1899 Army

THREEDFLYER · #1 09-11-2017, 09:58 AM

A buddy in another state clued me in on a Model 1899 Army revolver that looks to be in nearly perfect condition. The stocks are pristine and there is minor handling marks on the finish.

I am going to call the shop owner (who is an acquaintance of mine) and see if he is firm on the asking price of $1,399.

Thoughts on the price??

JimBianchi · #2 09-11-2017, 10:22 AM

I am no expert but I will give it a shot.

All matching numbers, all original (grips, box, papers), excellent bore, I'd say it may be over priced.

Unless it is something special, and seller can prove it.

Age, condition and markings with determin value. I've seen a lot of these, and most people think they are worth 2x their actual value.

There are a lot of them out there for sale.

post pics of the bottom of the grip and the crane marking and someone here with break out the correct book and give you a fair value.

Of course, I have over paid for a gun I had to have, my Marlin 1894/357, new old stock, is my best example of my buying with my heart and not my head. (paid $900, could have searched more and paid $700 if I was willing to wait)

Wiregrassguy · #3 09-11-2017, 10:37 AM

Tom, it may be priced appropriately. The SCSW 4th says $2500 in EXC condition. It would be in the SN range of 13001-14000.

cmansguns · #4 09-11-2017, 10:56 AM

OP;
You may wish to view my Saturday post regarding my Army 1899. There were only 1000 made and the serial number has to be from 13001 to 14000. The grips have to have the KSM on right panel, JTT 1901 on left. The barrel should be marked S & W 38 MIL.

Is yours 1st Model?

If the finish is perfect on your potential buy I would clearly inspect for refinish, as 118 years of original finish is hard to imagine.

The SCSW 4th (page 160-161) gives a tremendous differential range for price and even has a category "Excellent +" ($1500) then Excellent ($900) then Very Good at $600 and this wide variance is the most I have seen in recent years.

On the other hand Blue Book (15th) has these Army 1899 (page 1801) at $2,875 - 90%, and $3,300 for 95% so again...a very wide variance.

I'm just getting started with research on mine, but I paid right at what your seller is asking and that was some time ago.

In any event good luck with your negotiation and hopeful acquisition........pics would be very helpful, especially in these cases of real old ones.

cmansguns · #5 09-11-2017, 11:06 AM

Sorry for the interruption to the post.

Wiregrassguy...did I misread SCSW 4th? I am not near my SCSW 4th at this time but I thought I saw $1500 on Excellent +, and $900 on Excellent.

I may have read the wrong edition or something else and I don't want to mislead anyone.

Please verify where you saw the numbers and I apologize in advance for erroneous info I may have posted.

murphydog · #6 09-11-2017, 11:11 AM

That is an excellent price for a pristine, original 1899 Army contract gun. The guide book values may differ between a non-military 1899 (20,000 made) and the Army (1,000 made, as noted above).

Worth a look at least, and posting some photos for us please

.

Modified · #7 09-11-2017, 11:19 AM

I had a look at the gun in person. I would say it's a 90%-95% gun. The only real bluing loss I saw aside from knicks here and there was on one side of the cylinder.

I've seen a lot of re-finished guns and this one was not one of them.

The stocks had the correct markings. The action was correct and felt perfect for an 1899, and every stamping I could see (including the proof marks) looked right.

If I had to guess I would say that this gun was never used, but sat in a drawer on one side of the cylinder for a very long time. It's not that there is rust there really, or that it is in the white, but it has that sort of brown color that the early high polish blue guns got sometimes where it's just not so shiny.

Wiregrassguy · #8 09-11-2017, 11:30 AM

Charlie:

• U.S. Army Model: Cal .38 Long Colt with 6” barrel, 1,000 marked “U.S. ARMY MODEL 1899” on the butt. Army Issue has the inspectors initials in the grip circles, KSM on the right side (for Kelly S. Morse) and JTT (for John T. Thompson), on the left side) with lanyard ring. S&W serial number range 13001-14000, Circa 1901. About $2,500 in Exc. condition.

(Standard Catalog of S&W, 4th. Edition, Page 161).

handejector · #9 09-11-2017, 11:53 AM

As others said, check for a refinish.
Check to see if chambers are reamed to 38 Special- origs are 38 Long Colt and as 38 Spec won't quite go.

IF original finish with orig grips, and it has not been reamed, GET ALL OVER IT!

THREEDFLYER · #10 09-11-2017, 02:03 PM

I have decided to go ahead and purchase the revolver there is no issue with the Chambers they are 100% original not reamed out and the finish is 100% original I think this is a heck of a deal based on what I've seen out there.

When I have it in my hands I will post good photos for all to see condition. If this turns out to be as advertised it will be a special one for the collection!

THREEDFLYER · #11 09-11-2017, 02:35 PM

BTW the same seller has what he describes as an excellent condition 1915 .38 M&P Target Model advertised for $1,499 with Jinks letter stating it went to the Portland, OR area. Have not seen photos and may try to get more info. I have a few of the .38 M&P Targets in the safe, but nothing quite that early.

Modified · #12 09-11-2017, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THREEDFLYER

BTW the same seller has what he describes as an excellent condition 1915 .38 M&P Target Model advertised for $1,499 with Jinks letter stating it went to the Portland, OR area. Have not seen photos and may try to get more info. I have a few of the .38 M&P Targets in the safe, but nothing quite that early.

I've seen that one too, he's not lying about the condition. I can also attest to it's originality.

He also had a case with 2 very fine pre-war target K frames in it a while back. I'm not sure if all the guns came in from the same person, but I can't imagine a little shop like that having top of the heap guns like this all come in at the same time from different people.

JSR III · #13 09-11-2017, 05:38 PM

IIRC, I paid over $1,100 for my Navy version 14 years ago and it was not in 90%+ condition and was glad to find it. FWIW.

THREEDFLYER · #14 09-14-2017, 11:08 PM

Photos added.....