Ultimate Commemorative Thread - How Many Do We Have?

[robertrwalsh]

This is the only Commemorative firearm I own. It was commissioned by the CCPOA (Calif. Correctional Peace Officer's Association), the union that represents rank-and-file peace officers working for the CA Dept. of Corrections. At the time CDC was the second largest employer of peace officers in the country, slightly ahead of the Chicago PD, with well over 30,000 officers. Available were Model 10s, in 2", 3" and 4", RB or SB. The total was slightly over 4,000 pieces, which was at the time the largest private purchase of handguns in S&W history. Due to the way it was structured the order was made thru the union with the CEO, Tim Mahoney, on the purchase order. The union also had a Mini-14 done some years later. I didn't get one of those as I already had a Mini. (The dept. uses them as tower guns.) The dating says Silver Anniversary 1957-1982

 

[Doc44]

Model 29-10 made by S&W for the S&WCA to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 44 Magnum in 2006. Special serial number, MAG5029...MAGnum, 50th anniversary, Model 29. Auctioned at our annual meeting in Salt Lake City in 2006. The Model 29-10 with a 4-inch barrel was commissioned by me in 2010 to commemorate my two years as President of the S&WCA. Click on the photos for a better look.

Bill

 

[biku324]

I've got a 544, but I shoot it instead of displaying it.

 

[Doc44]

Elmer Keith Deluxe Commemorative, Model 29-3. Click on the photo for a better look.

Bill

 

[vrichard]

Model 68 CHP
Dick

 

[Miami_JBT]

Here's the original ad for it.

 

[colt_saa]

I like Commemoratives quite a bit. I only have a couple that are master engraved.

My Deluxe Texas Ranger is one of my favorites. As has been mentioned earlier in this thread, the Deluxe revolvers were engraved by different people. Because of that each one has a different charm to it's engraving.

When I was but a youngling, I saw one of these in a display case in Lew Horton's shop. In 1973 I was too young to purchase a firearm. A salesman talked to me any way. One of the things he told me was not too worry as 10,000 of these were being produced and he was sure I would be able to find on when I was old enough.

When I was old enough, I started looking and I was very disappointed to learn that there were not 10,000 of these out there, there were 50.

AND So the Quest begins

Mine came to me 26 years after I saw that first one. At the time I was in college and had no mad money to spend. I was blessed with a seller that wanted the revolver to go to an enthusiast as opposed to a Gun Shop to be flipped. The seller offered me a Lay-a-Way option that could be worked into my current cash flow.

​

Of the several Deluxe Texas Ranger Commemeratives that I have seen, mine has one of the nicest engraved back straps so far

​

This next revolver was described in Roy Jink's letter as a Class A Plus engraved 649. This was a Special Limited Engraved Edition created to commemorate the introduction of the Model 649, a stainless steel Bodyguard

This revolver is one of 25 that were hand picked on the first day of production. These 25 were between serial numbers AFN0016 and AFN0058. This revolver has some of my favorite factory engraving along with a GREAT set of Ivory grips

The 649 was introduced at serial number AFN0000 at the SHOT Show in January 1985. Physical production actually began in December 1984 so that distributors could have product on hand as soon as the revolver was introduced

 

[Miami_JBT]

My Model 745.

The initial run came with the serial number prefix "DVC", for the IPSC motto of "Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas", or "Accuracy, Power, Speed". They also had special IPSC 10th Anniversary engraving on the slide.

I've since replaced the original wooden grips with a modified pair of Pacs.

 

[colt_saa]

I liked the Kansas Highway Patrol's class "C" engraved 586s that were produced for the 50th anniversary in 1987

The badge was a cool addition to the revolver. This is one of the few that I decided I wanted a pair.

This is one of many LEO Commemeratives that I have acquired over the past few decades

Most of them are not as well embellished, but they all had a special meaning to the Agencies and Officers that they commemerated.

A personal favorite is the FBI Model 27. I always wanted one. My association with the Bureau was much too late to get one of these when the Ex-Agents association had them produced. After my mentor retired he eventually moved to a smaller house and gifted his FBI 27 to me.

Odds are that when I pass, this revolver will be on the same corner of the desk in my study as Tom kept it in his.


I think that my path down the commemorative road began in the early 90s when I came upon two home town commemeratives at an estate sale. One was the Chicago PD's Model 66 125th anniversary revolver produced in 1980

The other was a Model 65 that was created to celebrate Cook County Sheriff's Office 150th birthday in 1981

I was actually able to pick up both of these at very reasonable prices. Had I been in it for profit, I could have flipped them the next day for an easy 50% profit, but I still own them


This is a United States Secret Service commemorative. This was produced for the 100th anniversary 1865-1965. This is a 4" Model 19 with the Secret Service logo engraved and filled with gold

The United States Customs Patrol was founded in 1853 and is now a part of the Office of Homeland Security. For their 125 Anniversary S&W produced this 4" Model 19 with the Customs badge engraved on the side plate and gold filled. 813 of these revolvers were produced in 1978.

1973 was the 40th anniversary for the Ohio Highway Patrol. In honor of that event a 4" blue Smith & Wesson Model 10 was produced. The OHP logo engraved in a 40th anniversary wreath and gold filled on the side plate. 2,025 were produced.

In 1978 the Detroit Renaissance had S&W produce this deeply blued Model 19 with large gold text and a detailed Detroit badge on the side plate.

This revolver was the property of John Nichols, who was the Detroit Police Department Commissioner. He later became Oakland County Sheriff and finally passed away in 2004.

For it's 60th anniversary the Washington State Patrol had S&W produce this cased 6" Model 28 revolver. Along with the firearm, a limited edition belt buckle was also fitted inside. Only 762 were produced.

While not a commemorative, In 1976 the Rhode Island State Police convinced S&W to produce this 6" Model 66 with a functional butt swivel. However, before the order was completed the RISP decided to change from a 6" to a 4" revolver. Only 200 pieces were produced and delivered to the Patrol, most of those were put into normal service. This is an un-issued revolver, it was never used by the RISP.

I was going to pass on purchasing this revolver as the seller was FIRM on a price about 35% more than I wanted to pay. What closed the deal is that the serial number is my Birthday. I took this as a sign from GOD that I needed to complete the deal

 

[Miami_JBT]

I have a gun similar to the RISP Moel 66 colt_saa has. It isn't a commemorative by any means. But it is rare in the grand scheme of things.

A WVSP 4566TSW.

Less than 1,300 made and all were put into service. I got this through a WVSP Trooper that pulled some strings. They were only allowed to buy one when they switched to GLOCK. He was able to get a fellow Trooper to buy it, who then sold it to him since he already got his own and then he sold it to me at cost plus shipping.

These guns are not common at all and I always wanted one.

 

[colt_saa]

We have a Model 544 Commemorative already in the thread. Most folks mistakenly call these the Texas Wagon Train Commemorative.

The standard standard edition is what has already been posted. This is a 5" blue steel N-frame chambered in 44-40 and housed in a basswood presentation case. This was S&W product code 103195

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While the case depicts the path of the Texas Wagon Train, these were built to commemorate the Texas Sesquicentennial (150th birthday).

The Sesquicentennial Commission had reserved a serial number block to produce 7800 revolvers. However, this commemorative was a failure that never sold to completion. So only 4782 were manufactured.

The first 150 revolvers were Deluxe editions, product code 103196. These had engraving and gold wire line work along with hand scrimshawed, coke shaped, Elephant Ivory target stocks. The hammer, trigger, cylinder release and ejector rod are all gold plated. The Sesquicentennial Commission also had a bronze Texas Longhorn produced for the Deluxe version of the model 544. These bronzes are signed and numbered to match the Deluxe revolvers. There is also a large medallion that was produced and included.

All of this fits into a large presentation case with glass on 5 sides. The lid that opens up on a set of hinges. This huge case is mounted on a lazy-susan so that it can be rotated and viewed from any angle.

My family has owned one of each variation for a while.

I like serial numbers. I had the opportunity to acquire a second Deluxe edition that happens to be number 44 of the Model 544 chambered in 44-40. That was just too many 44s to pass up

I have often referred to the Model 544 as one of Smith and Wesson's finest presentations of one of their worst selling Commemeratives. So I am presenting a series of images and 360 degree videos

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4aDEEkLTYA[/ame]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyjN7LP_XhU[/ame]

 

[Miami_JBT]

We have a Model 544 Commemorative already in the thread. Most folks mistakenly call these the Texas Wagon Train Commemorative.

...snip...

The original sales ad from S&W calls it the "Texas Wagon Train Commemorative".

 

[lppd4]

I have only one. I bought it not because it was a commemorative but because the gun is in great shape, I got a great deal on it and it's action is as smooth as any revolver I have ever handled. I only got the pistol in my deal no knife or presentation case. Attempting to make my own case and pair it with a Case "Texas Ranger" commemorative trapper

 

[colt_saa]

I do not know if we can call this one a Commemorative or not. But I like it anyway

Back in 2005, when all the Poker tours and TV shows were HOT, Smith and Wesson produced a Texas Hold'em Model 36.

The embellished revolver was in a glass top case with some Smith & Wesson poker chips and Smith & Wesson playing cards.

The revolvers have the Dead Man's hand (aces and eights) in gold on the side plate as well as the gold barrel and cylinder bands plus the engraving on the frame and cylinder. The grips are Faux Ivory

When these came out they were very reasonably priced. You could buy a set for less than $175 over the price of a production Model 36

 

[colt_saa]

The original sales ad from S&W calls it the "Texas Wagon Train Commemorative".

I realize that is what the advertising guys printed. I am going on what the Texas Independence Association told me many years ago when I was researching the only Deluxe pair that had been created.

These Revolvers were to celebrate the Sesquicentennial of Texas Annexation. Unfortunately all of the documentation of the Texas Sesquicentennial Committee has been boxed up and is in the State Archives at the University of Texas. Back then I had not thought to do scans or PDFs

The owner of this pair had no knowledge of the firearms history and asked me to research them. The set he had was bought at an Estate sale on a whim.

The two Deluxe revolvers in the pair were serial number 1836 and 1986. These two had the only ivory grips I had ever seen that had full color scrimshaw work.

When the pair was shown to me I did not instantly realize the significance of the serial numbers. The two were cased together without the bronze longhorns.

These two Deluxe revolvers were serial numbered for the year that Texas became a State and the year of the Sesquicentennial

After seeing these I reached out to the scrimshaw artist who did the original grips to see if any other full color Ivories had been done, but those were the only two. I had thought that perhaps number 1 had gotten a little better embellishment

 

[boykinlp]

We have a Model 544 Commemorative already in the thread. Most folks mistakenly call these the Texas Wagon Train Commemorative.

The first 150 revolvers were Deluxe editions, product code 103196. These had engraving and gold wire line work along with hand scrimshawed, coke shaped, Elephant Ivory target stocks. The hammer, trigger, cylinder release and ejector rod are all gold plated. The Sesquicentennial Commission also had a bronze Texas Longhorn produced for the Deluxe version of the model 544. These bronzes are signed and numbered to match the Deluxe revolvers. There is also a large medallion that was produced and included.

All of this fits into a large presentation case with glass on 5 sides. The lid that opens up on a set of hinges. This huge case is mounted on a lazy-susan so that it can be rotated and viewed from any angle.

Holy Mackerel, that is an awesome package! Do you remember what the original price for it was? Nothing in MY history has anything to do with Texas, but my only S&W Commemorative is the Texas Rangers one, and I would have bought one of those too! If for nothing else (and there is a ton more) I would have bought it for the terrific Ivory grips. Thanks very much for sharing.
Larry

 

[S&W Fan]

I bought this Texas Ranger Commemorative 19-3 just the gun. It had been shot and I got it at good price a couple of years ago. I have shot it, continue to as it's about the best shooting Smith I've ever owned. Phenomenal action too.

 

[Muley Gil]

I've got a 544, but I shoot it instead of displaying it.

Mine's a shooter as well.

 

[Miami_JBT]

Mine's a shooter as well.

I shoot mine and it even wears a pair of pacs.

 

[Gunhacker]

I'm surprised by the number of 544's that have shown up in this thread. I have two, but I'll forego posting pics of them since they're already well represented here.

My other two commemorative revolvers...

San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Police, blued 586 with a nickel side plate that has the BART police emblem.

CHP M68-2

None of my commemorative guns are safe queens, I enjoy taking them to the range.