Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns S & w model 36 marked U.S.P.O.

I know of a Smith and Wesson model 36, 2 inch that is parkerized and has the letters U.S.P.O. stamped on top. Is this a special order by the U/S. Postal service? Any information will help.

Postal inspectors were armed. I'd bet it is.

Check over on the Smith and Wesson forum, postal service guns are a rare breed, and quite a few fellas get horned up over this sort of stuff.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/

I remember PO workers in railroad post office cars being armed. This was in the 50's and early 60's.

Yes, My grandfather who was a supervisor for USPS Railway Mail Service told me that he would sometimes volunteer to take the train from the NY Fed. Reserve to Fort Knox on which trips 1911s were issued to him - no training or instructions - I guess this was in the 40s or 50s.

The Post Office Dept. had handguns for employees to check out. Some were railway clerks but there were handguns for mail handlers and clerks to carry when transporting mail. The Charleston WV main post office had Colt Banker Specials in 38 short. Back when mail traveled by train clerks and mail handlers would take a hand truck across the Southside bridge to the depot on foot. They checked out the revolvers from the registered mail room.

On the S & w model 36 marked U.S.P.O. I would like to thank Dan, George, FWP, Night Owl, Dave and any others that replied sith info on the handgun. Best regards and straight shooting, Archeryking (Bob)

Thanks to all who replied on this S & W. Great help. Archeryking

Archeryking

Your welcome.

FWP

My uncle carried one back in the fifties and sixties. He pitched mail on the trains and had to carry it. He learned each town on a seven hundred mile stretch and bagged the mail to hang it in towns they didnt stop in. Had to catch the hanging bag and put up the new one as the train thundered through town. He loved the challenge.