The Goering Smith & Wesson revolver

Hello,
This is not an “actual Axis firearm”….but, please allow me to explain.

I’ve been looking around for one of these for quite sometime now. I’ve never been able to find the correct one for the collection. I should note that I’m not a Smith & Wesson collector, but there’s a reason I wanted this type for the collection. The gun had to be this model, with the box and wax paper, 4 inch barrel and a serial number that’s in range (rather kind of close) to a known historical one.

I’ve gotten close a few times, but all no go’s. Some I’ve seen were earlier variants, or 5 inch barreled types, etc. Tulsa has not had one that I could find anyway. Nobody had one. S&W collectors have told me this one is a little harder to find due to the 4 inch barrel. I’m not sure why, but that’s what I had been told. So, the search went on…….

Until, a super small local gun show came to town. It was a very interesting show as it had primarily older revolvers and “cowboy” type rifles and such. Very little, if much at all, modern weapons or semi autos. This stuff was way out of my collecting theme. Neat stuff, but just out of my league.

Then, I came across the Smith and Wesson pistol I had been looking for. It met all the boxes to check mark on. I had it vetted by a collector and I bought it.

What’s interesting is that this is the type Hermann Goering was seen carrying, surrendered with and is now in the West Point museum. My pistol is a little over 5,000 earlier than the Goering one. So, probably mine was made in ‘31 or so, according to the Smith collectors. Goering’s is estimated to be a ‘34 made. I understand that there’s several theories as to how he obtained it, but none verified.

My pistol is #636717. The Goering gun is #642357.

A 2014 sales receipt came with the pistol. Don’t know if I will “letter” this one or not. I may one day just to piece as much history with this gun as I can.

It’s just interesting that the myriad of great German handguns available to him at the time, and he chose an American revolver. Good gun, but just odd.

The Goering photo, West Point photo are not mine as I borrowed them from the net for education purposes only. The book for information on the Goering S&W is “German Pistols and Holsters 1934-1945“ volume II (Revised) by Lt. Col. Robert D. Whittington III, page 183.

Wow, thats really cool Kelly! Waxahachie?

Its fun to hunt for something specific, and nothing better than finding it. Old Smith's are great guns, and sort of sit in the shadow of Colt.

My favorite is a WWI Canadian contract Smith in .455 I found at a DACA show up here in South Fork...

Congrats on finding one you've been looking for, and so complete! I'd get the letter just for grins, why not?

Thanks. No, not Waxahachie. A little further south. Yeah, I searched several years for one of these. Almost gave in to ”an almost” one that was probably a ‘20’s manufacture and a box numbered to another gun, which of course is a little different and wouldn’t be what I was looking for. Just have to be patient, which is hard as you really want to fill that hole.

Next up is the Hitler Smith and Wesson. I actually found one in Tulsa a few years ago, but didn’t want to spend that kind of money on it then as I was looking for more German stuff. The dealer still has it, but I haven’t seen him set up in Tulsa again.

I noticed that the 2014 sales receipt has a misprint in the serial number. I had to look twice at the pistol’s serial number to make sure I got it right on what it was. I can see how the mistake was made.