I always keep an eye out at my favorite gun shop for good deals of .38 special revolvers especially older Smiths. A model 37 popped up the other day for $299, descriptions said "Original with wood grips" so I called, and the salesman said it had some holster wear, but no rust and locked up tight, could use rebluing. I know the guys at this shop sometimes give "loose" reviews on guns because all of them are collectors, and have some pristine examples...

So I went to check it out for myself. I wanted it bad at that price.

When I got there, they pulled it out, and my heart sank. He meant it when he said it needed to be reblued. On the tip of the barrel it had typical wear from reholstering, no big deal. The cylinder had two spots where the holster touched it that all the bluing was gone and there was definite damage to the metal. Basically looked like it had been in a leather holster for many years without being cared for, and all the high spots on the front of the cylinder had damage on it, and the grips were very worn as well. About 1/3 of the checkering was gone.

I held it, and played with the trigger and cylinder for a long 10 minutes before I finally had to say no on it. I was hoping that I would be able to just clean it well, and use a bluing pen to touch it up, but the pitting or oxidation on the cylinder was pretty bad. The rest of the frame wasn't bad, and the barrel I could have lived with, and the grips I would have just changed. I really wanted it at $300 but just couldn't do it.

It's still in their case after a few more days which is very unusual for this shop, and means it will probably sit for a while. Who knows, maybe if it's there for a few weeks, I can try to get it for less - if I got it for $250 I would do it, but for some reason that extra little bit makes it all the harder to but it. Its a 1955-57 year range too, serial number started in 598- sorry just realized I posted this in the wrong section... I tried deleting it, but can't for some reason- Mods can move if they have to.

They had a really nice model 12, model 15, and model 60 in stock, but were more in the $500 range which for as nice as they were was still a good deal, I just didn't want to spend that much.

SO I guess I'll have to think on it, and if it sells it was definitely not meant to be. I only want it because I have a 3" barrel model 36-1 with a heavy barrel, and I want a blued snubby. I would even buy a Charter arms undercover in blued finish just to have one. But I also want a 638 or 642 as well. I just love revolvers.