SGT. FRIDAY'S SERIAL NUMBER

[crazyphil]

On this morning's re-run episode of Dragnet, the board of inquiry
was investigating Sgt. Friday for a shooting at a laundromat and
I noticed they mentioned the serial number of Sgt. Friday's S&W
Revolver. It was probably a fictitiuous number for the program
dialog, but I thought some of you experts could tell. I think his
revolvers was pre-model 10 snub nosed, and the number they
gave was 1755806.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Too many digits and no letter prefix. The number is fictitious, IMO.

 

[crazyphil]

Thank you Wiregrassguy. That's the conclusion I came to also.

 

[Doc44]

Jack Webb aka Sgt. Joe Friday was given a Model 39 with serial number 714 and a 44 Magnum with serial number S130714.

Bill

 

[series guy]

If it involves the S and the W I don’t think there is a bit of information too small that a member of this forum doesn’t know it. Always something to learn here.

 

[turnerriver]

Credit for this photo goes to Paladin85020 who posted it a while ago. It’s a 1966 photo of LA police chief W.H. Parker presenting badge # 714 and what looks like a 2” M&P revolver to Jack Webb, the holster appears to be a Lewis holster. I thought you all would enjoy the photo.

Regards,

 

[max503]

Not sayin' it never happened, but I don't recall ever seeing Friday with a K frame. Seems like he always had a J frame - or a shotgun when SHTF.

 

[Hondo44]

Too many digits and no letter prefix. The number is fictitious, IMO.

I agree unless they didn't know enough to read a letter prefix as part of the serial #.

Couldn't be a pre war 2" with that #. The 2" wasn't offered until after July '33 in the # range above 241XXX.

 

[Drm50]

I was at a auction in Ohio back in 90s. They had two of Jack Webb’s guns.
Both in presentation cases. One was a 36 with badge 714 , gold filled in side plate. The other was a Browning HP with same type inscriptions.
Not that these guns were used in filming. They were documented. They didn’t sell very high.

 

[series guy]

Not enough action or blood or gore for todays audiences but it's still my favorite cop show of all times.

 

[Absalom]

For first-hand analysis, here is a short YT clip with Joe Friday’s shootings, including the laundromat.

The first one looks like a Colt Detective Special, correct for a 1950s episode. The laundromat gun might be a K-frame; hard to tell.

I can’t get to my real computer at the moment; maybe somebody can freeze-frame and enlarge the gun.

[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UlRtX-9JlmY[/ame]

 

[.38SuperMan]

I used to sit and watch Dragnet with my dad when I was a kid and I still love watching them. I like them so much I just bought a 1964 vintage model 10 2” in near pristine condition.

I read an article that said Friday initially carried a Colt Detective Special and later a Smith model 10 snub nose. Gannon carried a model 15 per the article.

Does anyone know what holster is in the photo?

 

[Loyaljeeper]

Not sayin' it never happened, but I don't recall ever seeing Friday with a K frame. Seems like he always had a J frame - or a shotgun when SHTF.

He had a M&P premodel 10 or 12. There is a lot of debate. The people that say he had a M&P Airweight put up a good argument on why they think it has an alloy frame.

 

[luvsmiths]

Jack Webb aka Sgt. Joe Friday was given a Model 39 with serial number 714 and a 44 Magnum with serial number S130714.

Bill

Do you know where they are???

 

[dscampbell]

In two separate episodes it was referred to as a military and police air weight The first was an episode from mid 1950 also showing the period correct box. The second was from Dragnet 1968.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[turnerriver]

I used to sit and watch Dragnet with my dad when I was a kid and I still love watching them. I like them so much I just bought a 1964 vintage model 10 2” in near pristine condition.

I read an article that said Friday initially carried a Colt Detective Special and later a Smith model 10 snub nose. Gannon carried a model 15 per the article.

Does anyone know what holster is in the photo?

It’s a Lewis Police Special holster, popular at the time.

Regards,

 

[Greyman50]

Try to watch Dragnet and Adam-12 every day. When tv was worth watching.

 

[Doc44]

The 44 Magnum given to Jack Webb is on display (or it was) at the Los Angeles Police Academy. Possibly some of the other revolvers and pistols given him are there too, but I don't know for certain.

Years ago, someone posted a photo on the Forum of the 44 Magnum on display.

Bill

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

‘Just the facts mam.’

 

[Truckman]

Try to watch Dragnet and Adam-12 every day. When tv was worth watching.

I have a set of pre-recorded VHS tapes with old cop shows (Dragnet, Boston Blackie, The Third Man, etc.) on my desk...Since my VHS player no longer works, I should probably clean my desk and make room for more stuff......Ben