My new USAF Model 56 .38 Special

[Slufstuff]

At $11k, I am sure they have a little wiggle room.
Next month when I am in the area, I'll stop by to take a look. I'll bring 35 crisp $100 bills.

I would hurt myself pulling out my wallet to buy that one for only $3,500, but I agree. If it has been on the market that long, the seller might be ready to negotiate.

 

[H P Bushrod]

Thanks for sharing the pics of M-56. I actually carried one of those on the range when I was a small arms instructor in the Air Force decades ago. We had a bunch of them that we qualified the aircrews with. I never thought those old guns would be that valuable. Hate to hear that most of them were destroyed. They were great shooters!

 

[Slufstuff]

For anybody interested, I received the S&W letter on the model 56. It was shipped on May 9, 1963 and was delivered to United States Air Force, Robins Air Force Base, Warner Robins GA. The order was for 861 Model 56's, letter confirms "U.S." stamp on back strap.

 

[Tom S.]

Several posts have been removed with links to auctions or ads - which is specifically prohibited by the rules!

 

[yugolovr]

That is a really cool revolver. Thanks for the education about it.

 

[Retired W4]

For anybody interested, I received the S&W letter on the model 56. It was shipped on May 9, 1963 and was delivered to United States Air Force, Robins Air Force Base, Warner Robins GA. The order was for 861 Model 56's, letter confirms "U.S." stamp on back strap.

Robins AFB was the repository for such things back then. You own a great piece of military side arm history that survived the stupidity exhibited by the U.S.A.F. DCM could have distributed those revolvers instead of DoD destroying them. Congratulations.

 

[MajorD]

In.and 7-45 I can think of 3 possible ways some USAF revolvers leaked into the civilian market:
1) the most likely in this case- traditionally even today, when an officer makes general, they are authorized to purchase and then own an issue pistol- over the years there have been the colt 32&380 autos, a standard M1911A1 or the short lived general officers M15 ( a shortened 1911A1 not the revolver) and in the Air Force during its era the issue revolvers. In modern times a M9 ( with a special G.O. Serial number prefix) and now the M17/18.
2) the feds had a loan program for police agencies where police departments can borrow basically free surplus military equipment - technically the program requires the police agency return the items once they are done with them, but it is easy to imagine a PD having several hundred revolvers , some of which were fed loaners, and when they get new guns the old ones sold off or traded in with the old loan stipulations long forgotten.
3) it is my understanding some of these could have been in possession of base rod and gun clubs and at some point, available for purchase by service members

Of course some could be the result of loss during training or combat and not immediately recovered and then found at a later date by someone outside the service