachable, that however doesn't relieve S&W of poor service.

Emory
 
I've followed this thread and there seems to be three approaches in the mix:

1. I collect old S&W's. How dare you get in line in front of me with that mundane, POS newer S&W. I have no patience; I don't want to wait 8 to 16 weeks; I want it NOW! Get out of my way! Mommy, make 'em move out of the way. Mommy! Mommy! Make 'em move!
icon_mad.gif


2. I have newer S&W's and I want a letter, cheap and fast. How dare they go up in price to 1/2 of what Colt charges and place a moritorium on accepting any new requests for a couple of months. And, on top of that, once I send in my $50 request in October, it's still going to take 8-12 week. This ain't fair, my S&W ain't worth enough to justify a whole $50.00, especially if I have to wait.
icon_frown.gif


3. Whatever. $30 was quite cheap and led me to requests letters on just about everything. Now, it will be $50, which is still more than fair, which will lead me to be more discriminating in my requests. As for the wait, it is what it is. My mother and teachers in school taught me that when waiting in line be patient, wait your turn, and shut up. Seems simple . . .
icon_smile.gif
 
I think the point that most folks miss is that issuing letters on S&W's from 1900 doesn't really affect the current company bottom line. They are in the business to produce and sell modern firearms. Yes, there is the customer service aspect, but remember, S&W does not own the factory records. Roy Jinks purchased the records from the Wesson family. They were in storage and the family was no longer interested in paying the storage fees since they no longer owned the company. Without Roy Jinks and his records, there would not be factory letters. Not sure how many of you are in business, but doing research and issuing and mailing a one or two page typed letter for $50 is pretty cheap.
 
I wish a letter was $30, but understand why it is $50.00. What I really worry about is what will happen when Roy is no longer willing/able to provide this service, and what may happen to these records. Information that a 1974 model 19 was sent to some wholesaler is pretty trivial, but there is some real history to some of these guns.
 
Mr. Jinks told me in a SHOT Show visit that the State Library will get the records when he cannot do it anymore. What do you suppose the cost will be then?
 
I have some old Smith's aad some new one's, but I need to know who died and made you GOD TO SAY WHO OR HOW MANY LETTERS one can get on a new gun. If I buy a new one that Lew Horton had made and only 250 was made, I what a letter for it for 10 years down the road. So being self cented as you are, you can blow it out your ***.
 
I would be curious how many of these Mr. Jinks does per day, and how organized the records are.

I do have a question a bit off (brand)topic. I think, one of the best things about these letters, is knowing to whom the S&W was originally sent, especially early on, when they were mostly sent to hardware stores, etc. before distributors, rather than individuals, really took over the business of dealing directly with the company.

Unfortunately, as far as I know with regards to the Cody Museum and the Marlin and Winchester records, they do not provide a destination for the rifles with their letters. Does anyone know why? Certainly these companies must have kept records of where they sent their products years ago.
 
I will still letter any of the older Smiths I find. I lettered my military Victory and very glad I did as it turned out to be an OSS gun. I also lettered the 10-13 just because of how few of them were made. The rest of the older ones just because I can and they are all interesting in their own way.

Thank you Mr. Jinks for this great service. Fifty dollars is still a bargain.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top