What's your rarest HE?

[LLOYD17]

I don't go out of my way to collect rare/scarce examples but picking up all the knowledge here makes it another fun part of the hunt.

I've managed to stumbled across the following and based on estimates in various threads:

Prewar Nickel M&P 2" (assembled and shipped postwar, refinished) ~250 manufactured

5" Nickel Triple Lock <500 manufactured in this config

44 HE 3rd Model Transitional 5" Blue (<1500 total between 4, 5, and 6.5 inch)

**Jim Fisher obviously wins but I'm interested in seeing what else others have come up with

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Interesting topic.

My initial mental answer when I saw the title was, "I don't have any." Then I pondered that for a minute. Compared to the OP's it still feels a bit odd that perhaps these qualify.

Maybe these three: (you decide)

August '51 2" Baby Chiefs Special, serial number 99, half-round front sight, 1st style flat latch and smooth trigger (nobody ever talks about that).

July '53 & May '54 3" Baby Chiefs. Not counting the first eleven 3" Baby Chiefs, serial numbered between 23 & 52, that went to Brazilian dignitaries, these are two of only seven known on this forum (unless somebody's holding out). These two are serial numbers 30375 & 42829, with two different flat latches.

Slàinte,

 

[JP@AK]

Here are two from very different eras:

Model of 1902 .32-20 5" Target, shipped March, 1904. No one has been able to tell me just how rare this is, but there were not many of them.

5" Combat Masterpiece, shipped in October, 1952, to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Considerably fewer than 400 made.

 

[CptCurl]

Very few of these were made, and even fewer made with a 6-1/2" barrel. My .44HE 3rd Model Transition. All matching, including the Magnas.

Curl

P.S. Does anybody have information on the approximate number of .44HE 3rd Transitionals were made with a 6-1/2" barrel? I've seen some mention of this in the past, but would appreciate a new discussion from those who know. Thx!

 

[beagleye]

Very few of these were made, and even fewer made with a 6-1/2" barrel. My .44HE 3rd Model Transition. All matching, including the Magnas.

Curl

P.S. Does anybody have information on the approximate number of .44HE 3rd Transitionals were made with a 6-1/2" barrel? I've seen some mention of this in the past, but would appreciate a new discussion from those who know. Thx!

Cpt Curl- I have seen the number 200 used by the experts on this forum, I trust it is close. My 6.5" numbers about 400 before yours.

 

[stu1ritter]

Jack, I'm just going to have to more or less match you here. Well, your 1902 might be in a tad better condition. 1902 1st Change Target 5" in .38 Special which shipped July 11, 1905 and 5" Combat Masterpiece shipped Jan. 14, 1963. Nice pair of guns you have there. :~)

Stu

 

[22hipower]

Not sure how rare but we don't see them every day; a four inch nickel 3rd Model 44 and a first year four inch pre-29. Got to take some better pictures one of these days.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[Hoosier45]

If we're talking about caliber, my .45 Colt nickel Triple Lock is my most rare HE. If production numbers, my "Mod-22" bright blue. However, my 1950 Target .45 Colt and 625-6 .45 Colt Hunter with adj. weight barrel are both very low production guns.

 

[mrcvs]

5" Nickel Triple Lock <500 manufactured in this config

Do you have a source for this?

I would guess, my observations only, that based on the occurrences of these, 500 or less Triple Lock revolvers that have 5" barrels and a nickel finish would be "about right".

The only thing I have seen/heard relative to this is that either approximately 100, or less than 125, Triple Lock revolvers were manufactured with a nickel finish and a 4" barrel and that two Target Model Triple Lock revolvers were manufactured with a nickel finish.

Nothing relative to 5" barrels, until now. My observations are that a blued Triple Lock revolver with a 5" barrel seems to show up at a 3:1 ratio relative to a nickel one. I think this is about the same which a nickel Triple Lock, in general, would have been produced relative to blued guns (all production). Of course, to the best of my knowledge, the approximately 5000 Triple Lock revolvers produced under British contract were all blued.

 

[Murdock]

.44 HE 4th Model Military, 6.5-inch. This one is a bit more worn than previous examples shown. Have been procrastinating on a letter. All matching.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

It's hard to say which one of mine is more rare. I have 8 Hand Ejectors that letter to members of the Wesson family. This M&P went to Frank Wesson, Treasurer. This is the last Model 53 made. This Triplelock Target is Club Pistol 088 shipped in 1906.

 

[Doc44]

Model 57 with a nickel finish and 5-inch barrel. To date, the only one known to have been produced by Smith & Wesson.

Bill

 

[Jebus35745]

Have 2 of the Roper supply 4" model 14-6 full lug guns. They were made as prizes for the top team for the police matches back in the 90's. Only run of 4" full lug model 14's, estimate of 130 made by the Performance Center. Larry

 

[delcrossv]

Hmm, Lowest production?

Mod.1950 target in 45LC . I think they made about 200 of those.
Mod 1950 Military 4 screw marked Mod-22 , less than 100?

They're the two in the front of the picture

The 45LC is going to the range this weekend with my daughter and me to shoot with my Pre 26. I'll take (admittedly bad cell phone) pictures

 

[DWalt]

How about M&Ps in .22 and .32 S&W Long?

 

[Old TexMex]

This ol' bridesmaid:
2nd mdl target

 

[cmansguns]

Model 1899 US Army - low serial number

Haven't exactly figured out how rare, or on what basis, but Model 1899, US Army, s/n 13030 is for sure 1 of 1000 per SCSW the Army contract was s/n 13001 to 14000.

There is a Model specific data base on this Forum and I haven't seen any serial number lower than mine, so unless a museum, other collector, or other evidence arises down the road, this just might be the oldest known survivor of the Army contract.

Letter has been sent for, but don't know if SWHF has records that far back, or if anything significant will be found other than hopefully ship date and to what entity. Will post Letter results whenever received.

 

[H Richard]

I have a couple, First, a Model 1 1/2 32 RF 1st Issue, with a 4" barrel. It is my understanding only 200 were mfg.


A Model 1, 1st Issue, 3rd Type of which only 1870 were made.


A K38, 5" Heavy Barrel, made up for the Illinois State Police about 1957, I understand only about 450 were made in this configuration.


I have a few others that may be scarce but I don't know who many were made. A 32 Safety Hammerless "Bicycle Gun", 2" nickle.

 

[LLOYD17]

Do you have a source for this?

I would guess, my observations only, that based on the occurrences of these, 500 or less Triple Lock revolvers that have 5" barrels and a nickel finish would be "about right".

The only thing I have seen/heard relative to this is that either approximately 100, or less than 125, Triple Lock revolvers were manufactured with a nickel finish and a 4" barrel and that two Target Model Triple Lock revolvers were manufactured with a nickel finish.

Nothing relative to 5" barrels, until now. My observations are that a blued Triple Lock revolver with a 5" barrel seems to show up at a 3:1 ratio relative to a nickel one. I think this is about the same which a nickel Triple Lock, in general, would have been produced relative to blued guns (all production). Of course, to the best of my knowledge, the approximately 5000 Triple Lock revolvers produced under British contract were all blued.

Best guess based on typical production ratios from this thread.
5 Inch Nickle Triplelock
Seems hard to believe but then again there are definitely way more blue 6.5's running around.

 

[glowe]

This might help you Jack. A few years ago, I acquired a what is maybe one of fifty 32 Winchester HE, 2nd Change Target revolvers made. I inquired on this Forum to obtain additional information about the gun and some of the comments are included below.

Comments from the experts hint that only 2% of early 32 Winchester & 38 Special Hand Ejectors were configured as target revolvers. So given that there were only 18,000 2nd Change 32 Winchester HEs made, about 350 of them were Targets.

Another comment was that the 5" barrel 32 Winchester revolvers were never cataloged throughout the entire range of production, only 6" was listed. Finding a 5" is quite a bonus given it would had to have been special ordered. Add to the fact that it is a Target revolver, it should be considered rare. It is with some confidence that one can state there may have been no more than 50 - 5", 2nd Change 32 Winchester Targets made.