I am supposed to receive delivery of a Wolf & Klar Pre-War 3rd Model 1926 Nickel 4" .44 special in a few days. The gun has a Jenks letter stating that it was shipped to Wolf & Klar as a Nickel gun. From the limited pictures I saw of it, it looked really nice. No major flaking, scratches, gouges etc. It had a nice set of old MOP grips on it without the S&W medallions. (no cracks or chips) The Jenks letter states that they could have been added by Wolf and Klar at the time of sale.
The seller stated that he was uncertain if the gun had been re-nickeled but also stated that there we no factory re-finish markings on the gun. He said that if it had been re-done it was a very good job and had been done a long long time ago.
My question to the experts here is.....what do you think I should have paid for such a gun?
I know you're going to say you need to see pics. I'll post them if I have time after I get it. (Going to Tulsa on the 11th so don't know if I'll have time till I get back)
In the mean time WHADDA YA'S THINK????

Well a couple years ago I sold a 98% Nickled 5" that lettered to Wolf & Klar with a set of Non Serial #'d Service grips on Gun Broker for 4K. The 4" would be more desireable than the 5" to most. The Economy has driven the prices down on some guns but the really nice guns will sustain themselves.

My .02

Dan

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Dan M.

I think Dan must have found a live one on that sale! Bring the gun to Tulsa and you can get some pretty good opinions from Lee and David Carroll on the gun. Ed.

Here's one that went on Auction Arms nearly four years ago....

AA Auction 7154050 (Ended 01/05/2006, 12:42:42 PST) S&W Hand Ejector 44Spl 4 Inch Nickel

Mark

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S&W Forum Member #721

I just bought one of those exact guns a few weeks ago. Mine is also a 3rd Model .44 HE 4 inch barrel in original nickel. Mine has very nice matching number magna grips. The nickel on mine is in poor condition however. I have exactly $700 in my gun. It was shipped in Nov of 1938 if I remember correctly (I asked Mr Jinks) so I don't know if mine went to W&K. I intend on lettering it. Not sure what they bring with excellent nickel but I was happy to fork over the 7.

Roger

I just rechecked my inquiry and it was actually shipped in nov of 1937 (serial 534**)

Really, isn't a little late now to start wondering if you paid too much?

My rule is that once I buy, I stop looking at prices others are asking and never ask what the gun I just bought is worth. AFAIC it's worth exactly what I paid for it.

After 41 years of buying guns I know that in many cases I felt like I got a good deal. In some cases I felt like I did only OK. Other times I knew I paid too much because I really wanted the gun.

In all three scenarios at the end of the day I had the gun I wanted. What else mattered?

Roger: $700 is a steal. For whatever reason, probably rarity, everyone wants the 4" guns.

A few years ago I picked up a 4" blue gun at the Paris, KY gunshow. I had to pay $550 for it. It had wear, it was a working gun. I sold/traded it to my gun show partner, John, for double. I gave him the price, expecting him to deny me any profit. Instead he threw the money at me. Then he sold it to Boyd at the tables behind us for another $550 profit!

As for the refinishing, it might matter who did the work, if indeed it was/is a refinished gun. The only way to tell is to look at it. Many people can't tell, or disagree when they inspect a gun. Give a gun to a group of 10 people and I can guarantee you won't get many where everyone can agree.

Much depends on why you'd buy a 3rd model. If its to use and shoot, the refinish doesn't mean a whole lot if well done. Some might even prefer it. They cost less and generally look better. Few refinished guns qualify as investment quality. The only way they qualify is if they're real rarities.

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Dick Burg

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"Really, isn't a little late now to start wondering if you paid too much?

My rule is that once I buy, I stop looking at prices others are asking and never ask what the gun I just bought is worth. AFAIC it's worth exactly what I paid for it.

After 41 years of buying guns I know that in many cases I felt like I got a good deal. In some cases I felt like I did only OK. Other times I knew I paid too much because I really wanted the gun.

In all three scenarios at the end of the day I had the gun I wanted. What else mattered?"

These thoughts of wisdom should be a forum stickie.The gun was apparently worth that much to you,so you bought it.Period.
Maybe I'm becoming a grump but I become weary of reading posts on assorted forums;"Did I pay too much?" Nothing you're going to do at this point,so why second guess or beat yourself up.
As Saxon pointed out,sometimes you pay a little more, a little less-We do this because we enjoy it,it's primarily a hobby-we're not looking at it as a dealer must.

Is this the one listed on GunsAmerica recently? If it is it has been renickled for sure and its a pretty crappy renickle if you know what to look for in the pics....I think the seller was asking just over $1k for it. $700 is not bad if it is this gun but $1k, no way. I just recently bought one from GA, 4 inch nickle with factory letter, had been refinished at S&W in 1953 and is marked as such on the grip frame. I paid $1400 for it. I just got it in hand and its beautiful. When they renickled these at S&W way back when they did an awesome job.

Exactly my thoughts on prices...Its worth what someone will pay for it, including you.