Actually the company that was supposed to start building new Merwin Hulberts went under, but a different company acquired their assets and issued refunds to those who had put in a deposit or (like me) already paid in full for one. I got a refund check from them, as told here: http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/320075-i-received-refund-check-merwin-hulbert.html
As mentioned in my post, I immediately hit the “Buy It Now” button on a S&W Model 16-3 in .32 S&W Long, a gun that’s been on my bucket list for a while but I had almost given up on due to market prices. However this one was essentially the same price as the refund check that I had gotten (and had never expected to see) so the Model 16-3 was like free, right? Self-deception can be a wonderful thing….
So here it is. The listing had described it as , “…HERE IS ONE THAT IS NOT PERFECT BUT VERY COLLECTABLE. THE FACTORY BOX IS INCLUDED….”
(You can click on the pictures for a larger version.)
Well, it’s a box and it’s from the factory, but I’m pretty sure it’s not the box that it shipped in. It's hard to make out in the picture, but on one end the words “Highway Patrolman” and “Model 28” are marked out, and on the other end the label is similarly marked out and info for the Model 16-3 written in. Even if S&W didn’t have a Model 16 box laying around, I doubt that they would have used a Model 28 box that already had a label filled out. So the box is essentially worthless. However I was already sure that was the case from the picture in the GB listing, and I paid (in my mind) for the gun only. That actually suits me just fine – I didn’t want a safe queen anyway, but a shooter. Boxes are just extra junk that I have to store because they have too much value these days to throw away.
The gun has a little muzzle wear, which again suits me as it is a shooter.
Obviously a Model 14 overstamp. I don't think S&W was making dedicated Model 16 frames much in 1971, which is when the SCSW places it.
The grips are targets with gold medallions. As I’ve mentioned in other posts I pretty much don't care for S&W factory grips of any description for shooting as none of them fit my hand, so these will come off and something comfortable goes on when I shoot the gun. They're okay for lookin' at though.
With the grips off, it is evident that no corrosion has gone on under the wood as sometimes happens.
Lookin’ good….
Awwww, dammitalltohell!


Well okay, it’s still a shooter and at least it’s hidden on the grip frame, but still….
The SCSW dates it to around 1971. I wonder if RS was the original owner, and if the gun had sat around on a dealer’s shelf for five years. The no-good so-and-so probably paid diddly for it but then still thought it was valuable enough to scratch his Social Security number on it. Ought track ‘im down and slap him upside the head, except he’s probably dead by now anyway.
As mentioned in my post, I immediately hit the “Buy It Now” button on a S&W Model 16-3 in .32 S&W Long, a gun that’s been on my bucket list for a while but I had almost given up on due to market prices. However this one was essentially the same price as the refund check that I had gotten (and had never expected to see) so the Model 16-3 was like free, right? Self-deception can be a wonderful thing….
So here it is. The listing had described it as , “…HERE IS ONE THAT IS NOT PERFECT BUT VERY COLLECTABLE. THE FACTORY BOX IS INCLUDED….”
(You can click on the pictures for a larger version.)




Well, it’s a box and it’s from the factory, but I’m pretty sure it’s not the box that it shipped in. It's hard to make out in the picture, but on one end the words “Highway Patrolman” and “Model 28” are marked out, and on the other end the label is similarly marked out and info for the Model 16-3 written in. Even if S&W didn’t have a Model 16 box laying around, I doubt that they would have used a Model 28 box that already had a label filled out. So the box is essentially worthless. However I was already sure that was the case from the picture in the GB listing, and I paid (in my mind) for the gun only. That actually suits me just fine – I didn’t want a safe queen anyway, but a shooter. Boxes are just extra junk that I have to store because they have too much value these days to throw away.


The gun has a little muzzle wear, which again suits me as it is a shooter.





Obviously a Model 14 overstamp. I don't think S&W was making dedicated Model 16 frames much in 1971, which is when the SCSW places it.

The grips are targets with gold medallions. As I’ve mentioned in other posts I pretty much don't care for S&W factory grips of any description for shooting as none of them fit my hand, so these will come off and something comfortable goes on when I shoot the gun. They're okay for lookin' at though.




With the grips off, it is evident that no corrosion has gone on under the wood as sometimes happens.


Lookin’ good….

Awwww, dammitalltohell!




Well okay, it’s still a shooter and at least it’s hidden on the grip frame, but still….
The SCSW dates it to around 1971. I wonder if RS was the original owner, and if the gun had sat around on a dealer’s shelf for five years. The no-good so-and-so probably paid diddly for it but then still thought it was valuable enough to scratch his Social Security number on it. Ought track ‘im down and slap him upside the head, except he’s probably dead by now anyway.
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