s&w model 39

This could be a five digit serial number gun that may have been reworked,altered and refinished, for what ever reason. Perhaps Sal (Model3sw) is correct, however S&W would make you up a gun in almost any legal configuration there was, if you were a VIP LEO that the sales dep't wanted to impress. Get a letter from Roy Jinks. Ed.
 
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Tom S. said:
Joe, left click on his user name and then click on Visit Photo Album at the bottom of the menu that appears. His pictures are there.
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WOW Tom, I DID JUST AS YOU SAID......

THE M39 IS GORGEOUS, AND HIS PICTURES DO IT JUSTICE. I MUST APOLOGIZE AND GIVE KUDOS TO THE KID---THANKS TO YOU ! ! !
 
one eye joe said:
WELCOME TO THE FORUM, Kharmakid......

I'M AN OL' GEEZER THAT'S BEEN AROUND HERE FOR A MINUTE, SO I WILL ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PASS ON A TIP TO YOU. IF ADHERED TO, THIS WILL ENDEAR YOU TO THE FORUM AS A VALUABLE NEW MEMBER. IT IS AS FOLLOWS.....

WE LOVE GUN PORN ! ! ! THAT MEANS THAT WE SIT UP AND TAKE JOYFUL NOTICE OF POSTS ACCOMPANIED BY PHOTOS......

WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT MAY TAKE A WHILE TO MASTER THE TECHNOLOGY---BUT EVEN A COMPUTER NITWIT LIKE MYSELF, HAS LEARNED TO POST PICTURES. SO GIVE IT A TRY, AND DON'T BE AFRAID....

MEANWHILE, CONGRATS ON YOUR FINE SOUNDING M39. I CAN'T ACTUALLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, BUT THE NICKEL M39-2 IS MY FAVORITE S&W SEMI-AUTO PISTOL OF ALL TIME ! ! !
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WELL Kharmakid, IT APPEARS THAT I OWE YOU AN APOLOGY AND KUDOS ON YOUR DROP-DEAD GORGEOUS M39, AND YOUR GREAT PICS THAT ACTUALLY DO IT JUSTICE.......

THANKS TO INSTRUCTIONS BY OUR FELLOW FORUM MEMBER Tom S. I WAS ABLE TO VIEW YOUR PHOTOS. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW HE KNEW WHERE TO LOOK.....

IN ANY EVENT, ALLOW ME TO SUGGEST THAT IN THE FUTURE YOU SIMPLY POST YOUR PICS, BELOW THE TEXT OF YOUR POSTS---SO THAT EVEN COMPUTER NITWITS LIKE MYSELF, CAN READILY VIEW THEM.....
 
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opoefc said:
This is a five digit serial number gun that has been reworked,altered and refinished, for what ever reason. Sal (Model3sw) is correct. Ed.
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WHAT GUN ARE YOU REFERRING TO ? ? ?

IT CERTAINLY CANT BE Kharmakid's GORGEOUS M39 WITH THE 2 DIGIT SERIAL NUMBER....

IS THIS REPLY POSTED IN THE WRONG THREAD---WHAT AM I MISSING HERE ? ? ?
 
one eye joe said:
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WHAT GUN ARE YOU REFERRING TO ? ? ?

IT CERTAINLY CANT BE Kharmakid's GORGEOUS M39 WITH THE 2 DIGIT SERIAL NUMBER....

IS THIS REPLY POSTED IN THE WRONG THREAD---WHAT AM I MISSING HERE ? ? ?
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WELL SHAME ON THIS OL' GEEZER---IT TURNS OUT THAT THE PISTOL REFERRED TO IS IN ACTUALITY Kharmakid's M39 ! ! !

THIS IS GONNA GET REAL INTERESTING......
 
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Based on a previous post, this mod 39 has an altered Sn. and has been refinished. So the previous owner, a law enforcement officer and the present owner , a law enforcement officer, have and are in possession of an illegal gun? Am I correct?
 
gmborkovic said:
Based on a previous post, this mod 39 has an altered Sn. and has been refinished. So the previous owner, a law enforcement officer and the present owner , a law enforcement officer, have and are in possession of an illegal gun? Am I correct?
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IMHO---THAT JUST ABOUT SUMS IT UP......
 
I can remember when ISP here in Illinois used these pistols and there is a very good reasons why they moved to another handgun.
Steve
 
M39

Maybe im being optomistic about this pistol, but in nys it must be registered and placed on a nys pistol permit, if indeed it has been altered i feel bad for the family of the deceased trooper and i shall pass on the purchase. It will be unfortunate for the dealer who aquired it from the estate as well. That is the reason i came to this forum to find out the history and value,But either way i feel hopefull a letter will give an explanation,and i thank all for there input.
 
kharmakid, X-Ray the gun. That will tell you what was altered. If the test reveals the real serial number, restore it & the gun's legal Ed.
 
kharmakid said:
Maybe im being optomistic about this pistol, but in nys it must be registered and placed on a nys pistol permit, if indeed it has been altered i feel bad for the family of the deceased trooper and i shall pass on the purchase. It will be unfortunate for the dealer who aquired it from the estate as well. That is the reason i came to this forum to find out the history and value,But either way i feel hopefull a letter will give an explanation,and i thank all for there input.
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Retired NYC (not sure about NYS) Police Officers were (in the past) exempt from applying for a civilian carry permit.
 
opoefc said:
kharmakid, X-Ray the gun. That will tell you what was altered. If the test reveals the real serial number, restore it & the gun's legal Ed.
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NOW THAT SOUNDS LIKE A VIABLE PLAN ! ! !

I KNOW THAT THERE IS A PROCESS TO DO THAT, BUT I DID NOT REALIZE THAT IT IS MERELY A SIMPLE X-RAY. THE TECHNOLOGY IS USED TO UNCOVER THE REAL SERIAL NUMBERS ON STOLEN CARS AND MOTORCYCLES......
 
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BTW---IF 25 IS NOT THE ACTUAL SERIAL NUMBER, A REQUEST FOR A HISTORICAL LETTER, AT THIS STAGE OF THE INVESTIGATION, WILL BE A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY....
 
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M39

I know nyc laws are different than the rest of nys, when i left the pd i was required to have a nys pistol permit to carry a handgun,,im not even sure where the heck you would take a firearm to get x-rayed, i guess more research is needed on my end,
 
kharmakid said:
I know nyc laws are different than the rest of nys, when i left the pd i was required to have a nys pistol permit to carry a handgun,,im not even sure where the heck you would take a firearm to get x-rayed, i guess more research is needed on my end,
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Ed Cornett (opoefc) is a retired LEO and retired Gunsmith to the movie stars of Hollywood going back to the 1950s. Ed is precisely on point, if you really want to know. To me, the features, as shown, disqualify that it could have possibly been an original SN: 25 which I think is what you're trying to verify. If you need proof, one way or the other, this is the way to go. The other way is to chemically strip the finish, which you wouldn't want to do unless absolutely necessary.

I had thought to suggest the same type test (radiography or x-ray) but didn't think it was a solution you'd consider although the results will be conclusive and irrefutable.

A metallurgist will be able to answer that question of who could do it if he cannot. I work with a metallurgy lab in Davie, Florida. He tests automotive, aircraft and marine components for causation in component failure cases.

Naturally, I research auto components for causation on metal component failure cases but will work just as well on firearms. In Neal & Jinks (IIRC) there were a slew of "radiograph" images (x-rays) of S&Ws. Check for a accredited metallurgist near you.
 
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M39

Actually the thought of it being the original number did cross my mind,but was quickly dispelled as info began pouring in,,my thoughts then turned to that of a presentation piece given for service, the trooper spent 20 years in service with a 10 years as a senior firearms instructor,after that he was the president of the nysp historical division as well as a judge for a great many years,,i was of the opinion it was a custom numbered pistol,he was very well regarded in our community,,hence the interest in this pistol
 
kharmakid said:
Actually the thought of it being the original number did cross my mind,but was quickly dispelled as info began pouring in,,my thoughts then turned to that of a presentation piece given for service, the trooper spent 20 years in service with a 10 years as a senior firearms instructor,after that he was the president of the nysp historical division as well as a judge for a great many years,,i was of the opinion it was a custom numbered pistol,he was very well regarded in our community,,hence the interest in this pistol
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I'm of the educated opinion that it has been modified or customized seemingly only for the serial number as nothing else is unusual nor exotic, except his name engraved in the side. This was a gun he loved, I would think.

As it seems he was a revered local celebrity status LEO and judge the value in excess of a standard MODEL 39 would be to those who collect such items and likely worth more in that local area, but, still needs to be verified of "what" it is. To others, this would be a detraction form the standard value of an equal condition MODEL 39.

I don't feel this is work of S&W factory quality but you never know, it might be ! I don't think the letter from S&W will reveal anything monumental unless the work was done at S&W and would likely be sometime in the late 1960s or more recent (I think). This feels like a local quality gunsmith or more likely the PD armorer, may have modified this one.

What I can say, conclusively, it is not one of the fabled "missing links" of the pre-release serial numbers that were lower than the first commercial release of Serial Number: 1001.

The only few examples of those are X prefix, with 3 digits, on a variety of frame revisions (one, owned by Richard McMillan with a side access plate) but ALL without model number and all with the short duck tail frames.

I don't think it would be a difficult to have the frame X-Ray-ed. Find an accredited Metallurgist near you, ask him what he charges and ask him to do a few focal ranges, if possible, the first focused on the serial number area.

PS: Just give the metallurgist the frame only, with the stocks removed. Keep the complete slide assembly, slide stop and magazine home.
 
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kharmakid said:
Actually the thought of it being the original number did cross my mind,but was quickly dispelled as info began pouring in,,my thoughts then turned to that of a presentation piece given for service, the trooper spent 20 years in service with a 10 years as a senior firearms instructor,after that he was the president of the nysp historical division as well as a judge for a great many years,,i was of the opinion it was a custom numbered pistol,he was very well regarded in our community,,hence the interest in this pistol
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IMHO, THIS IS A VERY PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION, CHRIS.....

THE NO. 25 MAY INDICATE THAT THIS IS THE 25TH SUCH AWARD PRESENTED TO A VERY WORTHY RECIPIENT, BY THE NYSP.....

THAT BEING SAID, THERE MAY BE SOME RECORD OF THE AWARDING IN A LEDGER--OR PERHAPS ENGRAVED ON A PLAQUE, IN THE NYSP HISTORICAL DIVISION.........
 
one eye joe said:
OKAY TOM, I'LL GIVE IT A TRY---AND THANKS ! ! !
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Hey there I see that you are truly excited about this but you don't have to SHOUT, turn the caps off, it make is easier to read. I too am interested in the outcome of this fine handgun as another S&W owner. I like Made in America Firearms even if they are old and used. They are just one of the things that Make America Great Again is all about. and I love your input, gets us all think.
 
S.B. said:
I can remember when ISP here in Illinois used these pistols and there is a very good reasons why they moved to another handgun.
Steve
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Actually, the ISP replaced the Model 39 with the S&W Model 439 around 1980, and replaced the 439 with the S&W Model 5904 in the late 1980s. What they did after that, I don't know, cuz I was retired by then.
 
kharmakid said:
Actually the thought of it being the original number did cross my mind,but was quickly dispelled as info began pouring in,,
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Slow Down!!!!
The Factory DID make a Mod 39 with serial # 25.
That is about all I can say here.
GET a LETTER!
Send GOOD pics with the request.
CLICK for the letter form-

Smith & Wesson Collectors Association
 
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