This S&W .38 Military & Police target revolver has an intriguing, historically significant past. Originally shipped to the famed Anaconda Copper Mining Co. of Montana, this revolver ended up in the hands of legendary handgunner Ed McGivern. As noted by the two gold inscription plaques mounted on the frame, the revolver was used by McGivern to set his early speed shooting records. This revolver also has impeccable provenance as outlined by S&W historian Roy Jinks. The history of this revolver and its ownership is found in two letters written by S&W historian Roy Jinks. Confirmed by the S&W factory records, the factory letter indicates the revolver was shipped to Anaconda Copper Mining Co. of Montana, on September 26, 1917 with a 6 inch barrel, Marble Sheard front sight, blue finish, and checkered gold medallion walnut grips. In the factory letter Jinks stated that McGivern used the revolver to set his early speed shooting records, and these record times are immortalized on two gold plates mounted on the frame. In an included letter to previous revolver owner Colonel Rex Applegate, Jinks presented further details. S&W Vice President Douglas B. Wesson later obtained the revolver from McGivern. After Wesson’s death, Jinks purchased this revolver from the Wesson family. Jinks later sold the revolver to Colonel Rex Applegate and then in 1999 it was purchased by Mike Priwer. Jinks concluded, “There is no question of the importance of the revolver as it helped to illustrate that Smith & Wesson revolvers were the finest double actions in the world. It was used in many Smith & Wesson advertisements and Doug Wesson displayed it to many police officers to impress them with the quality of Smith & Wesson’s Double Action revolvers.” Jinks, however, is incorrect about the details related to how McGivern and later Doug Wesson obtained the revolver. The correct story is presented in copies of included letters written between Wesson and McGivern. In these letters we learn that McGivern used the .38 M&P no. 286600 as partial payment for a brand new, extremely early production 6 ½ inch .357 Registered Magnum (Reg. No. 8). This is clearly illustrated in a July 30, 1935 letter Wesson wrote McGivern: “You’re absolutely correct in thinking that the Magnum was not to be billed to you as, of course, it is part payment for the .38 Military & Police that did the original high speed work.” Copies of McGivern’s S&W order for Reg. No. 8 are included. Talk of a gun trade dated back to at least 1930 when Wesson wrote McGivern: “I certainly appreciate your offer of your 38 ‘Record Maker’ together with this affidavit, but just at the present time I wouldn’t take advantage of it. When I do, we certainly can fix up a trade for the revolvers that you need to fill out your list. I will be particularly interested in doing this not only for the reason of showing my appreciation for what you have done for Smith & Wesson in the past, but also to have the chance to refute the impression that some people have that this present output of the plant is not quite equal to that in the past, whereas, actually I know that our inspection is closer and our manufacturing nicer than it has ever been.” Wesson’s letter was in response to McGivern’s letter of October 28, 1930. It would be a few years later before talk of an exchange was brought up again. In a September 19, 1933 letter Wesson calls out the .38 M&P by serial number: “If you have definitely decided that you are through with your old .38 M.&P #286600 I am very anxious indeed to get it, together with a statement from you as to its performances, because it will make a wonderful exhibit as the fastest shooting gun, or rather, the gun that has been shot faster than any other in the world, and I can use it to great advantage in my work...” A few days prior to Wesson’s September 1933 letter, McGivern called for a trade as well as confirmed how he obtained no. 286600. McGivern wrote, “I mentioned some time ago that I would be willing to let you have the gun with the gold plates on, for your own museum or relic collection, or for that of the company, in exchange for which I wanted some guns for my own use, as this gun belonged originally to Mr. L.A. Smith when he was deputy sheriff…” The revolver is pictured and identified in McGivern’s “Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting” on page 140. In one of the images the revolver is connected to a timing device used by McGivern. The elaborate timing device was of McGivern’s own design and provided measurements in increments down to 1/20 second. The U.S. Bureau of Standards verified the machine’s accuracy. The second image on page 140 shows a close up of the engraved gold plate on the right side of the receiver. On page 141 is a photograph of the “three of the 6-shot groups listed on the gold plate on side of Smith & Wesson Revolver, No. 286600, which were shot in 1924 in Judith Theatre at Lewistown, Montana, before members of the committee and several hundred witnesses.” The plate on the right side of the revolver reads, “Ed McGivern/JUDITH THEATRE FEB. 10th 1924/Lewistown, Mont./6 SHOTS 4-5th SECOND/6 SHOTS 9-10th SECOND/6 SHOTS 9-10TH SECOND/6 SHOTS ONE SECOND/6 SHOTS ONE SECOND/ALL UNDER OUTLINE OF HAND.” The plate on the left side of the revolver reads, “5 Shots 1/2-3/5-7/10 Sec.” above “Under Outline of Hand/Lewistown Police Dept./Dec 13 1931/Witnesses.” The revolver has matching serial numbers on the butt, right grip panel, cylinder, and barrel. The barrel has standard S&W markings. No doubt the original Marble Sheard front sight was changed out to a King gold beaded blade by McGivern, who was always experimenting with different types of sights. He preferred a gold bead for the front sight. The rear sight is an adjustable “U” notch. The revolver wears a set of gold S&W medallion checkered walnut grips. See the following lot for a target used by Ed McGivern in an August 20, 1932 demonstration. As noted by serial number on the target, this revolver was also used by McGivern to set 5 shots into a 1 inch group at 20 feet in 9/20th of a second, a record he still holds today. Ed McGivern (1874-1957), "the World's Fastest Gun," was fascinated by fast shooting after witnessing a shootout in Sheridan, Wyoming, and he learned sign painting from his father. He lived in Lewistown from 1924 until 1949. Even after gaining fame for his shooting, he earned much of his living painting for Graham's Sign & Poster Shop and later his own business called McGivern Outdoor Advertising. He is easily one of the most famous and renowned exhibition shooters and handgunning authors of the 20th century and also trained law enforcement officers locally and with the FBI. He published "Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting" in 1938. He held many records in his day for fast and accurate shooting and still holds some, such as drawing and firing 5 shots into a 1 inch group at 20 feet in less than half a second (recorded as 9/20th of a second in August 1932). He could shoot dimes thrown into the air and preformed fast shooting demonstrations with guns in each hand. He preferred double action revolvers and claimed he could shoot faster with a revolver than any semi-automatic pistol could keep up with. In fact, his rate of fire is said to be faster than an AK-47. One of his recorded stunts was hitting a can thrown roughly 20 feet in the air six times with a Colt double action revolver before it hit the ground. Elmer Keith said McGivern was "the fastest and finest double-action revolver shot that ever lived and probably ever will." Some of his handguns are on display in the National Firearms Museum, and very few of his guns are in private hands today. Provenance: Deputy Sheriff L. A. Smith; Ed McGivern; Smith & Wesson Vice President Douglas B. Wesson; S&W historian Roy Jinks; The Colonel Rex Applegate Collection; The Mike Priwer Collection

Exceptionally fine showing authentic wear and tear associated with a handgun used by McGivern to set speed shooting records, with 95% plus of the original finish remaining. The fine grips show similar shooting record setting "working gun character" with most of the softened checkering on the right panel. Mechanically excellent. Do not miss your chance to own a well-documented S&W target revolver owned by renowned handgunner Ed McGivern used in his early days of speed shooting record setting. A true piece of handgunner history!