I saw one of these in an auction several months ago but the gun and presentation case had some cosmetic dings, some pieces were missing and the price was to steep for me. But I kept searching and came across this beauty for less money. The book that came with the package "125 Years with Smith & Wesson" by a gentleman named Roy G. Jinks, sealed the deal! It may be a commemorative but this one is going to the range.
I just missed the identical set up in a small Idaho shop. When I arrived to look at it, another gentleman was already fondling it. It went home with him for $1100.
Keep the ones that speak to you. The rest will find good homes.
Unfortunately for me every Smitty that's crossed my hands lately not only speaks but grabs me by the collar and yells at me...But the blued and plated ones are loudest, so my recently acquired 65-1 and 2.5" 686 Plus will be accompanying me to the gun show this weekend to see what I can trade for......Ben
I just missed the identical set up in a small Idaho shop. When I arrived to look at it, another gentleman was already fondling it. It went home with him for $1100.
I hate when that happens, and it's happened all too often lately......Ben
A fellow I worked with had one of those. I remember him showing it to me one evening at his house. He bragged that the cylinder had never been turned, a concept that was unheard of to me at time.
Haven't seen him in years. Wonder if he still has it?
About three years ago my 91 year old aunt called me wanting me to sell a bunch of my deceased uncle's guns. He had a relative whom he loaned money to and would always get paid back with guns. There were two of these, a Texas Ranger, and several other S&W's in the bunch. One of the 25's was missing some small items but the other was complete. On GB one brought $700 and the other around $800. I guess it was one of those times when no one was looking for one. I thought they would have brought more than that. I didn't need them, I already had one.
It's funny how so many of these remained in like new or unfired condition. Everyone that bought one back in the day, probably thought they would be worth a mint one day. I guess they kind of are considering the prices of all classic Smiths of late.
I bought mine earlier this year. It was unfired in the box, with every little bit that came with it. That includes the shipping container that held everything. I paid 1200 bucks for it and another 10 for the transfer.
These guns have the short cylinders with the wide throats. You will probably have to load .454 bullets to make her a good shooter.
Speaking of commemoratives, I was of the understanding they sold slower and often at lower prices than their plain counterparts.
I found out I was wrong after seeing the following one go off at auction this past Tuesday evening. Although, there is not a real counterpart to this one other than maybe one or two Model 26-1's.
I could of had an identical GA State Patrol Commemorative a year ago from the same Auction House for under a thousand dollars. It could of been just the bidding audience plus firearms prices have really skyrocketed.