good deal on a Wolf & Klar

[gkitch]

I was perusing Armslist and noticed a "3rd Model Hand Ejector" listed! Closer examination revealed it to be from a LOCAL pawn shop! The picture was fuzzy but the price was showing at $500.

I have found most pawn shops to be incompetent as they usually price 50% beaters the same as a NIB example. Sometimes, however, they err in the favor of the consumer. I had my doubts.

The Pawn shop opened at 9AM so I walked in punctually and headed to the pistol case. I thought it was gone at first but then noticed
it on the dark far left of the second shelf. Examination revealed a perfectly clean bore and solid timing. The blue was well worn, but original, and the grips had been replaced with vintage John Wayne
yellow resin types. Just the kind of classic shooter I like.

We bonded immediately.

The clerk told me that they had it for about a month and
decided that it would be a rare customer who would appreciate such an obsolete firearm in such an obscure caliber. He showed me the blue book where they had figured out the "3rd Model hand Ejector" part. The price under "poor" condition was "$500", while it showed the value in the next category up as "$1000". Was this a pawn shop in The Twilight Zone?

What would Skeeter Skelton do?

I offered $500 cash "out-the-door". He charged me $460 and it came out to $499.10.

I still cannot believe that I now own a 4" Wolf & Klar and am really looking forward to getting her to the range. It was shipped around 1934. I know I could flip it easily but I will likely hang on to this one for quite a while.

Good to know that there are still a few good deals out there.

 

[jmace57]

Great find!

 

[usm1rifle]

A rare customer indeed! Good for you.

 

[Kansasgunner]

My favorite "obscure" caliber!
Congratulations,

 

[6518John]

I see that on the hip of a southern Sheriff busting up a still with an axe during prohibition!

 

[quinn]

I can think of about 2,000 or so "rare" customers including myself. What a great find. I found my 4" W&K at a small town gun store. They are truly great guns! Go buy some lottery tickets while you are on a roll!

 

[gkitch]

BTW, 44 Special is my favorite caliber. I have owned at least one such revolver since 1980 when I used fresh boot camp money to buy a new Colt SAA 44 Special with a 5.5" bbl.

 

[410bore]

I believe the grips are Catalin. they are worth hanging onto as some guys really like them.

 

[beagleye]

Good score!! Both my 44s cost more than double what you paid and aren't really quite as cool. The skeeter load really works for me, just the right combination of snappy but pleasant.

 

[DWalt]

Anything Catalin is hot. It was one of the first plastics to go into widespread consumer applications back in the 1930s, and things like combs, brushes, knife handles, radio cases,jewelry, etc. made of Catalin are always in heavy collector demand. It was, I think, the first plastic which could be made in different colors and was very hard and durable. I believe John Wayne's favorite six-shooter had amber-colored Catalin grips.

 

[Old Corp]

Dagum! Great find. Truly believe if it had been at any pawn shop in my area, it would simply have been labeled a 'scarce, rare collectible S&W' and had a $1900 sticker on it.

 

[DWalt]

"I see that on the hip of a southern Sheriff busting up a still with an axe during prohibition!"
Most Sheriffs of that era would never do anything like that. They were usually on the Moonshiners' and Bootleggers' payrolls. Prohibition was very unpopular among local law enforcement personnel at the time, and many avoided doing their sworn duty to uphold the law unless forced into it. And if they could make a little cash on the side, so much the better. The real reason for the repeal of prohibition was that everyone hated it and the law was widely ignored and un-enforced. Plus the states and the Federal government figured out that there was a huge revenue source available in the form of alcohol taxes. Same thing is happening now with marijuana.

 

[gdogs]

Nice find, especially with those catalin grips! I consider myself lucky to have a couple of sets of them by Maurice Scharlack. Are they marked on the back in any way?

 

[lawandorder]

.............."and many avoided doing their sworn duty to uphold the law,"


Certainly not all of them....................

 

[Qball]

Really cool gun, i could just wish i'd own one like that.

 

[S&W Fan]

This post is from the cardiac unit at the hospital as I had a heart attack reading yours!!!! Ok, just kidding but I congratulate you on acquiring what I consider THE classic fixed sight S&W. 2015 is certainly off to a nice start for you, enjoy!

 

[Lee Jones]

Teach Me Something

How do we know this is a Wolff and Klar? Educate me.
I know little about this era of S&W, the Wolff and Klars I am familar with are engraved in a unique style.

Thanks,
Lee Jones(Celtgun)

 

[gkitch]

How do we know this is a Wolff and Klar? Educate me.
I know little about this era of S&W, the Wolff and Klars I am familar with are engraved in a unique style.

Thanks,
Lee Jones(Celtgun)

The 3rd Model was originally special ordered with the shrouded ejector rod by Wolf & Klar of Texas. We typically refer to it as a "Wolf & Klar", as we often refer to the first model as a "Triple Lock".

 

[jsfricks]

Wow, you done good! I always like to see someone come out ahead at a pawn shop and you came out way ahead!

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Well, I just spent 30 minutes getting educated on this subject. I even found a $2300 Wolf & Klar on an auction site. Very interesting; kind of the Lew Horton of their day.

Thanks! I had never heard of these before.