The traditional gift for the 11th Wedding Anniversary is steel.
I have a wife who loves to shoot Smith & Wesson revolvers, however her hand and arm strength isn't what it once was causing her to fatigue quickly with our heavy S&W 617's and K-22's.
About two months ago I got the brilliant idea to find my love a 4 inch model 63 in high shooter grade. A steel gift for the woman who stole my heart!
Finding said revolver on internet auctions is easy; buying a 63 at a reasonable price is NOT. I missed several on this forum and others. Gun broker, well out of the hundreds listed in the past 90 days, only a dozen sold, all no reserve at an average price (I threw out a NIB fist year gun that went for $1,033!!) of $737-without shipping! Many more bid up to nearly $800 without meeting the reserve.
Finally, I found a late no dash model 63, 4 inch, square butt with its original grips and box on Arms List for...... $500, but no shipping. Drat. I contacted the seller anyhow and through back and forth got him to ship to my FFL for $35 additional. (This adventure-
Waiting For The FFL To Ship! UPDATE). It arrived this morning, on my 11th wedding anniversary. My FFL called and said it was FILTHY.
I stop by to pick up the gun, and try and figure out how to get it cleaned -up before I give it to Mrs. steamloco76. Well, my gun store friend did a marvelous job cleaning the gun, even though I didn't buy it from him! I brought a set of Herrett's Shooting Star grips which I'd stripped, stained and refinished with me and put them on the 63 in the shop. I can't wait until she opens the package!!
A cell phone photo of the Model 63 before I boxed it up!