kwill1911
Member
This is from an old issue of The American Rifleman.
Post WWII Production
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Interesting article.
Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks for sharing it.
That's a great read, give a glimpse into that era. Thanks for sharing.
ordnanceguy
Member
That is very interesting, Kevin. Thanks for posting it.
S&W issued similar statements in the immediate aftermath of WW2. However, this article is dated January, 1951, more than 5 years after the end of WW2. It is rather surprising that in 1951 S&W was still experiencing difficulties in meeting demand for its products, especially since it had begun operating at the new S&W plant on Roosevelt Avenue that was state-of-the-art and capable of faster, more efficient production than the old plant.
S&W issued similar statements in the immediate aftermath of WW2. However, this article is dated January, 1951, more than 5 years after the end of WW2. It is rather surprising that in 1951 S&W was still experiencing difficulties in meeting demand for its products, especially since it had begun operating at the new S&W plant on Roosevelt Avenue that was state-of-the-art and capable of faster, more efficient production than the old plant.
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kwill1911
Member
My thoughts, exactly, Charlie. I didn't want to editorialize on the original posting but I, too, was surprised that more than 5 years after the end of the war S&W was still having "start-up" problems.
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So that was our Grandfathers' "shortage"...?
Interesting that the photo of the Chiefs Special shows pre war style service grips not magnas.
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Bob is the expert, but I do believe some very early Baby Chiefs came with the service style. Given the dating of the article and the lead times for printing in the old times, this would almost have to be a pre-production sample pictured. The K-frame round butts also shipped with this style of stocks into the 1950s.
Part of what is interesting in that article, published roughly 5 years after the war ended, is the models that are NOT mentioned. S&W had no difficulty cranking out the M&P. Shipments started in earnest in March, 1946. By 1951, more than 300,000 of them had shipped. Likewise, tens of thousands of K-22 Masterpiece revolvers had been shipped by the end of the decade of the '40s. Not to mention several thousand K-38 Masterpieces.
It would seem that attention was mostly given to high demand revolvers, which would have slowed production on other models, especially those mentioned in the article.
It would seem that attention was mostly given to high demand revolvers, which would have slowed production on other models, especially those mentioned in the article.
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It was tumultuous time for S&W with the new short action guns as Miller said and the new plant as Charlie said.
The new plant had only been completed in August, 1949, and S&W built it themselves. It is built in a 126 acre swamp that was filled with 1.1 million yards of dirt to raise the level 15 feet!
S&W did not hire architects or engineers because they could not afford them. There was not a general contractor per se: S&W built the plant with daywork labor provided by the Carlson Company. They paid as they went and obtained NO financing.
Their machinery and tooling was worn out and over two thousand machines had to be converted from belt drive to individual motors!
Meanwhile, the entire product line was being modernized with short actions, and ribs and micro click sights were added to all Target guns.
Let's summarize that period from VJ day to just about exactly four years later in Aug, 1949:
1- Filled a 126 acre swamp with over a million yards of dirt.
2- Built a 350,000 square foot plant with NO financing, no architects, and no outside engineering.
3- Converted over 2000 machines to run with motors instead of belt drive.
4- Modernized the entire product line and developed the Masterpiece lines, the 1950 N frames, and the J frame was in progress.
5- and still produced hundreds of thousands guns.
I think they were doing rather well!
There is no doubt in my mind that all this was only accomplished because of the leadership of Carl Hellstrom. Obviously a productive and truly amazing man. I wish I could have known him. I would especially liked to have had a few drinks with him.
True, the 357 Mag was a major milestone in handgun development.
True, the production achieved during WW II was astounding.
BUT, the models developed and produced between 1945 and 1955 set the standard that we still judge handguns by and, IMO, will never be surpassed.
On Miller's statement in this article, I'm kind of the opinion that he just more or less provided a copy of what the company had been saying since the War had ended.
I know he was assistant sales manager, but that just means his native tongue is "salesman". He ain't ever gonna be happy if there are not not trucks loaded with product ready to roll the next time he gets off the phone.
I think Hellstrom would have provided a much more positive view if he had been called upon.
Just to nitpick Miller a little more, this really caught my attention-
REALLY?
You guys help me out here-
Show me your Post War Transition 44-2nd Model Military*.
I'd really like to see your Post War Transition 44-2nd Model Target*.
While your digging them out, be sure and show us your Post War Transition 32 and 38 Safeties*. I really wanna see em.
*and yes, I know the 44-2nd was replaced in the 1941 catalog with the Model 1926 and only the 38 Safety is shown in the 1941 catalog, but I seriously doubt the 41 catalog ever got widely distributed because all civilian production was suspended after Dunkirk in May-June, 1940.
The new plant had only been completed in August, 1949, and S&W built it themselves. It is built in a 126 acre swamp that was filled with 1.1 million yards of dirt to raise the level 15 feet!
S&W did not hire architects or engineers because they could not afford them. There was not a general contractor per se: S&W built the plant with daywork labor provided by the Carlson Company. They paid as they went and obtained NO financing.
Their machinery and tooling was worn out and over two thousand machines had to be converted from belt drive to individual motors!
Meanwhile, the entire product line was being modernized with short actions, and ribs and micro click sights were added to all Target guns.
Let's summarize that period from VJ day to just about exactly four years later in Aug, 1949:
1- Filled a 126 acre swamp with over a million yards of dirt.
2- Built a 350,000 square foot plant with NO financing, no architects, and no outside engineering.
3- Converted over 2000 machines to run with motors instead of belt drive.
4- Modernized the entire product line and developed the Masterpiece lines, the 1950 N frames, and the J frame was in progress.
5- and still produced hundreds of thousands guns.
I think they were doing rather well!
There is no doubt in my mind that all this was only accomplished because of the leadership of Carl Hellstrom. Obviously a productive and truly amazing man. I wish I could have known him. I would especially liked to have had a few drinks with him.
True, the 357 Mag was a major milestone in handgun development.
True, the production achieved during WW II was astounding.
BUT, the models developed and produced between 1945 and 1955 set the standard that we still judge handguns by and, IMO, will never be surpassed.
On Miller's statement in this article, I'm kind of the opinion that he just more or less provided a copy of what the company had been saying since the War had ended.
I know he was assistant sales manager, but that just means his native tongue is "salesman". He ain't ever gonna be happy if there are not not trucks loaded with product ready to roll the next time he gets off the phone.
I think Hellstrom would have provided a much more positive view if he had been called upon.
Just to nitpick Miller a little more, this really caught my attention-
REALLY?
You guys help me out here-
Show me your Post War Transition 44-2nd Model Military*.
I'd really like to see your Post War Transition 44-2nd Model Target*.
While your digging them out, be sure and show us your Post War Transition 32 and 38 Safeties*. I really wanna see em.
*and yes, I know the 44-2nd was replaced in the 1941 catalog with the Model 1926 and only the 38 Safety is shown in the 1941 catalog, but I seriously doubt the 41 catalog ever got widely distributed because all civilian production was suspended after Dunkirk in May-June, 1940.
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Yes, it is interesting to see the old service grips, but early Chiefs Special production, and it seems not many, did ship with them.
Here is a picture of what may be near the last of them shipped with service grips - SN 101
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As Lee mentioned, it seems to be a salesman's wishful thinking (and perhaps trying to throw the competition off the trail) to state that every pre-war model would resume production, like the .32-20 M & P. 
Regarding the I frame .22s, not too long after this a few Kit Guns were being produced and shipped, but has anyone every seen a postwar transitional .22/32 Target? If so a photo would be nice to see.
Regarding the I frame .22s, not too long after this a few Kit Guns were being produced and shipped, but has anyone every seen a postwar transitional .22/32 Target? If so a photo would be nice to see.
#72, which shipped two months after the article was published, appears similar to the image in the article.
Also of note is the standard pre-war thumb piece that was replaced with the first flat latch. Unlike John's #101, #99 has magna grips but the same first flat latch.
These are examples of S&W using all the parts in inventory.
Finally I believe the photo in the OP's article is the same image in the attached pdf of an ad S&W took out in the December 1950 issue of The Police Chief, the official magazine of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Note the Smith & Wesson text and the caliber on the left side of the barrel.
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kwill1911
Member
Lee,
Thanks for providing the context. Very interesting.
Thanks for providing the context. Very interesting.
From what I can tell, S&W was cranking out LE back orders for long action N frame HD's and 1926 Model .44's from mid-1946 through 1949. A few OD's were shipped in 1946, too. Betchya that LE and civilian backorders were the bread and butter that paid for the factory expansion and modernization.
1946 examples: Washington State Patrol .44 3rd, a 44HE 3rd shipped to Oshman's in Houston, and an honest 38/44 HD. Not pictured (yet), is a 38/44 OD, S71261, shipped 11/4/46 to Portland, OR.
1946 examples: Washington State Patrol .44 3rd, a 44HE 3rd shipped to Oshman's in Houston, and an honest 38/44 HD. Not pictured (yet), is a 38/44 OD, S71261, shipped 11/4/46 to Portland, OR.
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Good info, Tom.
On the M&P, as far as we know the record indicates that the first postwar M&P shipment was also to Law Enforcement. In February, 1946, a batch was sent to the Cleveland Police Department. They had serial numbers in the S815xxx range.
On the M&P, as far as we know the record indicates that the first postwar M&P shipment was also to Law Enforcement. In February, 1946, a batch was sent to the Cleveland Police Department. They had serial numbers in the S815xxx range.
Walter Rego
Member
I love the line about the .38/44 HD being “produced spasmodically … “.
I think modern marketers would find a smoother-sounding way to indicate intermittent production
They probably meant to say "produced sporadically" but hired Norm Crosby to proofread their ad copy.
I think SW was using whatever was on hand at the time. I had 2 early post-war 2" M&P's with grips numbered to the guns. Both were round butt with service grips, one had pre-war style grips and the other post-war. I have noted the same on "commercial" Victory guns, some with pre-war and others with post-war Magna grips numbered to the guns. Grab what was on hand and ship the gun.
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This is what makes collecting 1946-1949 transitional S&W's fun.
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