Source: ATF P 5300.11 · Curios or Relics List · Jan 1972 – Apr 20253,573 entries · 4 sections
The C&R RegisterA finding aid to the ATF Curios or Relics List, for Type 03 collectors
C&R · II · 508

S&W Model 39-1 (52-A)

Section II: curio or relic, still subject to the Gun Control Act

Official wording

ATF P 5300.11 · APRIL 2025 EDITION · SECTION II · VERBATIM · PDF P. 16 ↗

Smith & Wesson, Model 39-1 (52-A), pistol, cal. 9mm Parabellum.

ATF lists cal. 9mm Parabellum. Auction records describe the Model 52-A (87 made, S/Ns 35850–35927) as chambered in .38 AMU, with the barrel marked “38 A.M.U. CTG.”

What this entry requires

  • INFOATF states no date; production was about 1961–1964.

Editorial facts · Our research

Country
United States
Manufacturer
Smith & Wesson
Type
Pistol
Action
Semi-auto
Caliber
9mm Parabellum
Made
1961–1964production; ATF states no date¹
Service
Military
Search listings ↗Check a specific gunReport an error ↗

Source

Official wording
ATF P 5300.11, April 2025 edition · Section II · PDF p. 16 ↗ · ATF original ↗
Entries
1 line
Verbatim check
Checked against the PDF text before every release
Editorial facts
Confidence: Medium · Last revised 18 October 2026 (Evidence pass) · How we rate confidence
References
  1. cdn.rockislandauction.com ↗, years: Model 52-A manufactured 1961-1964 expressly for the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit; S&W Historical Foundation: only 87 produced
  2. cdn.rockislandauction.com ↗, service: made for the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU)
  3. cdn.rockislandauction.com ↗, note on the ATF wording: RIA lots 3681–3682 (S/Ns 35909, 35910): Model 52-A, 38 AMU cal., "Only 87 of the pistols were produced, all of which fall in the serial number range 35850-35927", barrel marked "38 A.M.U. CTG."
Fact tags
  • ATF the ATF wording states it.
  • REF ¹ an outside reference supports it; the number points to the list of references.
  • ESTIMATE an approximate or indirect reading, for example the production range of the base model.
  • NO CITATION we haven’t attached a reference for this fact; it’s our editorial reading, not ATF’s.
Source checked
20 October 2026: ATF’s page still lists the April 2025 edition
Corrections
4 changes · see below

Correction history

  1. Evidence passNote on the ATF wording added. RIA 4091 lots 3681–3682 and 4096 lot 1554 all describe the 52-A in .38 AMU
  2. Data-trust reviewEditorial confidence: Low → Medium. Re-rated after supporting references were added or re-checked.
  3. Data-trust reviewService: Commercial → Military. The 52-A was made expressly for the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit
  4. Data-trust reviewYears: 1961 → 1961–1964. The Model 52-A was made 1961–1964 (87 pistols)

All corrections · How corrections work

Historical context

Smith & Wesson Model 52 (base model shown for S&W Model 39-1 (52-A))
Shown: a .38 Special Model 52, not this 9mm Model 39-1 (52-A).

Image: Wikimedia Commons, “Smith&WessonM52.JPG” by Mike Searson, CC0. Retrieved October 2026.

Summary: Wikipedia, “Smith & Wesson Model 52”. Text CC BY-SA 4.0.

FROM WIKIPEDIA

The Smith & Wesson Model 52, sometimes referred to as the 38 Master, is a semi-automatic pistol developed by Smith & Wesson for Bullseye shooting. It was one of the first semiautomatic pistols chambered in the rimmed .38 Special with flush-seated, full wadcutter bullets. The shape of the rimmed cartridge limited the magazine capacity to five rounds. A variant, known as the Model 952, in 9x19mm Parabellum, is still produced in limited quantities by Smith & Wesson's Performance Center. The Model 52 was discontinued in 1993 when the machinery to manufacture the pistol broke down and it was deemed too costly to replace.