How would a .44 3rd Model HE be rated if the gun was in very good to excellent condition except for a patch of corrosion or something on the frame. The area in question is from the left side top strap down to the top of the grip. The area is about 3/16" wide. It looks like maybe some type of liquid hit it and ran down the side of the frame. I wiped a little off the top strap but rest would not come off. Other than that the gun is in great condition. Serial is 685xx 5" barrel and blue finish with numbered grips. Any idea what it is worth as I might have a chance to buy it.

Thanks

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Mike
USMCR 84-87, USAF 87-07

How would a .44 3rd Model HE be rated if the gun was in very good to excellent condition except for a patch of corrosion or something on the frame. The area in question is from the left side top strap down to the top of the grip. The area is about 3/16" wide. It looks like maybe some type of liquid hit it and ran down the side of the frame. I wiped a little off the top strap but rest would not come off. Other than that the gun is in great condition. Serial is 685xx 5" barrel and blue finish with numbered grips. Any idea what it is worth as I might have a chance to buy it.

Thanks

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Mike
USMCR 84-87, USAF 87-07

The percentage system is supposed to mean percent of original finish remaining, so you would have to estimate the percent finish missing in that area and on the rest of the gun. Many people try to use the percent system as an overall condition rating, but that is extremely subjective (for instance, what about a gun that is cosmetically perfect but beat to pieces mechanically? What do you call a gun that has 2% finish missing, but the metal is also pitted in that spot?).

Usually, people will deduct more of a percentage for a spot of finish loss such as this gun has than is actually missing. For instance, if 5% of the finish is missing in that spot you describe but the gun is otherwise great, you will get percent ratings from 50% to 80% or so if people are using the overall percent scale. In those cases, it is a subjective rating of what they feel is the condition of the gun compared to new. It is very, very difficult to come to agreement across the board using the system in this way except at maybe the 98-100% category.

Given all that, I'd pay at least $500 for a gun as described if it was excellent mechanically. Any decent 3rd Model is worth that to me as a shooter. I might pay more if it had rare and/or exceptional original stocks, lettered to someone interesting, was a target model, etc.

Best of luck and post pics if you get it!

hi
the serial number is not correct for a pre war 3th model with that serial number it is post war transition model. and should have a S before the serial number.
jim fisher

bmg60 your right I forgot the S.

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Mike
USMCR 84-87, USAF 87-07

It really depends on the eye appeal the gun retains- how ugly is it??
They made a total of 1434 Transition 44-3rds. They bring big bucks. 5" is most common. Even ugly, it has to be a $1000 gun, but it might be slow bringing it. If it does not look "real ugly", as in that area is merely brown, it might approach 1500. Hard to price a gun I haven't seen that we know has a problem......

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

I'd still pay $500 if it was mechanically sound.

Clearly, the blemish bothers you. I suspect it would bother anyone considering spending big money on such a gun, as anything less than a 98% gun usually has considerably less value as a collectible.

With that said, 3rd Model .44 HEs are fine guns that seem to be in increasingly short supply. And, finding one in the condition you describe for less than $1,000.00 is quite an accomplishment these days. But, as a less than collectible grade gun, an appropriate price for a person to person deal should be somewhere under $1,000.00. If it was priced at anything more than that I would pass.

Then again, I already have one. I might be willing to push the envelope just a little if it was a gun I had been searching for and never thought I would find. It really depends on your situation.