Rare Smith & Wesson Aircrewman?

[Phydeaux642]

I was out looking for storage buildings today and stopped by a little hole-in-the-wall pawn shop on the way back. Not much to look at, but there was a snubnose Smith & Wesson in the showcase. I asked the guy running the joint if that was a model 10 and he said, "No, that's a rare aluminum version". I said, "You mean a model 12?". He said, "No, the cylinder is also aluminum. It's a gun that was never meant to be out and most of them were destroyed by Smith & Wesson."

Well, I know they made some of these, but I found it odd that one was in my neck of the woods. There was no serial number on the butt of the gun, but the tag on the gun listed the serial number as 300xxx. It looked like there was a number starting with 300 on the frame where the model numbers were later printed, but I couldn't get a close enough look.

The gun looked like it had some wear but whether it was from shooting (I know it's not a good idea to shoot these) or just age I don't know. The price was $475. So, did I pass up something that I should have grabbed?

 

[14427H]

Hard to miss the "Property of U.S. Air Force" markings on the backstrap and the "Revolver, Lightweight-M13"

Serial numbers range from C247,000 to C405,363. Real $2,000 and way up but there are plenty of fakes, actually said to be more fakes than real.

 

[DickM]

Not impossible that it's a genuine Aircrewman, but if it is that's a very low price. SCSW has an extensive discussion of this gun, really too much to try to summarize here. It's curious that there's no SN on the butt - there should be. Could it be covered by the grips? The SN should either be "A.F.No" followed by a 4-digit number or "C" followed by a six-digit number in the range 247000 to 405363. The 300xxx falls in the right range, of course, but it definitely should have the "C" prefix.

 

[rcmodel]

There are far more very nicely done counterfeit Aircrewmen floating around then there are real ones.

The chance of it being a real one is very slim.
The vast majority of them ended up de-milled by the military in Georgia.
There are supposedly four NIB examples at the National Firearms Museum.

The last one through these parts belonged to a close friend.
It was so well done that even Jim Supica & Richard Nahas who wrote the S&W Collectors Bible couldn't agree if it was a fake or not. They looked it over stem to stern at the big K.C. collectors show and I believe Nahas finally bought it with the disclaimer it was very likely a fake one and he would hold no claim against the seller if eventually proven a counterfeit.

rc

 

[Phydeaux642]

What I did find odd was that the backstrap and the butt of the gun were worn down to raw aluminum. It was like someone was trying to hide or remove something. There were no markings at all on the backstrap that I could see. Part of the back of the cylinder was worn down to raw aluminum, also.

Just curious, but on the fakes, did people just mill their own cylinder out of aluminum?

 

[rcmodel]

Apparently.
They had roll stamps made to match the Air Force markings pretty darn good, so I suppose cylinders would not be that big a problem for them to make.

The other possibility is that an Air Force armorer got hold of some spare cylinders during the de-mill process and went into business for his self.

The other other possibility is the fakes are made from very early Model 12 M&P Airweights. Some of which had aluminum cylinders.

Still another possibility is that they were made during lunch hour at the S&W factory and smuggled out by a dishonest employee.

rc

 

[Phydeaux642]

I went back and looked at the gun again. There is the correct "Revolver, Lightweight, M13" on the top strap. I didn't get a picture of it but after looking at the Smith & Wesson Standard Catalog the roll mark appears, going by memory, to look like the one they show as legit. The back strap looked as if it had had a bit of sanding or something done to it as there was no finish at all, no markings and a few grind marks that were visible. No markings on the bottom of the grip. It was a four screw, which seems to fall in line with what the military asked for. No 'C' in front of the serial number on the frame by the crane that I could see. Very curious.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Never mind, RC answered above.

 

[Radagast]

The serial number under the crane may be an assembly number, as there should be a C prefix for guns of that era.
If there is no serial number on the bottom of the grip frame then it has been ground off, making the gun contraband under ATF rules.
It may be an original aircrewman that was stolen and the serial number defaced , or it may be a model 12 that had the serial number defaced to prevent it from being identified as a fake aircrewman.

YMMV, but I would leave it alone.

 

[Phydeaux642]

Yes, the whole serial number thing bugs me. This gun looks like it has had a lot of grinding done to it for some reason, so, it sounds like a good candidate to be left alone. It sure would have been nice to find a rare piece, though. I am curious as to why they took the gun in with the problems it has as far as the serial number goes.

 

[Radagast]

A lot of people are used to modern S&Ws were the serial number is duplicated under the crane, with the prime stamping on the butt. They may not have known to look on the butt.
Or they may have missed the fact that it is missing from the butt at the time.
or they may just be crooks.
Either way, let it be their problem, not yours.

Occasionally a true bargain does come along. I picked up my Model 18 ( the only gun on my wish list at the time) for $425 (about $380 USD) here in Australia, just as I was about to order a Model 18 Classic for $1495 including airfreight, import/export permits, duty and sales tax. Did I do a happy dance? Multiple times, It's the only Model 18 I've seen here in 20 years.
And of course, sometimes a true bargain slips past, I've muffed it a few times, including going away to think about it for an hour, coming back to the shop with cash, only to find the piece gone. The only Pre Model 23 I've ever seen. The Caspian race gun for $800, the absolutely mint Persian Mauser with deep red walnut stock. There are probably others. Such is life.

 

[Phydeaux642]

or they may just be crooks

That wouldn't surprise me. They didn't carry anything new at all which got me to wondering if they were an FFL at all.

 

[oldbear]

Sir, you may have stumbled across a rare find. As others have suggested the revolver in question may have been an original Air crewman that for one reason or another has been defaced. If you can afford to make the owner an offer, you may end up with a very rare revolver or a shooter/truck gun with an interesting history.

Please keep us posted at to what happens.

 

[rscalzo]

The only one I ever saw was during a private tour of the Springfield Armory a few years back. They knew how rare they were and would not let it out of their sight.

 

[gyvel]

If you can afford to make the owner an offer, you may end up with a very rare revolver or a shooter/truck gun with an interesting history.

I think your common sense is telling you that you shouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. Listen to your little voices.

 

[Phydeaux642]

I think your common sense is telling you that you shouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. Listen to your little voices.

Yep. If the darn thing had an identifiable serial number on it I would probably take a chance with it. But, it just seems too risky to me to bother with.

 

[Seven High]

You said that the weapon had an aluminum cylinder. Did you check the cylinder with a magnet to confirm that it is not steel?

 

[Phydeaux642]

You said that the weapon had an aluminum cylinder. Did you check the cylinder with a magnet to confirm that it is not steel?

That was going to be next step if I pursued it. Without doing that, I do believe it was aluminum as it was one of the lightest feeling wheelguns that I have picked up. I may go back again on my next day off and see if it still there just to check out a few more things. I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole without a serial number, but I might give them a heads-up that what they have may not be a legal firearm. On the other hand, since this a shop I have never been in before this occasion, I may just shut up and walk away.