S&W Revolvers. Any Rare Collectibles in this bunch? Current Values?

[one65r]

Clarifying my last post.

David, I would edit my last post, but I wouldn't want it to look like I was retracting something I said.
As I mentioned early on, I know a good bit about collecting several variants of rifles and pistols and follow market prices on those closely, but S&W revolvers are not my area of expertise. I am blown away by the amount of knowledge many of this forum members have and I have a great deal of respect for the amount of time that goes into acquiring that knowledge.
I've been extremely pleased with everyone's responses on this forum.
To expand on my last post, I will be selling off most of these revolvers and I'll be using the feedback from here to help me determine which ones stay and which ones go. I'm not necessarily selling the most rare, cheapest, most expensive, etc. I'll just keep a few that I'm drawn to and sell the remainder.
I'm hoping this will be a GOOD thing for those who are interested in some of the pistols in the collection. I'm very aware that I could just list these on GB and let the guy with the most $ get it, but honestly, I don't want it to go to the guy with the most $. I'd rather it go to someone at a fair market price, who had always wanted one of them and truly appreciated the revolver for what it was, and not how much it was worth.
One member had PM'd me about a specific model and mentioned he'd been looking for one of them, so I PM'd him back and said he had first dibs on it and to send me his email and I'd send him pictures back. I didn't make him do any research for it. So, before I list it for sale anywhere, I'll offer it to him.
As we all know, if you're into guns long enough, you'll stumble onto a great deal every now and then. I'm hoping I can make this one of those situations for some members here, and wasn't just popping up on this forum to bribe people into doing research for me, in hopes of getting something back.
I've also offered to photograph any of these from any angle, showing proof marks, boxes, grips, or anything else some other collectors might need to help fit pieces of the overall picture together for them and their knowledge of S&W Revolvers.
Again, thanks for all those who have volunteered their knowledge on these, and if there's anything I can do to help return the favor, I'll gladly do it.
If any of these models catches your eye, shoot me a PM with your personal email and we can go from there.
-Sam

 

[Art Doc]

The problem will be determining this elusive "fair price." What one man thinks is fair, another considers highway robbery. Also, you will get wildly varying estimates depending on who you ask.

The auction really is the best way to get a fair price for your guns.

I would start the 1950s at $1,500 each and see what happens. They might sell... they might sell for a lot more... or you can try again at a lower starting price.

Nice guns. The 1950s are very much in demand (and the 4" in particular). Good luck.

 

[one65r]

50's

Yea, on those 50's, they'll probably end up on GB because it's hard to get a comp on them.-sam

 

[jumbeaux]

one65r

How correct you are on the 60.....manuacture date is sometime between 1965-1969.......R prefix started in 1969. SN's 490001 to 712250 normally have satin finish as per SCSW. 19-2 manufacture dates 1961-66. However, K1360X is in the 1947 range....Combat Magnum was introduced in 1955 at SN K260001and became the Model 19 in 1957. That is why I was wondering about a missing digit. Great collection and they have to be fun to handle.....a Model 15, Model 18 and Model 19 all in 4" would be all a man ever needed......probably not all he wanted !!!

rick

 

[peyton]

Now how did you acquire all of these beauties, we like stories and pictures!! I would suggest listing all here first, we like giving S&W's good homes (safes, top night stand drawer). If you select the search function can search by tag, the most used show up plus they show up at the bottom of this page. You can seach the guns for sale section using these tags to see what they sold for previously.

 

[one65r]

Finally, some pictures. We'll start with the 4" Target.

Ok, guys, I finally got around to taking some photos. I'll start with the worst condition revolver of the whole lot, so the condition only gets better from here, and trust me, this one looks like a beater compared to the finish on all the others.

They aren't as clear as I'd like and the lighting isn't great. Also, the humidity is crazy here this time of year, and when I take anything metal, glass, etc. out of my house and into my workshop, it just continues to fog up for about 20 min and the oil on the guns doesn't want to rub off evenly. Hence the rainbow effect you'll see in some of the pics, but they give you a good idea of the overall look. The lighting isn't great either. I took these under 2 fluorescent tube lights that are over my workbench. That's what caused the long white reflections in the finish. Sorry! It was the best I could do at the time. I'll probably re-shoot these with indirect outside light before I post them in an auction.

I'll post the pictures in separate lots as I have time over the next couple of days. I only shot pics of about 6 or 7 of them so far.

Any input you guys would like to offer on these would be welcomed. Some of the models I have, I've given first dibs to board members who emailed me.













Ok, I think these are back up now. Don't know how I deleted those last ones.

 

[one65r]

Here is the 6.5" 50's Target Model

Ok, Here is the 6.5" Target Model. Some images are duplicates, but with a different background/lighting. I figured I'd just post whatever I had so you could compare them.
Let me know what yall think.
Serial # is S14586_.

 

[gkitch]

stunning

That is the most beautiful 1950 Target 44 Special I've ever seen. It features a target hammer, standard trigger, and target stocks. Someone has taken good care of it and stored it well. The bbl will likely measure as 6.5". The stocks are scarce, of the proper era, and valuable in and of themselves. The 44 Special is a round with a dedicated following (of which I'm one). As, I believe, someone has already indicated it was made 1955-56 timeframe. My reference list it as being worth around $900 in excellent condition but the grips would add to the value. I'd estimate fair retail to be somewhere in the $1000 to 1250 range.
Your 4" is indeed in lesser condition but also has the target stocks. The hammer and trigger are standard and an aftermarket trigger shoe has been installed. You may remove this with a small allen wrench if you wish. The bbl length is far less common so, even with the condition, I'd say it is likely worth $250 or so more than the 6.5". All these "values" are mere educated speculations, mind you and other members may have valid-yet-differing opinions. The opinion of an actual buyer is, of course, what matters in the end.

 

[one65r]

Here's the 631

Ok Guys, here is the 631. I've read several different #'s on how many of these were made with these grips, in the 4", with adjustable sites? Anyone have any idea, or seen what one sold for lately?

Grips are marked on inside with matching serial # and April 9, 1990.

 

[gkitch]

631

According to the Standard Catalog of S&W, 5474 of these were produced in 1990. The grips are correct and it is built on the small J-frame. It was worth around $500 in that state (Exc, no box) when the book was published six years ago. With the economy the way it is and so many people selling off good collectibles, it probably has not shot up too much from there. It is a nice, practical little gun that would appeal to shooters and collectors alike though.
In 1998, S&W made up another 40. These too had the cool combat stocks, red ramp sight, etc...the only listed difference is they used a wider, serrated trigger while the thousands made in '90 used a smooth combat trigger.

 

[29aholic]

The 29-2 has an S prefix.
Sorry, the 631 has a 4" barrel. That was a typo.
Will this forum let you upload pics direct from your computer, or do you have to use imageshack or something like that to link them in? Once I get my kids down, I can post pics for everyone.
A few of them have the factory fat trigger or hammer? What's the proper way to refer to those?

Oh, the big kicker on those Model 36's is, they are sequential! forgot to add that!
On the boxes for both of those, in the special features section on the boxes, it says: T.P. Target and the other just says Target. Anyone know the difference? What does it add to the collectors value if they are sequential? Both of these are basically new in the box.

The Model 36 Targets are probably the most valuable of the guns you have listed. Unless they will letter as shipping as a pair it really won't add that much. S&W rarely shipped consecutive guns together as they rarely made guns in sequential order.
BTW Welcome to the Forum

 

[Hondo44]

Yes, you have to use a 'host' for pictures.
The proper term for 'fat' hammer or trigger is Target hammer or Trigger.

 

[Hondo44]

In 1998, S&W made up another 40. These too had the cool combat stocks, red ramp sight, etc...the only listed difference is they used a wider, serrated trigger while the thousands made in '90 used a smooth combat trigger.

Yes, the trigger was a .347" wide target trigger instead of the standard .312" smooth combat trigger.

one65r: is the trigger grooved?

 

[one65r]

Trigger

I'll have to check the trigger tonight. I'm pretty sure this is a 1990 model, hence the date on the inside of the original grips. Honestly, I thought there were considerably less of these run in that initial batch. Is the # you mentioned above (approx. 5K), the total # produced, but not broken down by barrel length or grip style. I know the 4" is the most sought after one, and I've seen some with some ugly grips on them also. I think this thing is beautiful and every person who has ever seen the collection, this is the first one they pick up because of the way it just feels good. You mentioned a value closer to $500. I've only seen about 6-7 of them sell and the cheapest was the shorter 2" that looked pretty ragged with not so attractive grips and it sold for $630 back in May. All of the 4" ones I've seen have sold between a little over $800-$950. We'll see. I think another forum member here already has his eye on this one so I'm sure it will stay in the family.

 

[gkitch]

more on the 631

Yes, 5,474 was the toatal number of the 1990 run. The 4", like yours, was by far the most common variant. There were only 190 2" examples and then another 2" "Ladysmith" version in unspecified numbers.

 

[one65r]

Hm?

Ok, I had read this thread and a few others and I thought it said otherwise, but maybe I was misreading something.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/122330-s-w-model-631-32-mag.html
And this thread:
http://www.familyfriendsfirearms.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-58148.html
And I'm by no means trying to trump anyone's information with these links, I'm just showing why I was lead to believe that about the 4" model.
I thought if you read it 2 places on the internet, it was automatically true?

 

[gkitch]

631

I'm quoting you figures right out of the SCSW and I see no actually stats within the thread you reference. All collector books can have errors, but it would make sense for S&W to make more 4" guns so I tend to believe Supica nd Nahas. There may be folks on the forum with a higher level of expertise and they will certainly chime in at some point. You might get around $800 for it on gunbroker or auctionarms, but I would doubt a collector would want it that badly without the box.

 

[peyton]

As I said in the posts you linked to, the 631's are selling for above $700.00 easily, I would say NIB would be 800 to $1000.00. Don't laugh, we are fanatical about our 32"s. I have over 10 of them, dang kids have most of them now!! (Four adults plus extra's for my grandkids).
I think the quantity of them produced is not the biggest selling point, the people like me that love shooting the 32 magnum are the ones that will pay those prices.
I never owned an .357 revolver until two years ago, I finally got a model 66. I have not even shot it yet, heck I don't even have ammo either!!

 

[jumbeaux]

??

Any more info or pics and prices ?

rick

 

[JP@AK]

Hello One65r
The info on the Model 15-2 is a little bit puzzling. You say it does not have diamond grips. The serial number suggests production in 1967. At that point S&W was still shipping these with diamond grips - they did not stop doing that until the next year, 1968.
Now, we know that S&W did not always ship in serial order, so I suppose this revolver could have gone into the vault and not been shipped until they were all out of diamond grips. But are you sure this one is without?
Also, are they Magna or Target stocks?

I have really enjoyed this thread and am intrigued by the selection of Smith revolvers you are holding. I particularly enjoyed reading about and seeing those lovely 1950 Model .44s. I have a lettered, NIB 24-3, but an original 1950 is merely a dream gun for me. Anyway, yours is very beautiful. Thanks for showing it to us.
Regards,
JP