Post by rjm52 on Mar 18, 2016 16:46:09 GMT -5
A few years ago I was over on the S&W Forums and happened to comment about a posters newly aquired 5" Pre-27 .357 Magnum...all I said was I would like to have one made a little earlier...no date given. I had owned three 27-2s that were excellent shooters but sold them as I didn't shoot .357 very much...but would love to find one in my birth year, 1952.
A few days later I get a PM from another forum member asking if I would be interested in a early 50s 6.5"...and he adds out of the blue it was made in 1952. Well...I really like the 5" guns...but I told him I would think about it... So after a couple of days I make the decision not to buy the gun which turned out to be a 6". I go back to let him know and now he says he has a S&W Jinks letter also... So he posts a copy and what does it say " Shipped on May 21, 1952 to the George Lawrence Company Portland, Oregon"...as in the holster maker AND IT WAS SHIPPED ON MY BIRTHDAY!!! My only question back was..."How much do you want for the shipping....?".
The gun is a lot like me...far from perfect which makes it the perfect shooter... It came with the original Magna numbered to the gun grips. Target grips for the .357 MAGNUM were not a factory option till 1955+- according to the gurus on the Forum. I later found a set of the correct period Target grips that had been on a 1950 Target .44 Special from another Forum member.
The front sight had also been modified and really makes a nice sight picture....
So I splurged for my own letter so my name would be on it....
But now to complete the package where does one find a nice George Lawrence holster that will fit a 6" N-frame... Looked on eBay and GunBroker for years but found nothing really interesting. Was hoping to find a Keith designed #120 or a #100 1/2 flap fast-draw...I didn't hold my breath. Then a few weeks ago I actually found the box for a #100 6" N-frame but no holster. But a few days later I'm looking on GunBroker and there is a seller with ton of old holsters...and there is a BRAND NEW IN THE PACKAGE Keith 120 Code 605 that is for a 6" .357 MAGNUM!! So I hit the BuyNow and it arrived today...
Only slight disappointment is the snap...apparently whoever at the factory riveted the female snap on the safety strap didn't visually check his work as the third time I unsnapped the holster the female part of the snap stayed with the male part on the holster...can be fixed...
And it's funny, I've bought two 5" 27s since picking this one up and actually like the balance of the 6" over the 5"...one got converted to a .41 Magnum and the other was sold off... Only need one 27...the special one.
Bob
A few days later I get a PM from another forum member asking if I would be interested in a early 50s 6.5"...and he adds out of the blue it was made in 1952. Well...I really like the 5" guns...but I told him I would think about it... So after a couple of days I make the decision not to buy the gun which turned out to be a 6". I go back to let him know and now he says he has a S&W Jinks letter also... So he posts a copy and what does it say " Shipped on May 21, 1952 to the George Lawrence Company Portland, Oregon"...as in the holster maker AND IT WAS SHIPPED ON MY BIRTHDAY!!! My only question back was..."How much do you want for the shipping....?".
The gun is a lot like me...far from perfect which makes it the perfect shooter... It came with the original Magna numbered to the gun grips. Target grips for the .357 MAGNUM were not a factory option till 1955+- according to the gurus on the Forum. I later found a set of the correct period Target grips that had been on a 1950 Target .44 Special from another Forum member.
The front sight had also been modified and really makes a nice sight picture....
So I splurged for my own letter so my name would be on it....
But now to complete the package where does one find a nice George Lawrence holster that will fit a 6" N-frame... Looked on eBay and GunBroker for years but found nothing really interesting. Was hoping to find a Keith designed #120 or a #100 1/2 flap fast-draw...I didn't hold my breath. Then a few weeks ago I actually found the box for a #100 6" N-frame but no holster. But a few days later I'm looking on GunBroker and there is a seller with ton of old holsters...and there is a BRAND NEW IN THE PACKAGE Keith 120 Code 605 that is for a 6" .357 MAGNUM!! So I hit the BuyNow and it arrived today...
Only slight disappointment is the snap...apparently whoever at the factory riveted the female snap on the safety strap didn't visually check his work as the third time I unsnapped the holster the female part of the snap stayed with the male part on the holster...can be fixed...
And it's funny, I've bought two 5" 27s since picking this one up and actually like the balance of the 6" over the 5"...one got converted to a .41 Magnum and the other was sold off... Only need one 27...the special one.
Bob
