Colorado Springs Department of Public Utilities revolver

I was at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum and they had a S&W revolver on display that was carried in 1955 by an agent of the Colorado Springs Department of Public Utilities. They had a short blurb about how the department came to be but nothing about why they needed guns.

I don't know much about S&W wheelguns but it looked like an N-frame. No info on model, caliber, or anything. I was only able to see the S&W stampings that confirmed it was a S&W (as if you couldn't tell by looking at it.)

Attachment 89800
Attachment 89801

Anyway, I just thought this was interesting. Feel free to add on whatever you can about the gun in particular or what you might know about the department. I should have taken a pic of the plaque that went with the gun so I could google the officer's name.

I hear Colorado utility poles are pretty wild & wooly.

I wonder if they needed to carry for encounters with the four legged kind. My folks lived in that area from 1995-2005 and there is still plenty of wildlife that could ruin your day if they wanted to.

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Originally Posted by SecondsCount

I wonder if they needed to carry for encounters with the four legged kind. My folks lived in that area from 1995-2005 and there is still plenty of wildlife that could ruin your day if they wanted to.

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That's entirely possible. There are still problem blackbears on the outskirts of town and even the occasional cougar sighting by the more remote residents. I'm sure it was much more of an issue 50 years ago.

Didn’t find anything about the Colorado Utilities people in the Standard Catalog of S&W, but it looks like a 38/44 Heavy Duty Transition.

No ejector rod shroud as for HD.
Either a second model .44 or a 1917 .45 commercial.

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Originally Posted by Jim Watson

No ejector rod shroud as for HD.
Either a second model .44 or a 1917 .45 commercial.

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I wondered about that, but I found at least one reference to a 38/44 without the shroud. But I’m a novice at ID’ing old Smith’s.

The cyl looks too long for 45 ACP. Cruising through the S&W Standard Catalog it appears to be a 44 hand ejector 2nd model. No ejector shroud and hammer/stocks match.

But I wouldn't buy an old S&W based on what I know. ;)

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Originally Posted by SecondsCount

I wonder if they needed to carry for encounters with the four legged kind. My folks lived in that area from 1995-2005 and there is still plenty of wildlife that could ruin your day if they wanted to.

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That makes a lot more sense.

Maybe there was an aspect of their job that involved collecting or handling money.

I worked at an industrial history museum years ago that covered the anthracite coal industry. We had 2 old S&W revolvers in the collection that were used by company couriers. They carried a lot of cash on payday and were armed accordingly.

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Originally Posted by MRW

Maybe there was an aspect of their job that involved collecting or handling money.

I worked at an industrial history museum years ago that covered the anthracite coal industry. We had 2 old S&W revolvers in the collection that were used by company couriers. They carried a lot of cash on payday and were armed accordingly.

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That makes a lot of sense. If all the customers had to pay on the 1st or something then there would be a lot of cash at the office that week. Plus it needs to be transported to the bank or wherever.

Well…

I worked at an electric generating company. I visited a large coal generating plant bordering the State of Colorado and the plant manager took me out for a nice steak dinner. One of the topics that came was how he was issued a Glock 19 on his first day as an assistant plant manager…

The plant was big enough that they used three-wheel Schwinn trikes to get around. It also meant that “industrial accidents” and other incidents could occur to plant management without a lot of folks noticing. This was the 2013-14 period.

The plant manager added things had improved in the industrial accident department. I just left it there.
But also didn’t go anywhere alone inside the plant….

As for the nice wheelgun… I would guess payroll or night watchman.
Also, for folks who know their history, Colorado Springs to Cripple Creek is only about ten air miles.
From the AFL-CIO - https://aflcio.org/about/history/lab...-cripple-creek

My guess would be the Model 1950 Army.

Attachment 89866

https://www.rockislandauction.com/de...olver-with-box

When I was a field supervisor in a Virginia public works department non-violent offenders from the county jail were routinely given opportunities to participate in work crews picking up roadside litter, clearing storm drains, performing manual labor. Crew bosses were retired deputies or auxiliary officers who were sworn, badged and armed.

The jail labor crews were paid min wage and each day worked reduced their sentence by an additional day. They got to eat pizza or KFC chicken instead of jail food and got all the Gatorade they wanted to drink. Hot shower and clean clothes at the end of the day and one can of cold beer in the Travel-All on the ride back to jail at their end of 12-hour shift.

If they worked well and kept their nose clean some were hired as probationary Public Service Worker 1, and got an entry level job with benefits and could exchange their orange jump suit for a khaki one.

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Originally Posted by Bigghoss

I was at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum and they had a S&W revolver on display that was carried in 1955 by an agent of the Colorado Springs Department of Public Utilities. They had a short blurb about how the department came to be but nothing about why they needed guns.

I don't know much about S&W wheelguns but it looked like an N-frame. No info on model, caliber, or anything. I was only able to see the S&W stampings that confirmed it was a S&W (as if you couldn't tell by looking at it.)

Attachment 89800
Attachment 89801

Anyway, I just thought this was interesting. Feel free to add on whatever you can about the gun in particular or what you might know about the department. I should have taken a pic of the plaque that went with the gun so I could google the officer's name.

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Originally Posted by JHC

My guess would be the Model 1950 Army.

Attachment 89866

https://www.rockislandauction.com/de...olver-with-box

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The gun in the OP appears to be somewhat older than the pictured 1950 Army. Both are obviously 5 screw, but the OP gun has an older style hammer, indicative of the “long” action, pre-Magna grips that look original, bevels on the front edges of the cylinder that were normal on older guns but dropped in later decades.

The key indicator for me is the knob on the end of the ejector rod on the OP gun vs the same diameter knurling (knob or not - I’m not an expert on the actual assembly of these) on the ejector rod on the 1950 Army. That larger diameter knob required relief cuts on the underside of the barrel, and was dropped prior to the 50s, IIRC. I suspect that the OP gun is either pre-war or immediately after the war during the transition period.

Markings: the 1950 has the Marcas Registradas multi line frame marking on the right front of the frame. The OP gun has a single line in the same place, hard to make out on the resolution of this pic, but looks like the old “Made in U.S.A.”

All I know is that I really really would like to have it, or its twin.

I would carry and shoot the snot out of it in the woods, mountains and high desert, and make no apologies. :cool:

Preferably in .44 Special or .45 Colt.

OOFF!

My thoughts are that Ruger has that niche pretty well covered with their contemporary GP100, Redhawk, and/or Blackhawk... Best, Jon

Even more than a mountain gun I really want a modern m1917 with 4" barrel.

^^^^^^^ I need a "megalike" button.

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Originally Posted by 03RN

Even more than a mountain gun I really want a modern m1917 with 4" barrel.

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The Thunder Ranch edition Model 22-4's are the closest S&W has come to that; albeit with a round-butt, MIM internals and the internal lock. The best thing about that gun was the pinned-in half-moon front sight that facilitated easy replacement. Back in the 2010s I really wanted to get one and have it fitted with a gold-bead Patridge front sight.

Given that it has S&W's modern metallurgy it is well worth a look for a fixed-sight field revolver, internal lock notwithstanding.

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Originally Posted by oregon45

The Thunder Ranch edition Model 22-4's are the closest S&W has come to that; albeit with a round-butt, MIM internals and the internal lock. The best thing about that gun was the pinned-in half-moon front sight that facilitated easy replacement. Back in the 2010s I really wanted to get one and have it fitted with a gold-bead Patridge front sight.

Given that it has S&W's modern metallurgy it is well worth a look for a fixed-sight field revolver, internal lock notwithstanding.

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That's exactly what I mean. I've seen a few and love how they handle. The only one I've ever seen I could afford was nickel plated. Which isn't my preference.

At this point I'd rather trade 2-3 guns I never shoot for one I will but haven't seen one around here forever.

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Originally Posted by 03RN

Even more than a mountain gun I really want a modern m1917 with 4" barrel.

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There is always God's own gunsmithin' tool......

https://www.guns.com/firearms/handgu...-used?p=495669

I served as a water meter reader for a year and a half back in 1981 - 82 for a local municipality. I was 23. Between angry dogs and angry customers threatening to shoot me for shutting off their water for non payment, a sidearm would have been comforting.