A Grail Gun for collectors

 

Readers with any connection to the shooting sports and/or law enforcement will recognize the name of Bill Jordan.  His accomplishments are far too many to describe here:  one was to draw his firearm from a holster, shoot, and hit his target in 0.27 of a second!  He merits inclusion in any Top Ten list of American shooters.

Now comes the news that a special presentation Smith & Wesson Model 19 "Combat Magnum" revolver, a one-of-a-kind firearm with engraving specially developed for this weapon, is up for sale on Gunbroker.  It's almost certain to go for six figures, I think.  Feast your eyes on this (click the image for a larger view) and the other photographs available at the link.

The seller's headline for the gun is simply "GRAIL", shorthand for "grail gun", a well-known term used by firearms collectors.  The blurb reads as follows:

Presented here is a truly extraordinary and one-of-a-kind engraved revolver, meticulously crafted and personally presented to U.S. lawman, Marine, Texas resident, and renowned author Bill Jordan in recognition of his distinguished service with the United States Border Patrol, his pioneering role as the father of the K-Frame .357 Magnum Combat revolver, and his illustrious career as an exhibition shooter. This special revolver features intricate gold inlay and masterful engraving, with a high-quality design completed on April 25, 1989, never to be repeated. The work includes gold outline borders surrounding the "SMITH & WESSON" barrel marking and flowing into Jordan’s signature, also inlaid in gold, along with floral scroll engravings on the under lug. The frame boasts 75% coverage floral scrolls, a gold banner inscribed with "No Second Place Winner" from Jordan’s book, and a gold and silver Border Patrol badge on the side plate. The top of the backstrap bears the signature of Smith & Wesson Master Engraver Paul Piquette. The cylinder features floral scrolls between the flutes, all inside gold inlaid triangular borders, and the revolver is fitted with a gold bar inlaid blade front sight, an adjustable rear sight, and custom scrimshaw-Ivory inlaid grips—one medallion depicting the U.S. Border Patrol and the other a portrait of Jordan. Encased in a finely fitted walnut display case with a green interior and Border Patrol medallion on the lid, this piece is accompanied by a wealth of documentation, including a factory letter confirming its unique status, a letter from former S&W President T. Stephen Melvin expressing gratitude for Jordan’s contributions, remarks from Melvin at the NRA presentation event, and an article by Walton P. Sellers about his brief acquaintance with Jordan.

William Henry Jordan (1911–1997) was a celebrated Texas native whose over three-decade career with the U.S. Border Patrol included serving as Assistant Chief Patrol Inspector, and he was also a Marine Corps Reserve colonel during World War II and the Korean War. Jordan made significant contributions to firearms development, collaborating with Walter Roper on revolver grips, assisting Smith & Wesson in designing the .357 Magnum K-Frame, and helping Elmer Keith and Skeeter Skelton develop the .41 Magnum. Recognized with the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Ronald Reagan, Jordan also served as a field representative for the NRA, demonstrating exceptional quick draw skills, teaching western actors, and authoring numerous articles and books, including his acclaimed autobiography, "No Second Place Winner," which is included with this piece. His legacy as a lawman, shooter, innovator, and author is celebrated through this extraordinary engraved revolver, a fitting tribute to his remarkable life and career.

I'm afraid that revolver would be wasted on me, because I don't have any "safe queens" that never get used.  If I have a gun, I'd like to shoot it from time to time - and shooting this one-of-a-kind presentation piece, even once, would knock thousands (perhaps tens of thousands) off its value.  I hope whoever buys it will appreciate the sheer artistry it exhibits, and enjoy looking at it - and that he/she has another Model 19 to shoot regularly, so as to appreciate it all the more!

Peter