Letters
Many collectors enjoy having “factory letters” for their collectible Smith & Wesson firearms. The Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation offers two historical products.
Letter of Authenticity
Formerly known as the “Factory Letter,” a Letter of Authenticity from the SWHF provides historical information about your gun that can enhance your personal enjoyment of your firearm. The specific information available varies, but for most time periods we can provide specific information on the model, how it was configured from the factory (usually finish, barrel length, and grip style), and when and where the gun was first shipped to from the factory.
It’s important to note that Smith & Wesson’s shipping information generally only shows the gun’s first stop when it left the factory. The factory records don’t generally notate where the gun went from there; those records (if they still exist) would have been kept by the seller.
Simply download the Letter of Authenticity request form and mail it along with payment to:
S&WHF
PO Box 669
Warren, MA 01083
Historical Deep Dive Letter
If you have an Authenticated gun that you’d like to learn more about, the S&WHF is sometimes able to do a deep dive into its past. By scouring our digitized records, we’re often able to find some incredibly interesting historical facts about your specific gun, or even the original factory invoice. For this process, you must already have already received a Letter of Authenticity.
Once we do the research, we will contact you and let you know what we have found, and what the charge will be for copies of those records. If we do not find anything there will be no charge.
You can use our convenient online request form to start the process.
