There's one in a local pawn shop tagged at $489, so I'm thinking worst case $500 OTD. Looks to be about 95% or so, except for the grips which are nice rosewood but aftermarket.

Thanks for any info.

The model 13 is a great gun. Here in So Cal at $500 it would get snatched up pretty quick.

Attached Images

M13.jpg (97.8 KB, 256 views)

For my $, depends on the physical condition beyond the external finish. There is a checklist somewhere on the forum for how to evaluate a used revolver. Worthwhile reading.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Unless it is just calling out to you, I think it's on the high side.

Is this at the same place as the 4" M65-5?
If it is and you can swing the amount, make an offer on a package deal.

Try for $450 as base price, if it's a really nice gun.


If in some places like CA, you may be lucky to get out for $500.


I prefer stainless guns. Can you find a Model 65 instead?

Yes, there's a nice Model 65 at a local pawn shop, tagged at $500, which I posted about earlier. Since I already have a couple stainless Smiths, I thought a blued gun might be a nice change of pace.

To address someone else's question, the 65 and the 13 are at different shops.

At 95% and wrong grips, $489 is high side retail. If it is in a pawn shop, there is wiggle. Take cash.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

At five bills, it would be on the high side of what I would like to pay. (but then, most used guns sell for more than I think they are worth) Having said that. If it was a gun I was looking for, it would be mine. Most any Smith is bringing that kind of money, if it is in decent shape. I can't remember when I last saw a 13(of any dash)for sale, in this part of the country. And have never seen one in the local shops.

Used S&Ws have taken on the same aura as Winchesters had/have. They are asking premium prices even for badly used and abused samples, just because they can. To people born before, lets say, 1960, nice S&Ws or Colt revolvers are a thing of beauty. An example of the highest mark of craftsmanship and manufacturing expertise. (other guns fall into this same category, fine shotguns, good rifles(even the lower priced brands) While most but not all folks, born later, don't even understand the concept of "high quality" and can't understand why anyone would want "that old piece of **** gun" (insert your preference, Colt, Smith, Browning, whatever), when you can buy the latest and greatest plastic, alloy and spray painted "wonder gun"

OK, I went off in a rant, the last half of this post and far off topic. Sorry about that.

Back to topic: If you want the 13, for that price, you should buy it. If you don't, someone else will and probably soon.

Front sight ?
Polished trigger ?

This is just my opinion, there are others. However, just about any S&W in that condition, revolver, for $500.00 obo is a deal. I wish prices were what they were when I first started...and sometimes at the gun shows I have to remind myself that. Fact is, if you like it, pay it or make an offer. Worst they can say is 'no thanks'.

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Rather be outdoors

Well, in exchange for that Taurus 65 I posted about earlier and $300 cash, I picked up the Model 13-2. So much for $500 OTD.

But when I compared the Taurus's slightly freckled and slightly pitted decent blue to the deep blue of the model 13, I decided to go ahead and get the Model 13. I'll post some pics in a few minutes and you guys can tell me how badly I got ripped off.

"Wrong" rosewood grips on a 13 make it worth less?
I've got three "correct" grips in a drawer that I'll trade for ANY aftermarket rosewoods.

This trade in/upgrade deal sounds better to me than coughing up five Franklins.

Here are a couple quick pics. I'd have to say probably more like 90% than 95% condition based on some wear to the backstrap and some holster wear on the barrel and a little edge wear. The backstrap wear is tough to figure. Maybe it was gripped a lot but well-treated otherwise.

No significant dings or scratches beyond that.

Just curious, what would be period correct grips?

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	SW13 L.jpg (150.6 KB, 85 views)
	SW13 R.jpg (147.7 KB, 89 views)

Those are Rogers grips. Technically, they are "period correct" .
They are actually plastic, not rosewood.
It would have come with magnas on it.

Good point.

And at first I though they were rosewood because I hadn't closely examined them on a prior visit to the shop. I realized they weren't really wood once I took them off in the shop next time before actually committing to buy the gun.

I figured magnas would be the original grips, but can't say I'm a fan of the look or feel. I'm thinking maybe some of the K/L target grips (have another pair on order from ebay).

Yes, keep in mind that there is a reason that so many guys took the magnas off first thing and replaced them with Rogers or Pachmayrs.
Because, like me, they hated magnas.
The Rogers are actually kinda nice.

In 3" IMO a 65-3/65-5would be a better purchase but harder to find as are nice condition 3" Model 13.A lot of the ones found 4sale were carry guns.

A 4" would need to be in really great condition for me to pay that asking price if I wanted a 4"

I was a blue gun guy with a love for the high gloss S&W Carbona blue.

There's presently 2 Carbona blue guns in the safe now along with 11 revolvers made of SS.

I remember the small bottles of Carbona cleaning fluid/degreaser that was discontinued because the carbon tetrachloride was deems a human carcinogen.

__________________
NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN

Magnas, somebody does not like the originals? That is sacrilege!
What is wrong with you guys?

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

GUILTY!
I will go right now and apologize to my drawer full of magnas.
If I can find them under the layer of dust.

PS - Sorry to be pedantic, but what I am guilty of is heresy.
It would be sacrilege if I were to use them as a doorstop.

After seeing the pictures. Yes I would have bought the gun! As for having the original grips, I like having them but do not have a single shooter with them mounted. They don't hold well for me. Nice gun, glad you were able to latch on to it. Enjoy!

my model 13-4 my last personal duty gun before the Sheriff's department mandated county only could be carried.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Wheel guns are real guns too.

Well, if you got $200 credit on a Taurus with a freckled finish, I'd say you did okay.

If this isn't to be a frequent carry gun in all sorts of weather, a blued piece will be okay. Just needs more maintenance.

Before stainless guns, I used blue, not nickel.

Unless I use real rosewood with a Tyler adaptor, I prefer Pachmayrs or Uncle Mike's grips. I tried Rogers years ago, but something about them just didn't grab me. Rogers was a former FBI agent who made wood grips, then started making those plastic copies.

Uncle Mike's are discontinued, but were designed by Craig Spegle. He can presumably duplicate them in real wood, but for a high dollar and a long wait.

Your nice blued finish will be more durable if the holster is lined. A good lining like that from El Paso Saddlery or older Safariland and Bianchi holsters is much kinder to your gun than is an unlined holster.

My M-66-3 was bought new in 1990 and I wore it almost daily for 21 years, in older Safariland and Bianchi Model 5BHL holsters and saw almost no finish wear. A couple of light scuffs were carefully buffed away with Simichrome polish. It's still my favorite gun, although I now lean more to my Beretta M-92FS if I expect trouble. But that's just due to it being a 9mm with a lot of ammo in it. The Bruniton finish has held up well, but I seldom carry it. Its holster is an older Galco, unlined, but with a quite smooth interior.

I guess you know not to fire much hot 125 grain ammo in a K-frame .357? Let us know how it shoots. My M-64 was very accurate indeed. Fortunately, the fixed sights were dead-on for 158 grain ammo.

That's a nice gun!

Do you mean only county-issued arms can now be carried? Or guns from a county-approved list? Are any revolvers still in use?

Only county issue as of my last year 1979. First issue were S&W model 59's. They were **** so we then got model 66 4". Later in the 80's another semi auto was issued. The current issue is s sig in .357sig.


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Wheel guns are real guns too.

Arizona is a gunny's paradise. I have never seen a S&W .357 anything for less than $500.00 in several years. I would like to find prices like those mentioned.

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A Snider squibbed n the Jungle

$500.00 out the door for that revolver is a good deal here. Blued pinned and recessed .357?

That's a no brainer.

Take your time to find some nice grips to your liking and that 13 is a sweet little honey.