Question on a break top

[epidoc]

I'm helping a friend evaluate a S&W breaktop he's being offered. The seller reports it is marked "Secret Service Special" on the frame. He believed this means it was a revolver used by the Secret Service. I've not heard of such a marking, and suspect it may be a marking gimick. Any comments would be appreciated.

 

[epidoc]

I'm helping a friend evaluate a S&W breaktop he's being offered. The seller reports it is marked "Secret Service Special" on the frame. He believed this means it was a revolver used by the Secret Service. I've not heard of such a marking, and suspect it may be a marking gimick. Any comments would be appreciated.

 

[deadin]

The 'Secret Service Special' is not a Smith.
It was made by either Iver Johnson or Meridian for a retailer in Chicago in the early 1900's.

 

[opoefc]

Dean is correct, it was made by Iver Johnson. It is marked " For .38 S&W Ctg. " and is not a S&W made gun. There is one currently listed for sale in the Pack and Postal Center ad in the "GunList" issue for Jan 21st, page 32, for $249. Ed.

 

[deadin]

There is one currently listed for sale in the Pack and Postal Center ad in the "GunList" issue for Jan 21st, page 32, for $249

$249?

Have I been sleeping or something?
Last time I looked these were about one step above a Saturday Night Special.

 

[opoefc]

Dean, The seller claims it's a rare variation of the Secret Service Special in that it has a frame mounted firing pin patented May 22, 1917, and is the hammerless model! Just think all these years you have been chasing S&Ws when you could have been buying the "Suicide Specials" for pennys and now selling them for big bucks! Ed.

 

[deadin]

Ed, I thought that all of the "SSS"'s were hammerless.
A patented frame mounted firing pin? Is that why S&W had to wait until 1931 to bring out the K22?

(Didn't patents run for 14 years in those days?) Glock seems to have waited until people just forgot about IJ's trigger mounted safety before bringing it out and claiming it as their own "innovative" idea.

 

[opoefc]

Dean, All the IJ SSSs I recall seeing were hammerless models. Maybe this seller is trying to fool somebody? - There must 100s of good gun ideas that have been copied by others over the centuries. I have no clue on why S&W waited until the 30s for frame mounted firing pins, but it probably wasn't because any patent that IJ may have had. The Wesson descendents patented lots of good ideas of their own and never used them in the guns, probably because the marketing people said "Don't bother -we can sell all we are making the old way" - Who knows? Ed.