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*SMITH & WESSON EXPERIMENTAL/PROTOTYPE DA REVOLVER

Currency:USD Category:Everything Else / Other Start Price:NA Estimated At:5,000.00 - 10,000.00 USD
*SMITH & WESSON EXPERIMENTAL/PROTOTYPE DA REVOLVER
*SMITH & WESSON EXPERIMENTAL/PROTOTYPE DA REVOLVER. Cal. 30 Carbine. Built on a 1917 frame with 4-7/8” tapered round bbl that has an integral partridge front sight and 2-piece smooth walnut grips with a lanyard loop in the butt. The right side of bbl has hand-stamped “.30 CAL. M1 CARBINE CTG.”. The serial number “2” is on the bottom of the butt and underneath the bottom of bbl and which also has a small “1” on the bottom of bbl near the frame. The serial number is also stamped inside the right grip. It is accompanied by miscellaneous documents and photographs relating to Harry W. Chesley, Jr., who in WWII, was a Lt. Col. on the staff of General of the Army Air Forces, H. H. Arnold. He was also Aide-de-Camp to Lt. General Barney M. Giles who was Arnold’s Deputy Commander and Chief of the Air Staff. Reportedly, on the advice of General Jimmy Doolittle, Chesley ordered three such revolvers for Smith & Wesson and when they were delivered, one was given to General Arnold, another to General Giles and he kept the third one for himself, which is this revolver. This revolver is accompanied by an undated reproduction of the command structure for the Headquarters, Army Air Forces, several photos of General Arnold, General Giles, General LeMay, Admiral Halsey and Admiral Nimitz in various settings, usually surrounded by other general officers, along with a couple of newspaper articles about Chesley’s personal employment. Mr. Roy Jinks, the Smith & Wesson historian, has been contacted and states that he is familiar with similar revolvers but cannot recall seeing one without an “X” in the serial number. Frank Sellers, noted author and world famous firearms historian, states that he has owned three revolvers in this configuration, all with 1 or 2-digit serial numbers, none of which had and “X” in the serial number. SN 2. CONDITION: extremely fine, retains 97-98% strong dark gray Parkerizing over all the metal surfaces with minor muzzle and sharp edge wear and some browning to the front and back straps. The trigger and hammer retain most of their original case colors. The grips are extremely fine with minor edge wear and a few handling marks. Crisp mechanics and bright shiny bore. 4-49095 JR416