Met a fellow yesterdat that has a very nice pre model 12? Airweight

He asked if I knew what it was and what it might be worth. He was told the cylinder was aluminum and that it shouldn't be shot. He shoots everything he owns and is thinking of selling or trading it, as he is not a collector.

Luckily I had both my camera and the SCS&W book with me. I went thru the book with him, so he knows the gun does have value. I don't want to cheat him but at the same time, I don't want to overpay.

I told him that having the original box is a plus. He said he had some kind of "blue box with metal sides" at home and he would look for it.

The gun doesn't appear to have been shot, it's got a slight turn line on the cylinder (I guess from dry firing??). The cylinder is definitely aluminum (I knew there was a reason I carry a magnet in my pocket!). The s/n is in the C 237,xxx range. It has NO bug screw.

Can anyone give an idea as to a price range?

Thanks!

__________________
Linda
SWCA #1965, SWHF #245

One of our members sold an exc. condition M&P Airweight with the aluminum cylinder in the last few months for $450.00 I don't remember if he had the box and access. or not. It was a very generous price as the gun is worth more than that as you know if you consulted your SCSW book.

Mine was $600.00 without box and access. and it was still underpriced according to SCSW 3rd edition. Serial # in the low 237XXX range, lettered as sold in 1954 via Mr. Jinks. It's in exc. condition with two small finish spots on the right side of the frame flaked away above the trigger. No holster or high spot wear. It appears to have a cylinder or two fired from it looking at the front of the cylinder. The left grip scale checkering was botched at the factory(grips are #'d to the gun).

I think you would have to let us know how much the seller wants before a better opinion could be rendered.

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Thanks for the info!

Hopefully, I'll be talking to him this week and I'll find out if he has the box or not. He knows he "can't" shoot it and it's only tying up his money.

He had some confusion at first as to what it was... he thought it might be similar to the Air Crewman, Lighweight, but just not marked on the backstrap.

I showed him both a J-frame and a K-frame snubbie and pointed out the size difference and told him it was a pre-model 12. From the serial number, it looks like it's right at the end of production before the MOD-12 came out.

__________________
Linda
SWCA #1965, SWHF #245

So where is pricing on these today? I just had to pass on one. It was a Detroit Police marked pre model 12 (I have a large collection of DPD guns). But the back strap finish was completely worn away it had typical holster wear for a duty carried gun and it has a few spots where the anodizing seemed to be brown and not black. The owner wanted $1000 I really wanted it but felt the value was closer to $6-650 range for condition. It was a nice "looking" gun except for the back strap and it had the aluminum cylinder which to me makes it a paperweight a really cool one but a paperweight none the less.

I bought one in Excellent condition, 98%, a few years ago at a local gun show for a $300 dollars, as the private seller had no idea what he had. I kept if for a few of years and then took my collecting in a different direction. I sold it for over $700. Probably 5 years ago. (no box but Al cylinder)

From aerojoe: "So where is pricing on these today?"
SCSW 4th edition Nahas and Supica page 171.
You can also get it from sold guns from major auction sites.

Happy Easter
Mike

__________________
John 1:17
NRA Life Benefactor

Thanks was just looking for real world pricing sometimes books are off by a lot. I think I was being fair at in the $6-650 range for the condition it was in even being a police marked gun.