WTB Elsewhere - Family Keepsake - STATE POLICE 1933-1956

[Hobie]

From http://jpg-expertwitness.blogspot.com/2 ... [quote]I'm asking for assistance in location a certain revolver. It's possibly lost forever, but I'm asking just in case one of you might be able to help out. No, this one was never mine. Most of the guns I've let get away were through my own doing. This lost firearm is being sought by a lady I've never met.

The back story:
John J. Burke
b. 1909 d. 1969

He enlisted in the Pennsylvania State Police in 1933 and retired in 1956. (A representative S&W Military & Police revolver.)

Upon retirement from PSP in 1956, Trooper Burke was given a Smith & Wesson .38 revolver with 4" barrel, inscribed PA STATE POLICE 1933-1956 JOHN J BURKE. He subsequently served as Chief of Police in Grove City, PA. The old officer died in 1969.
The late chief's daughter is Ms. Maggie Burke Dull, and she is anxious to locate her father's old revolver as a family keepsake. Her brother, Robert, not knowing that she wanted it, traded it off to a dealer in Jeffersonville, near Norrisown, PA, around 2003. I read about her request for assistance on TheFiringLine.com. I'd really be glad if one of my readers was able to help her out.

Friends, you needn't tell me how slim are the chances of tracing this particular handgun. Other than the unique inscription, there's nothing distinguishing about it. It seems unlikely that the now-retired daughter could pay a huge price to buy it. I can only hope that the current owner, if located, might be generous and willing to sell it for a fair price. Even if it doesn't work out so that Ms. Dull can obtain her dad's sidearm, it would be nice if she could find out what happened to it. You may get in touch with Ms. Dull through The Firing Line board by clicking THIS LINK and then on "Contact Info." Her TFL member name is burke1943. Or, feel free to e-mail or comment to me. If anyone can help in any manner, it would be a very kind act to do so.

Best regards,
JPG[/quote]

[AJMD429]

Awesome, Hobie. Thanks for spreading the word on that.

You just never know - it COULD happen; I read in American Rifleman recently of a guy who got his service rifle from WWII somehow, after all those years.

[salvo]

Thanks Hobie, i hope she finds it.

[Hobie]

I hope you guys will keep your eyes open. Pass it around, too.

[C. Cash]

Is there anyway they can trace the serial number/names involved in the transfer in 2003? Anyone got friends in high places?

[joseywales]

OK. I live about 10 minutes from Norristown. Jeffersonville tells me that it "could" have been one of two places.

Insite Firearms.

2101 West Main Street
(Intersection of W. Main & Burnside)
Burnridge Shopping Center
Jeffersonville, PA 19403

MAIN: 610-630-SHOT (7468)
FAX: 610-635-1801
info@insitefirearms.com
http://insitefirearms.com/contact.html

Now, In Site was located on the second floor of an old schoolhouse at that time, so if the son remembers that, at least you know where to start. Also, although InSite has changed hands, the previous owner still works at that location. He belongs to our club and is a good egg, so MAYBE there's a way to access to some records..not sure of the legalities of that.


Second, there was another, smaller shop, Greys Outfitters, that was literally up the road in the back of a shopping center. They've long since packed up, but I know guys at my club could track him down for you.

Anyway, tap Jr's memory and see if he recalls the old schoolhouse. If so, that really norrows the search.

A friend is also a collector and auction addict. He loves a gun with a story, so I'll pass it by him in case he has it, or knows of it.

Anything I can do to help, just give a shout. I love a good treasure hunt!!

[brucew44guns]

Joseywales, I think you missed your calling if you're not the head honcho at the FBI, or the CIA or some other blood hound organization. Good work here, I'm impressed, hope you're on the track to recovery of the gun.

[Charles]

I hope the present owner will try and track the family down. In the past 3 years I have tracked down the families of the men who owned two inscribed US Military swords in my collection. I returned both of them to the families for the same price I paid for them. The feeling of putting these family items back into the proper hands is worth more than any appreciated value of the item.

[20cows]

Good on you, Charles!

Also to everybody on the trail of the Smith.

[Sixgun]

Yep, I'll keep the eye's open. Norristown is about 20 miles frm me.

BTW, The guy who owned Grey's Outfitters is either at the big house or recently got out. Seems that John Grey sold some grenades to a fed. Good, the weasle suckered me for 3 c-notes for a couple of M-1 Carbine paratrooper cases a month before he got busted.-----------Sixgun

[Mescalero]

Wow,
You got suckered?
Would not want to be him.

[Sixgun]

Wow,
You got suckered?
Would not want to be him.

Mes,
I'm not sure sure I'm worried about the 3 c-notes. The guy looks very harmless but his mom did die under mysterious circumstances. A month after his mom died, he bought Grey's Outfitters. I ain't insinuating anything, its just talk in our area. He owned 25 legal machine guns including a Ma Deuce to which he told me, "Anytime you want to have fun, your invited to my place upstate." They lived around the corner from me. Some people I like to keep a lot of distance from. -----------Sixgun

[Mescalero]

Want to borrow my Ditch Witch?

[Sixgun]

Want to borrow my Ditch Witch?

Oh man, your inticing. Does it go 6' down?

[Mescalero]

only 5 feet

[Nazgul]

If you bury 2 pieces 5 feet deep, is it the same as one 10 feet deep?

Don

[Booger Bill]

That brother of hers must be a real jewel to pawn off his dads service revolver. There is always one like that in every family. Even preachers and cops have them! We all have them.

[Mtn Jack]

I think this might be my first post here, I think if you would post this at pafoa.org you might receive the help you are looking for pa firearms butt. Is a great bunch of guys and girls. I hope this gun can be found. Mtn Jack

[Conductor]

OK. I live about 10 minutes from Norristown. Jeffersonville tells me that it "could" have been one of two places.

Insite Firearms.

2101 West Main Street
(Intersection of W. Main & Burnside)
Burnridge Shopping Center
Jeffersonville, PA 19403

MAIN: 610-630-SHOT (7468)
FAX: 610-635-1801
info@insitefirearms.com
http://insitefirearms.com/contact.html

Now, In Site was located on the second floor of an old schoolhouse at that time, so if the son remembers that, at least you know where to start. Also, although InSite has changed hands, the previous owner still works at that location. He belongs to our club and is a good egg, so MAYBE there's a way to access to some records..not sure of the legalities of that.


Second, there was another, smaller shop, Greys Outfitters, that was literally up the road in the back of a shopping center. They've long since packed up, but I know guys at my club could track him down for you.

Anyway, tap Jr's memory and see if he recalls the old schoolhouse. If so, that really norrows the search.

A friend is also a collector and auction addict. He loves a gun with a story, so I'll pass it by him in case he has it, or knows of it.

Anything I can do to help, just give a shout. I love a good treasure hunt!!

If the gun was sold to InSite Firearms, it will be listed in their A&D (Acquisition & Disposition) book, and it shouldn't take too long to find out who it was sold to. Whether or not the dealer will do that is another question. There is nothing illegal about looking up that information, but some dealers are hesitant to do it. Perhaps the dealer himself can contact the buyer and ask if the buyer will sell the gun back to the woman

If the gun was sold to Grey's Outfitters, and Grey's is now out of business, then all of their records were supposed to have been sent in to BATF when the store went out of business. If that is the case, you're probably out of luck. I doubt that BATF would go searching through the store's records in a case like this.

[BrentD]

If the gun was sold to Grey's Outfitters, and Grey's is now out of business, then all of their records were supposed to have been sent in to BATF when the store went out of business. If that is the case, you're probably out of luck. I doubt that BATF would go searching through the store's records in a case like this.

If you knew the approximate time period that the gun was purchased, maybe you could request the papers under the Freedom of Information Act? I don't know if that is easy or hard to do, but I bet you could get access to them that way.

[Booger Bill]

I definitely would post this on the smith and wesson site.

[mgbug]

Did this have a favorable outcome?

Bob D

[mohavesam]

Any updates?
Try putting more info in the title. Most folks won't notice plain vanilla. Did it ever get posted on the S&W forums? (I have no access)

I was able to track down my Grandmother's Ithaca Roadblocker from her 1940's days as a county Deputy. It was only two transactions removed. It can happen.