Assuming it’s still glued on the box. Ya know ….. that box may look just a little too perfect to be original. But, I think that’s the original style of box. Showing the s/n would have been a plus too.
Well, Wayno, I've bought from people off Armslist in the past (after I vetted them extensively) and haven't had any problems, but it doesn't matter because the ad says NO shipping
That one has the white reprint manual. The original manual was manilla colored.
The catalog number is GS-33PS and the PS is assumed to stand for Postal Service, although the P was also used to denote Pachmayr grips, which these also have. They were made late in -Six production so have 3" barrels instead of 2.75". The second 3 in the catalog number denotes the 3" barrel, the first 3 denotes the .357 Mag caliber. And GS is for stainless Speed Six. The one pictured is the only one I've seen with the U.S. Postal Service Revolver Inspection Maintenance Record insert.
The more I look at it the more I wonder. I'm thinking the box and manual are added, not original and the box a plain "reshipped" box. I would certainly have to have verification from Ma Ruger to believe it a real postal gun, but still a neat little gun it have and I'd carry it. I just think it is overpriced by a couple hundred.
I’d get a letter on it too but ….. if that IS truly a 3 inch barrel, it’d be quite the unicorn if its not in the USPS serial number range.
I thought the boxes Ruger used to “re-ship” guns were plain brown OR, were those (plain brown) used when they returned a gun from repair or with the safety conversion?
I think the gun is worth that money even without the box.
I guess I do too, in spite of having mine valued at only $750. My valuations are out of date on a lot of guns, like the one right above it in my spreadsheet is a "U" marked GS-33P (same gun, just not a PS Postal Service gun) and I only have it valued at $675 from when I bought it about 20 years ago. I have it noted as 1 of 1 known but don't know if others may have been found since.
I think there was a substantial overrun of the PS guns that were shipped late and those are the ones with the white reprint manuals. Since these were made in the mid-1980s, it could be that USPS never took delivery of a bunch due to switching to bottom feeders like so many other LE agencies were doing back then.