Picked these up at an auto swap meet!
- Thread starter Galaxiedan
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Galaxiedan
Blackhawk
Galaxiedan
Blackhawk
Galaxiedan
Blackhawk
They were literally set on the side of a long table filled with old car parts. The seller didn't even know what brand they were. He had these three and a h&r 32. I left that one for someone else.
contender
Ruger Guru
Goes to show you can find deals in odd places,, as long as you keep your eyes open! Kudos on some great finds.
What kind of Commie wouldn't know what those were???
I'd say that pile of "safe queens" 
is $1100 with the Rugers being $850 of that.
I'm no S&W expert but can see it is a 4 screw, new enough to not be a flat latch and old enough to have the diamond grips. I'd guess 1950's vintage without pulling out the reference books. One grip is badly damaged and there appears to be some sort of grip extender at the butt. Lots of finish wear. If there is no model number stamped under the crane then it is harder to nail down, but it looks like it would be whatever they called the forerunner of the model 10. Can't read the caliber on the barrel but if it doesn't say "Special" or "Spl" then it is probably a .38 S&W. Easy to sell a .38 Special, less so with a .38 S&W.
is $1100 with the Rugers being $850 of that.I'm no S&W expert but can see it is a 4 screw, new enough to not be a flat latch and old enough to have the diamond grips. I'd guess 1950's vintage without pulling out the reference books. One grip is badly damaged and there appears to be some sort of grip extender at the butt. Lots of finish wear. If there is no model number stamped under the crane then it is harder to nail down, but it looks like it would be whatever they called the forerunner of the model 10. Can't read the caliber on the barrel but if it doesn't say "Special" or "Spl" then it is probably a .38 S&W. Easy to sell a .38 Special, less so with a .38 S&W.
The S&W is a 5 screw. The 5th screw is the upper side plate screw.
It shouldn't be hard to nail down the year with the serial #. It can't fall into too many years with the simple Made in USA markings and the more modern barrel profile.
It shouldn't be hard to nail down the year with the serial #. It can't fall into too many years with the simple Made in USA markings and the more modern barrel profile.
I saw the top sideplate screw, but the one I couldn't see was the one in front of the trigger guard, which I thought was eliminated prior to the 4th sideplate screw, I'm probably wrong though. The ramp front sight is confusing for a fixed sight gun, and the hammer is also odd, like from one of the military models.
If it has a top side plate it has the 4th screw in front of the trigger guard. The 4th screw was the last screw eliminated of the original 5.
I don't recall that profile barrel on a Made in USA 5 screw. Could it have been changed?
I'd look it up, but the OP hasn't expressed any interest.
I don't recall that profile barrel on a Made in USA 5 screw. Could it have been changed?
I'd look it up, but the OP hasn't expressed any interest.
Galaxiedan
Blackhawk
Thanks for the replies! I posted some pics of the smith on the s&w forum. And was able to get some info. It's a 1942 vintage that was sent to Britain for the war effort. It was originally 38 SW caliber but converted by a company in Britain to 38 special after the war. They added that front sight. Parker Hale. Considered a victory model. I was told they were finished with a parkerized type finish originally but someone has polished and blued this one at some time. I guess you could pick these up cheap in the 50s and 60s. Not very valuable, I was told a couple hundred bucks in that condition. But still a neat gun. And yeah I was surprised to see them at a swap meet and especially that the old guy didn't know much about them other than they were old guns. He wasn't interested in them for sure. Took my money and said thanks.
Any guesses on the flatgate value?
Any guesses on the flatgate value?
Things seem a little strange with the serial numbers. 357 Flat top 865XX. Last FT was 42689 this should be a protected sight and the flat gate looks like SN 84921 in the picture. Round gate starts at 58895 should be a round gate. I could be reading stuff wrong.
Doh! I completely missed that it is a flattop! I only opened the pic to look at the wear. Must be it starts with a 3 instead of an 8, and the value of the bundle will go up, even in that condition a flattop will fetch more than a protected sight model.
OP said the flatgate is 343xx, so I'll take that as true even though it looks more like 849xx in the pic.
I'll raise my estimate to $1150 for the package; conservatively $525 flattop, $375 flatgate, $250 S&W. Any one of them could bring $50-100 more depending on who is looking.
On second thought, with all that pitting, the flattop might be a stretch at $525, but the flatgate is nicer.
So same $1150 total, but $475 flattop, $425 flatgate, $250 S&W
So same $1150 total, but $475 flattop, $425 flatgate, $250 S&W
Bigbore5
Single-Sixer
I've seen that grip extension on the 38 before. It's a Parker & Hale thing. Probably why it was id'd as on of there's, but their proof mark was usually on the barrel. They also didn't do the special rechambering. There's were regular S&W chambers.
