No, just seeing them in person in the mid 70's at the huge gun shop & police supply that we used to visit to dream of such things. Their police supply department may have been the source there.
But... before the gun control act of `68, & somewhat past that, S&W's could be had various ways, or special order. Much like American made vehicles of the day. Find one on the lot or not uncommon was to sit down & check of a list of offered options & wait a month or 2 longer & get exactly what you wanted.
I have a 1975 Outdoor Sports Headquarters master catalog that was a giant distributor in the day that used to list some of the more popular options of Smiths & others, seems the blue book of gun values would list the value of a gun & have adders for certain options. But by '75, Smiths were so scarce they stopped doing that. A dealer took what they could get & options weren't asked for, just a bonus if a gun came with some. For instance, a dealer might have to buy 10 model 10's to get a model 19, or the like.
Googling might find old S&W catalogs or option list. I didn't have much luck, but know they existed.
Very true, a neighbor of my folks owned a small 5 and 10 in northeast Ga. He had the most S&W’s I’d ever seen. I mean dozens and dozens back in the early 70’s. He told me he had to buy a truck load of S&W shotgun shells (maybe Alcan) to get N frames like a 29 and 57. They were boxed and were $500 each. Model 60’s we’re the same $500.
I was able to buy a 3 1/2” nickel Model 27 from another dealer for $168 which was list price at the time.
I have a 1970 catalog that lists a bunch of options.
