Springfield Research Service (SRS)

First post, the website is telling me I need to make a post saying hi, so HI. Now on to why I was reading the board in the first place.

I have a US&S 1911 and a colt SAA that I think was military issue (waiting on the letter from colt to verify that). While trying to figure out where the US&S pistols were issued (as in what branch, where they might have seen action etc...) I ran across this forum and mention of the SRS (usmartialarmscollector.com). An SRS letter looks like it would be really cool to have for both of these guns, so I sent them an email to see if they're still doing that research. Reading further, I see they went through a lot of changes at least 5 years ago, and not much has been said about them lately (unless my search skills have failed me). So the first question is, does anyone know their current status? I just sent the email this morning, so they may still get back to me in a timely manner, I'm just impatient. How much does their service cost? Did they ever reintroduce the online version of the database?

Second, can one of you who has one of the books check for any hits on my US&S? SN 1084410.

And third, whether there is a hit on that number or not, does anyone know who the US&S pistols were issued to? The only thing I've been able to find was that most went to the OSS or the navy.

Thanks,

At one time the SRS records were on the internet, but with the death of the founder of SRS, Frank Mallory, the information passed into other hands and the information was removed from the internet. It is my understanding that now you must subscribe to the SRS quarterly magazine in order to be eligible to receive information from SRS. You submit your serial number, and are told whether information exists. Then if you want the information you send $175 to get a letter with the information which SRS has. The information might add considerably to your gun's value, or it might be where the gun was returned to Springfield Armory for rebuild.
As to your SAA, does it have the U.S. stamped just behind the patent dates?
I will admit that I never saw information that most of the US&S pistols were issued to the OSS and the Navy. I do have a US&S that lettered, and it shows up on a Navy ship late in WWII. I believe more pistols show up in Navy records due to the static nature of the pistols. On a Navy ship they remained in the same place for a much longer period of time than those issued to ground troops, therefore more records survived.
Your US&S serial number does not show up in my books, but later information exists.

Yeah I read the thread about yours earlier today. It was pretty cool. Even if the srs info is just about it being returned for a refurbish, I think it'd be good information. I assume if it was returned to the armory, they would say where it had come from. I'm not looking to increase the value, I'm just wondering about its history. There's already enough sentimental value attached to the gun that its unlikely we'll ever sell it. It would probably get donated to a museum first (if something interesting came up that is).


As for the markings on the SAA, nope they are not there, I can't even see the patent dates. However its very well worn and when I took a picture, the flash showed a dark spot where the markings would be. The only markings that show up clearly are the serial numbers, and I can barely make out mot of the stuff on the barrel. Like I said, I'm waiting on the colt letter for that one. It'll tell me all the original markings.

Sorry to bump an older thread like this. But, I got a response from Springfield Research that I don't fully understand. The first response was that there was no data, the army will not release a lot of those numbers. So I asked him what he meant by "those numbers" and why they won't release them. He responded that the army has some records they will not release including 1911's, 1903's and garands, and they will not accept requests for data. So does anyone have any idea what that means? I feel like I'm annoying the guy at Springfield Research, so I don't want to ask him again. Does it mean my gun was sent somewhere top secret? Or is that just what the government says when they've lost your particular record?

I think all it means is that the records might exist, but they have not been reviewed and declassified to be released to the public.

The government has too many other things to worry about. They simply don't care that a collector might want information they (might) have.

Your Colt SAA should have US inspector marks in all kinds of places if it is a Calvary model(or converted Artillery). This includes the barrel, frame, gripstrap and grips. If it is a US pistol, it should not take a Colt letter to determine that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mike radford

Your Colt SAA should have US inspector marks in all kinds of places if it is a Calvary model(or converted Artillery). This includes the barrel, frame, trigger guard, cylinder and grips. If it is a US pistol, it should not take a Colt letter to determine that.

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Forgot the cylinder plus correction.

I didn't post a picture of the SAA, so you don't realize how beat up it is. The only marks that can be clearly seen are the serial numbers, and even those are worn down pretty smooth. You can see just enough of the address line on the barrel to know it was 7.5 inches, and other than that all i can see are some spots where I think marks used to be. The only reason I suspected it was military was because it was cut down like an artillery model (according to one collector I showed it to). Anyway, its a moot point. Checking a second number was free so I did and it came up with no records.

Wonder if a Freedom of Information Act request would pry all the data loose, including the data that the the guy who is now running SRS is making a buck off of?

"Wonder if a Freedom of Information Act request would pry all the data loose, including the data that the the guy who is now running SRS is making a buck off of? "

Would work with a Govt. Agency, but seriously doubt that it applies to an individual/private company which in my understanding is what SRS is.

As far as I know anyone can go to the National Archives and dig out the data the same way that Springfield Research did.

The information that SRS might provide is not owned by SRS. They simply do the research work and provide information from U.S. government and other records they have researched.

That same information is available to anyone...if you want to devote the time, expertise and do the research yourself. However, going to the National Archives, knowing where to search and spending 1/2 or a whole day waiting in line to be served....that just doesn't seem like a good return on my time and effort.

Frank Mallory did the bulk of the leg work and took notes on where the information is in the National Archives. Still today, someone has to go down, wait in line, find that info and then have it copied. The cost they charge for a good letter is reasonable.

The problem is you don't always get good, useful information. Some of the info that is available isn't worth paying for.

I think he was talking about filing one with the military to get the info released on my gun.

And I don't know. I haven't really studied FOIA and have no clue how to go about even filing one. I read an article from one of the guys who used to do the research for SRS (http://armscollectors.com/archivesre...tips07may9.htm) and I don't think it cost him much money at all. The biggest cost is spending time doing the research. You'd spend all day at the archives and even if you knew what you were doing, could only get up to 4 records pulled a day.