S&W letter doesn't always bring good news (pic)...

[canoeguy]

I bought a Post War M&P a few months ago, a "C" prefix serial number revolver with a six inch barrel. Got it at a gun show for $250, which I thought was a good price, the kicker was it had an odd marking on the butt near the serial number, electro pencil etched "USAF 249". Since I collect Military and Police marked revolvers, thought this one would fit right in to my collection.

The seller made no claim that the marking was original, or that this was an Air Force revolver, so I took a chance hoping that it would authenticate as a USAF gun. Sent for a Smith and Wesson Letter, and found the revolver shipped to a harware store in Los Angeles, February 1951. In the letter, Roy opined that the marking was fake, as the Air Force got thier revolvers direct from Smith and Wesson, not through hardware stores...

Thats the bad news, the good news is the revolver shoots like a dream! Very accurate, smooth trigger, some honest wear so you don't feel guilty shooting it. I picked up an older Hunter holster for it, so it accompanies me on hiking trips, in the Spring it will go in my dry box in the canoe...

Here's a pic:

I suppose the "USAF" marking could have been applied by a an Air Force armorer if the revolver had been brought into the armory, say as evidence in a case or something, but anything like that is merely speculation, so it's value is that of a shooter now, and that it does well!

 

[canoeguy]

I bought a Post War M&P a few months ago, a "C" prefix serial number revolver with a six inch barrel. Got it at a gun show for $250, which I thought was a good price, the kicker was it had an odd marking on the butt near the serial number, electro pencil etched "USAF 249". Since I collect Military and Police marked revolvers, thought this one would fit right in to my collection.

The seller made no claim that the marking was original, or that this was an Air Force revolver, so I took a chance hoping that it would authenticate as a USAF gun. Sent for a Smith and Wesson Letter, and found the revolver shipped to a harware store in Los Angeles, February 1951. In the letter, Roy opined that the marking was fake, as the Air Force got thier revolvers direct from Smith and Wesson, not through hardware stores...

Thats the bad news, the good news is the revolver shoots like a dream! Very accurate, smooth trigger, some honest wear so you don't feel guilty shooting it. I picked up an older Hunter holster for it, so it accompanies me on hiking trips, in the Spring it will go in my dry box in the canoe...

Here's a pic:

I suppose the "USAF" marking could have been applied by a an Air Force armorer if the revolver had been brought into the armory, say as evidence in a case or something, but anything like that is merely speculation, so it's value is that of a shooter now, and that it does well!

 

[boneman]

I think it's still a fine looking revolver and it seems like a pretty fair price. Thanks for the pic's. Larry

 

[opoefc]

Canoe Guy, You may still have an Air Force gun. I was in the Army in Calif. at Fort Irwin, north of Barstow in Death Valley in 1950-51 period. Army units had funds available for purchase of recreational equipment for use by the troops and I did a survey of my troopers to see what they wanted. Since we were in Death Valley, where many forms of wildlife were around, they wanted wanted sporting arms for weekend use hunting rabbits, dove, quail, varmints, as well as recreational target plinking, etc. I went to a sporting goods store in Barstow and bought several handguns, rifles & shotguns for recreational uses. I had them marked with an electric pencil with our unit name and US Army. Those guns will not letter as military shipment, of course, but were military property never the less. I can well believe that Air Force bases also had the same situations and could have bought firearms for recreational purposes , and also marked them with some designation to indicate Air Force property.

 

[canoeguy]

Opoefc,

Thanks for the comment! I also remember when I was stationed in Adak, Alaska, with the Navy, we could go to the armory and check out hunting rifles to hunt Caribou with, Plain Jane, generic Remington sporting rifles, so it is not out of the question this revolver spent some time in an Air Force armory.

Wish I knew the whole story...

 

[Texas Star]

Also, USAF bases have bought guns for aircrew and others with unit funds, especially where there were shortages, or the men expressed a strong preference for something other than the issue sidearms.

I read somewhere that one fighter squadron deployed to Iraq bought Glock 19's, because pilots felt the Beretta M-9 was too big for comfort.

But proving it is anything but a fake will be difficult.

 

[sculbert1]

Originally posted by canoeguy:
Opoefc,

Thanks for the comment! I also remember when I was stationed in Adak, Alaska, with the Navy, we could go to the armory and check out hunting rifles to hunt Caribou with, Plain Jane, generic Remington sporting rifles, so it is not out of the question this revolver spent some time in an Air Force armory.

Wish I knew the whole story...

I have a M&P that I had lettered and it shipped to an L.A. Hardware store in the 50's. Yours wouldn't have happened to ship to Union Hardware Company would it? That's where mine shipped to in '55.

 

[JayCeeNC]

For your $250 you got a nice shooter and a real conversation piece with the unusual markings. I'd say you invested well!

 

[semperfi71]

In 1974 the base Special services at MCAS Yuma had pre-64 M70 rifles for recreational use by senior staff NCOs and officers. Wouldn't let us lowly enlisted men check them out.

 

[j38]

I wouldn't feel bad at all about spending $250 for that gun. That a little bit of mystery remains isn't all bad either.

Regards,

Jerry

 

[freightdog]

I have a very similar gun and was lettered to have gone to a hardware store as well. I will have to pull the letter and check but think it was in Ill.

 

[canoeguy]

Sculbert,

The hardware store this revolver shipped to was Hoffman Hardware Company, Los Angeles, Ca. Shipped February 27, 1951.

Your responses are making me feel much better about this revolver, I think I will go ahead and find a USAF patch to go along with it.

Another interesting story of guns being purchased outside the supply system: When the Navy unit I was in (VF-142) was getting ready to deploy in 1994, our aircrews had no pistols to take on deployment with us. They had a bunch of revolvers that were worn out, and needed to be replaced. No one had any handguns to equip the unit, so someone in the supply chain went out and purchased 10 or so brand new Springfield Armory 1911 pistols, commercial pistols made by the civilian company. I am sure they would never letter as Navy guns, but our aircrews used them throughout that deployment.

 

[MDaly]

The 249th Airlift Squadron was stationed at Elmonorf Air Base in Alaska about that time.

MD

 

[EQGuy]

Originally posted by canoeguy:
Opoefc,

Thanks for the comment! I also remember when I was stationed in Adak, Alaska, with the Navy, we could go to the armory and check out hunting rifles to hunt Caribou with, Plain Jane, generic Remington sporting rifles, so it is not out of the question this revolver spent some time in an Air Force armory.

Wish I knew the whole story...

Adak, the garden spot of the north Pacific! When were you stationed there? Were you there when the guy went berserk and tryed to chop down the Adak National Forest? I spent a couple of months up there in 1975 installing seismographs on Adak, Great Sitkin, Tanaga and Kanaga Islands. I remember flying over Tanaga Island and seeing an abandoned airforce base with trucks parked across the runway so enemy planes could not land there. I sure was glad I could leave after a few weeks though.

 

[Chubbs103]

Another interesting story of guns being purchased outside the supply system: When the Navy unit I was in (VF-142) was getting ready to deploy in 1994, our aircrews had no pistols to take on deployment with us. They had a bunch of revolvers that were worn out, and needed to be replaced. No one had any handguns to equip the unit, so someone in the supply chain went out and purchased 10 or so brand new Springfield Armory 1911 pistols, commercial pistols made by the civilian company. I am sure they would never letter as Navy guns, but our aircrews used them throughout that deployment.

Not to hijack, but you might be glad to know the Pukin' Dogs are still doing well. I work with them daily. Of course the Navy is back to issuing their pistols though.

 

[canoeguy]

EQGuy,

I deployed to Adak in 1984, 1986 and 1989 with VP-48, a P-3 Orion Patrol Plane squadron. No none tried to cut down the Adak National Forest while I was there, but I guess a determined guy with a chain saw could probably do it in about half an hour. We had plenty of guys go crazy in other ways, drinking Absinthe and tearing the Birchwood BEQ apart, losing thier mind and fighting over the few women on the island, and all of the other crazy stuff that goes with deploying to one of the windiest, coldest, rainiest places on the planet! If you want to see some sad buildings, google "Adak, Alaska" and see what is left since the Navy abandoned the place...

Chubbs103,

I had the pleasure of deploying with VF-143 as our sister squadron twice, once with VF-142 in 1994, and again with VF-11 in 2000, aboard the Dwight D. Eisenhower. Then, both squadrons flew F-14's now everyone has F-18's, a jet that is much easier to maintain. We always had a good rapport with the "Puking Dogs", even though we always kicked thier ass in beating thier jets to the cats, more jets in the air, etc.

I miss my time in the Navy, overall, the best thing I have ever done in my life. My employment since retiring has been no where near as rewarding..