The 9mm Automatic Pistol (Single Action)
- Thread starter DARE
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YouveHadYour6
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Thanks for giving us such great pics of these for comparison and reference - can't imagine what they were trying to get for 1210!
Erich
Member
Here I am, schlepping its direct descendent through the high desert . . .
I have to say that it was a bold choice to color the lettering in on the pistol. Does anyone have opinions on this?
On one hand, it absolutely works wonders to show off the lettering and obviously, these guns are -ONLY- for show. We benefit from this treatment, look at how well we can see the lettering!
On the other hand, the colored in lettering is not "as shipped." And though it will clean out, well again, these are not your average guns here, so cleaning these rollmarks out, well I would not want to do it. These are white glove pistols.
On one hand, it absolutely works wonders to show off the lettering and obviously, these guns are -ONLY- for show. We benefit from this treatment, look at how well we can see the lettering!
On the other hand, the colored in lettering is not "as shipped." And though it will clean out, well again, these are not your average guns here, so cleaning these rollmarks out, well I would not want to do it. These are white glove pistols.
The gold lettering really stands out but I'm in agreement with you and would hesitate to fill in the numbers and letters on high end guns.
Suffice it to say there are brand new cars out there that would cost less.Thanks for giving us such great pics of these for comparison and reference - can't imagine what they were trying to get for 1210!
MOONDAWG
US Veteran
Unicorns of the S&W variety do exist 
This week’s past SWCA symposium was full of them!Unicorns of the S&W variety do exist
OP
So looks like 18 guns manufactured. 8 prototypes X130-136 & 141. 10 production guns in the 1200 range and Rich knows 8 of those numbers. 16 of the 18 numbers are now known. We have pictures of three guns. Have seen pictures of the X gun log book. Probably the log book would confirm the prototype numbers. I have learned a lot from this thread. Much appreciate the contributors.
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Dave, I have the X-book pages of the eight numbers you listed for the prototype or experimental guns so they are correct. I will agree there are a known 8 production guns since we have identified them by S/N and will hold off judgement on the possibility of there being 2 more until we have solid proof that they exist.
OP
There is a very good article in the Spring, 2006 S&WCA Journal about the 9mm pistols.
"The Smith & Wesson Model 39 Its Variations and Modifications" by Richard A. McMillan.
McMillan says S&W produced ten single action aluminum frame pistols with serial numbers in the 1200 range. Interestingly there is a photo of 1214, one of the guns that was at the Symposium.
Also looked at "History of Smith & Wesson" by Roy G. Jinks, Revised Tenth Anniversary Edition.
Roy also says there were ten single actions. Two completed on December 13, 1954 and the remainder between March 1955 and August 1955.
"The Smith & Wesson Model 39 Its Variations and Modifications" by Richard A. McMillan.
McMillan says S&W produced ten single action aluminum frame pistols with serial numbers in the 1200 range. Interestingly there is a photo of 1214, one of the guns that was at the Symposium.
Also looked at "History of Smith & Wesson" by Roy G. Jinks, Revised Tenth Anniversary Edition.
Roy also says there were ten single actions. Two completed on December 13, 1954 and the remainder between March 1955 and August 1955.
Dave,
I have both Mac's article and Roy's book and have read them both in detail and have talked to Mac in person. Mac based his count of 10 from information he got from Roy. Roy is our historian and has information that may not be available to the rest of us and I wish he would have listed the 10 serial numbers in his book. Of all the pre-39's shipped, there were only three that shipped in 1954 and are as follows: s/n 1001 shipped 11-15-54, s/n 1009 shipped 12-17-54 and s/n 1017 shipped 12-15-54. While there is no mention of any of them being SA on any of the shipping records, it's possible 2 of them might be.
Here's a picture of 1009 that sold on Amoskeage for $3630 on March 30th 2025. It is clearly a DA semi-auto.
Now that’s a Unicorn for me!
OP
Rich,
What Roy actually said in the book: "On December 13, 1954 two production-type single action 9mm pistols were completed and sent to various government and police agencies for testing."
So they were not shipped to buyers in 1954 and it seems possible to me that they were never sold. They might be the two you don't have numbers for.
What Roy actually said in the book: "On December 13, 1954 two production-type single action 9mm pistols were completed and sent to various government and police agencies for testing."
So they were not shipped to buyers in 1954 and it seems possible to me that they were never sold. They might be the two you don't have numbers for.
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Dave I'm sure they are the two missing numbers but only the three I mentioned earlier shipped in 1954. In the beginning S&W shipped quite a few guns to the military for testing. Other possibilities are s/n 1011,1096, 1213, 1216 and 1219 thru 1244 are open in the shipping records. We don't know what they were or where they shipped (or even if they did ship). I suppose any one of them could be the missing two.
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