The Factory Letter

by
posted on February 4, 2013
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
wiley-clapp.jpg

Any good (or better) quality handgun from Colt or Smith & Wesson probably deserves a so-called “factory letter” to go with it. Both companies offer this service and while it is getting expensive, it may, in the long run, add to the value of the gun. Basically, a factory letter is derived from the shipping records of the company and reports the basic description of the gun, any special features, the day that it left the factory and to whom it was shipped. Today that means a gun store with an FFL, but in older times, guns sometimes went straight to the end user.

My buddy, the late Chuck Karwan, once advised a local handgun enthusiast to get a factory letter on his pre World War II Registered Magnum. He did and it came back as having been shipped to Ed McGivern, a famous handgunner of the 1930s. This tripled, at least, the value of the gun. If the gun in question was made before WWII, it never hurts to spend the money and get a letter.

As a matter of fact, so many people have “lettered” their early Colts and Smith & Wessons that the letter is actually displayed with the gun on a high-end gun show table. I bought a Single Action Army recently and its letter came with it. It had been with the gun for a long time, since it is dated in the 1950s. Smith & Wesson letters have a capsule history of the model, as well as the shipping data on the individual specimen. Preserving arms history is always a good thing and the factory letter is a big part of the process.

Latest

Kimber 2K11
Kimber 2K11

Review: Kimber 2K11

The 2011-style pistol was designed to address the capacity limitations of the single-stack M1911 platform, and Kimber's approach to the concept is its 2K11, a competition-ready offering with several notable features.

Favorite Firearms: A High-Flying Hi-Standard “A-D”

Manufactured in New Haven, Conn., in late 1940, this Hi-Standard pistol was shipped as a Model “A,” but a heavier Model “D” barrel was installed later to replace the original, light barrel, leading one American Rifleman reader to call it a Model “A-D.”

Ruger Helps Families In Need Through The Kids & Clays Foundation

In the effort to help tens of thousands of critically ill children and their families across the nation through local Ronald McDonald Houses, Ruger is among some of the industry’s foremost Platinum-level sponsors of The Kids & Clays Foundation.

Unlocking The Future: Smith & Wesson's "No Lock" Revolvers

The future is shaping up to be a good one for fans of Smith & Wesson revolvers. The iconic American company had released 14 new models thus far in 2025 at the time this was written mid-year. And, with one exception, they have all shared a common feature—no internal lock.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 6, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

FEMA Notes Decline In Disaster Preparedness

A recent report from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) noted a decline in local government preparedness for natural disasters, putting increased pressure on individuals to prepare themselves for emergencies.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.