A Golden Gun - Pictures Added

[The Doc]

Gentlemen,

Today I came across a Smith and Wesson model 30-1 with a two inch barrel . This piece is fully gold plated ( 24 carat gold) except the hammer and the trigger. The serial number is "H" series and so I conclude that it was made after 1969. It was mentioned "24 carat gold plated" on the original box . The thing which intrigued me the most was that there was a German proof mark ( eagle with spread wings and alphabet "N"under it) on the barrel and the frame on the left side .

This piece without any doubt is a genuine piece . My internet search did not reveal much .

Have any of you gentlemen come across such a piece ?
How come there is a German Proof mark on this revolver?

best,
Rp

P.S. Please scroll down for pictures.

[m24]

2 hours on the net and nothing. Only this:

The character with the 'N' under it is an eagle with spread wings. This is called the 'Bundesadler' and roughly translated means 'federal eagle." It is used on many German federal insignia. The 'N' stands for "Nitrozellulose" (Neetro-tselluloze) or "Nitrocellulose" in English. This is a universal symbol found on German firearms that use modern nitrocellulose based propellants.

Source: http://www.hkpro.com/index.php?option=c ... s&Itemid=5

But how it reached on a S&W..... You'll have to post the pics. This I got to see.

Regards

[The Doc]

Pictures added.

[mundaire]

Doc,

Unless I am mistaken, if it was commercially imported into Germany it would have had to be "proved" and stamped accordingly. This would be so as firearms made and sold in USA are not required to be proof tested as USA has no such laws requiring it (proof testing) and neither is it a CIP signatory. CIP signatory members recognise the proof tests of other member countries on a reciprocal basis, doing away with the need for firearms that are proved in one member country to be reproved upon import into another. IIRC CIP has been in operation since the early 1900's.

As a CIP signatory I am assuming that Germany requires all firearms to be proof tested, therefore on import it would have been subjected to a proof test and stamped accordingly... hence the German proof mark?

I therefore speculate that it must have been initially purchased in Germany before it found it's way to India.

HTH

Cheers!
Abhijeet

[ssmickey.32]

Hello DOC,
Please search for "DOB thread for smith & wesson revolvers www.thehighroad.org forum"
There is this thread running there and you ask whatever u want to ask about this revolver there - you will get all ur answers.
I am punching this message from my phone otherwise i would have pasted the link.
They informed me everything about my smith Revolver within 20 mins.
Best of luck

[m24]

Rp, any possibility of larger pics??

Regards

[m24]

Please click on the pictures for enlarging them. Regret the quality of the pictures as they were taken from a mobile camera.

Possibility explained by mundaire seems logical.

Regards

[prashantsingh]

Very Impressive.
One Question.
How much would a revolver like this cost in the Indian Market ?

-- Fri Jun 18, 2010 9:56 pm --

If I ever owned one , I would keep it very safe.....locked up in the Bank locker.
Like they say "Deekhane waali aur ...Chalane wali aaur".

[m24]

One Question.
How much would a revolver like this cost in the Indian Market ?

It's weight in gold and then some more.

Regards

[The Doc]

How much would a revolver like this cost in the Indian Market ?

It's weight in gold and then some more.

Not really, it is just gold plated and not solid gold . A few lacs more than the usual blue finish S&W 30-1 revolver perhaps ?

best,
Rp.

[advitiyas]

Surely Collective item, WOW

[timmy]

I can't figure out the answer to the German proof mark. If the box goes with the revolver (there may be a serial number on the box that would confirm this beyond a doubt), then the revolver must have been made between the years 1965 and 1987. Before 1965, S&W was family owned, and after 1987, it was owned by the Tomkins Group, a British company.

The box clearly states "A Bangor Punta Company."

Bangor Punta was bought out in 1984 by Lear Siegler, and I don't know whether the logo would have said Bangor Punta or Lear Siegler in those years.

This all matches with your "H Series" research. Unfortunately, I can't say anything about the German proof, because I simply know nothing about such things.

[coltpython]

[Sakobav]

Rp

Next best thing is get hold of Smith and Wesson chaps directly and check the serial number and lineage. Great and intriguing find..will try to research more good luck hopefully lands with you

Cheers

[Sakobav]

One more hypothetical thing remember a person looking at my uncles charter arm .32 and saying its a toy gun...until he was shown the bullets etc..so this golden gun could me mistaken for a toy like nickel plated ..but at the doubters own peril ...
Cheers