Pre-29 Gopher Supply catalog/ article Police pricing!

[NT430]

Below are pictures of two dealer catalogs offered by Gopher Shooter's Supply of Fairbault, Mn.. They both include an announcement of the then new "Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum". Featured on the inside of the front cover is one of the first .44 Magnum revolvers.(reported to be S130938 - currently on display at the S&W Museum - courtesy of Chuck Odom (29-1)). Catalog #1 consists of 16 pages and was mailed to a Police Chief in Arkansas and includes a special Police Dept. pricing sheet and an ordering affidavit. Also pictures of the then new ".357 Combat Magnum."
Catalog #2 consists of 150 pages and indicates a price of $135 of the .44 Magnum revolver.

 

[NT430]

Below are pictures of two dealer catalogs offered by Gopher Shooter's Supply of Fairbault, Mn.. They both include an announcement of the then new "Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum". Featured on the inside of the front cover is one of the first .44 Magnum revolvers.(reported to be S130938 - currently on display at the S&W Museum - courtesy of Chuck Odom (29-1)). Catalog #1 consists of 16 pages and was mailed to a Police Chief in Arkansas and includes a special Police Dept. pricing sheet and an ordering affidavit. Also pictures of the then new ".357 Combat Magnum."
Catalog #2 consists of 150 pages and indicates a price of $135 of the .44 Magnum revolver.

 

[JayCeeNC]

Very cool, thanks for sharing.

 

[NT430]

JayCee: This is the link to Chuck Odom's post that tells the story of the picture above...
http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5301039...111009791#5111009791

 

[GB]

Back in the day. Gopher was the supplier of choice to those of us in the cop shops of the upper mid-west..I bought a ton of stuff from them in the 70s and they would sell at dealer cost to cops (you did need a dept. letter to get firearms and ammo) I bought all my reloading stuff and dozens of Pac. grips from them.. Another big player was Gil Herberd <sp? out of Knoville Ill.

 

[NT430]

GB: Gopher Shooter's Supply had a lot of influence not only with Smith & Wesson but with Winchester. They had commissioned an entire line of the Model 70's made "without" sights and are quite rare and sought after. In the Pre-64 collecting fraternity they're called "Gopher Specials."

 

[chillypepper]

friend of mine has a winchester 70 gopher speceal 257 roberts i think. and no its not for sale.

 

[NT430]

I shoot the .257 Roberts almost exclusively when hunting antelope and mule deer here in Wyoming. It's an outstanding cartridge! Mine is a 1950 Model 70 w/ Weaver 4x manufactured the week of my birthday! For elk, a .264 Win. Magnum Model 70. My "Gopher Special" a .243 collects dust...