I'm thinking about selling this, but I'm not sure what a fair price would be. NOTE: this NOT a for sale ad. I will be trying to sell locally first.

1934 .38/44 HD 5" blue. Bore and mechanics are excellent. backstrap is marked "Pol Dept, Lombard, Ill". However, at some point in the past, it was re-blued. And now that refinish is showing some holster wear at the muzzle and sides of the cylinder. I'd call it about 85%. Further, it has a set of much later manga grips on it.





I want to get the most I can for it, but also list a price where it'll actually sell.
What do y'all think would be fair?

All I can say is what I would give...400 and it would come home with me. 450 to 500 is a maybe, above 5 and I would pass.

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Even older, even crankier....

I think A10 is on I would start at $500-550 and see what happens $400 would be a no brainer for me if I was a buyer. The refinish looks well done while not original is better than most you see. I see you are from Bartlett I live in Portland just a little north Of Nashville.

Lemesee. Pre-war HD agency marked cop gun... Refinished but well don. I think there are a few of us around who collect pre-war N frame cop guns who would think it might bring a little more. First, check to see if it is a factory refinish. There should be a date stamp on the left side of the grip frame and possibly other marks. If it were a factory refinish, the factory may have replace the grips with the current version. Post war grips on a pre war N frame should show about 1/8th inch of metal below the wood. Yours seem to fit perfectly with no exposed grip frame which might meat that the factory fitted the grips to the gun. (I have a couple in my collection where the factory replaced the wood with the refinish.) If it is not factory refinished I think I'd start at $600... if factory refinished then I'd start at $650. JMHO.

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Randy
Provenance nerd

Thanks, I was thinking probably in the $500-600 range. Just wasn't sure.

Good news: It's a 5" HD.

Bad news: Refinished. Hammer and trigger polished?

Good/Bad news: The police marking will enhance with some buyers and turn others off.

I think it's a really cool shooter grade HD. I am terrible at estimating monetary values. If I saw it on a table at $400 I would be sorely tempted to pick it up and fondle it. At $600 I keep walking without looking back. The last early HD I saw showed a lot of wear to its original finish, had the later style Magnas, and was priced at $500. How does this stack up against yours? Start high. You can always come down.

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No life story has happy end.

Case colored hammer and trigger would make it look so much better!
If you end up buying it and need a set, let me know. I have a few. We should be able to work something out.

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Chris
SWCA #2243 SWHF #292

I suspect this might be one of those times that the gun looks a lot different in the pics than it does in the hand. Lighter colored backgrounds tend to make blued guns look a lot darker than they actually are in reality.

That said, I'd expect to see an asking price of $750+ at most any show or LGS I've been to in recent years.

Mark

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S&W Forum Member #721