Strange proof marks on a model 57.

[Allen-frame]

While at a shop buying a gun,(what else

) I happened to see a 4" model 57.

I asked to see it and felt what I thought were rust spots on it.

Upon closer inspection, these turned out to be proof marks. With the grips removed, there were import marks reading ; Inter american, Sacto. Ca.

Ser. # is N8070xx which makes it about 1980.

Soo, I can only speculate that it was exported by Smith as new ,,then imported back by way of California,
and has now made its way down here to Florida.


Any help on the proofs ? And yes, of course, I put it on lay-away with my last remaining dollars

.

Regards ,,,Al

 

[Allen-frame]

While at a shop buying a gun,(what else

) I happened to see a 4" model 57.

I asked to see it and felt what I thought were rust spots on it.

Upon closer inspection, these turned out to be proof marks. With the grips removed, there were import marks reading ; Inter american, Sacto. Ca.

Ser. # is N8070xx which makes it about 1980.

Soo, I can only speculate that it was exported by Smith as new ,,then imported back by way of California,
and has now made its way down here to Florida.


Any help on the proofs ? And yes, of course, I put it on lay-away with my last remaining dollars

.

Regards ,,,Al

 

[mwc]

looks like a german nitro proof mark (sideways eagle with "N" below it. the "ic" code with the deer antler mark around it is a date code used by germans: the date in which it went thru the proofing procedure....1983 i think.

 

[Dale53]

A few years ago, my wife and I made several trips to Germany. We spent most of the time in Bavaria where my son was stationed. I was doing some "touristing" in a store that featured a variety of Bavarian clothing and gift items. Much to my surprise was a new, highly engraved, Model 27 Smith.

Yes, Germany does import S&W Handguns. Later we saw a few others at other stores.

It is quite possible that your revolver was purchased in Germany by a GI and brought back home.

Dale53

 

[greenberry]

I am pretty sure the IC is a date code, HK uses it so it might be worth a check. I used to know the date code but can not remember it.

 

[greenberry]

A B C D E F G H I K
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

That is the code according to HK Pro. So if that is correct the revolver was proofed in 1982.

 

[Klatuu]

On GB for a few months, a Combat Commander with German proofs:

 

[parts]

They look like German proof marks. If so, you should also find the mark on the rear face of the cylinder.

 

[Allen-frame]

Thank you all for the responses. It must then, be an export to Germany that has come home.


Have a safe and Happy New Year. ,,,Al

 

[Lubbock Louie]

greenberry said:

A B C D E F G H I K
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

That is the code according to HK Pro. So if that is correct the revolver was proofed in 1982.

Was there no "J" in the code or was this an oversight? Thanks, LL

 

[handejector]

In 68/69, larger US bases in Ger had Rod & Gun Clubs that sold guns. I have no idea if US guns sold in them had to be proofed or not, but with the large number of S&W's I have seen over the years with Ger proofs, I suspect they did.

 

[greenberry]

Not sure why there is no J, but it is not an oversight.

 

[Rio Laxas]

My dad brought a 4" Python with him to Germany when he was stationed there from late 1969 to 1971. It was not proofed, however, he bought a Smith and Wesson Model 10 while there from whatever gun store they had on post and it had to be proofed. I imagine that is what happened to the 57. May I ask what they were asking for it?

 

[Allen-frame]

You May ,,it was $625.00 +tax .
I might have passed at that price ,but it didn't have a mark on it. Except the proofs of course.

In 5 years of looking it's the only 4" mod 57 I've ever seen.


Happy new year ,,,Al

 

[Lenshappy]

Allen - good to hear from you - hope the knee is doing okay.

That is a pre-war German P38- Zero Series,
disguised as a revolver, blued
over chrome....
hold onto it, I heard it came
from a U-Boat
Commander, (SS) ship sunk off Long Island,
NY sound, with a full set of
dishes! Here is one of the plates.
(pie is new)

I kid you not!
Regards,

Geo

 

[RM Vivas]

Many years ago I shipped an Aircrewman to a collector in Germany.

He told me that the gun passed German proof and was so stamped!

I like to think that I will be responsible for a great deal of confusion 100 years from now when it works its way back the states and some collectors will vigorously argue about the existence of "...German proofed Aircrewman revolvers. Musta been some sort of Foreign Military Aid or something...".

 

[Skeetr57]

I was stationed in Germany from 1978 to 1980, and while there bought a number of new guns, mostly through the Pirmassens Rod and Gun Club. I bought two Mod 29's, a Mod 25, a Mod 19, and a Mod 63. I also bought a Remington 3200 shotgun and a Remington 700 rifle. None of the guns had German proof marks. I don't know about how the S&W's got to the Rod and Gun clubs, but I do know that the Remingtons came from the Remington distributor in Germany. I also bought second hand an Anshutz .22 rifle that supposedly was bought from a German dealer originally that has no German proofs either.

 

[old tanker]

I likewise made several tours of Germany on "Uncle's" dime. A Model 19-4 and a Model 25-2, both purchased from the Nürnberg Rod & Gun Club, returned on an ATF Form-6A. They were marked similarly to your Model 57.