Updated S&W Letter Procedure?

[Guevera]

I am having a time giving me directions and costs of a historical letter which would presumably when and where the pistol was sold. There are more than one procedure described on this site, and another link directs you to www.swhf.org which seems to be dead.

Can anybody give me the correct link?

I volunteered to have a pistol papered to find out once and for all what the "N.P.D." on those third-generation pistols means.

Thanks.

 

[murphydog]

Try swhistoricalfoundation.com, and click on the letter link. Hope this is helpful.

 

[Doc44]

The link provided by murpydog works. Click on Information Process and Letter Request and then on Letter of Authenticity Request Form. Print the form, complete the information requested, and send the form with your check for $75 to the address indicated.

Bill

 

[Guevera]

Is it reasonable to think that the "Letter of Authenticity" would supply the answer to the question, "what department marked all these guns 'N.P.D.?'" This is really what I am paying the money to answer.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Is it reasonable to think that the "Letter of Authenticity" would supply the answer to the question, "what department marked all these guns 'N.P.D.?'" This is really what I am paying the money to answer.

Actually, and I could be very wrong, unless S&W sold the guns directly to a police department, the letter stops with the date of first shipment to the retailer or wholesaler who first bought the gun from S&W or, in the case of the good old days, the actual purchaser, like maybe Teddy Roosevelt, Bat Masterson, or just Joe Dokes. But if the PD bought a special order from S&W then yes, you will know which PD bought them.

The markings could be PD produced or S&W produced. Roy Jinks will know. I bet Lee Jarrett knows these things, too.

 

[tlmetesh]

Is it reasonable to think that the "Letter of Authenticity" would supply the answer to the question, "what department marked all these guns 'N.P.D.?'" This is really what I am paying the money to answer.

I had one lettered that had a Philly PD officer's name on it and the letter came back telling me where it had shipped and that the lettering wasn't done by the factory.

I had another one lettered that had MPDC on it and the letter came back telling me it shipped somewhere in the midwest, sans lettering. I was left to surmise that the MPDC purchased the guns from that midwest dealer and then had their Dept info stamped on later.

So, in short, it's a 50/50 chance.

 

[Guevera]

Ok, thank you. My request and my money is winging its way north even as we speak or type and I'll report any findings.

 

[btr4me]

NPD

An online seller listed a batch of 3rd Gens marked with N.P.D. as being from Newark Police Dept.