Wanted one since the early 80's. I have a good 13-2 4" I really like shooting. So I went to my local Gander Outdoors in search for a tin of Musket caps and found a Nickel 19 snub and a 13-3 3". The 19 had plating looking bad and the trigger was plated (aftermarket) and a stainless hammer. The 13-3 had a AYE serial number prefix and the barrel was not pinned like my 4". There are scratches and pits in the frame and cylinder but they all seem to be dark. Not a shiny place on it. No holster ware on the side of the barrel or top of the front site. I went ahead and bought it but after looking at it closer the barrel looks a bit newer than than the rest of the revolver. Has me thinking that this might have been re-barreled to a 3". Guess I need to contact S&W to find out what it was born with. Or could be it was re-blued or not carried in a holster. Grips are beat up a bit like the scratches and pits on the frame. Hammer has little wear and cylinder only faint turn line compared to my 4". Trigger shows no ware I can see as opposed to my 4". I'll try to get out Wednesday to see how it shoots. Cylinder face is really clean. No flame cutting on the under side of the frame at the barrel/cylinder gap. Guess it should have spent life in a drawer or some such but the cylinder looks as good as the barrel. Bore looks great. I haven't cleaned it yet. Maybe some some shiny covering will come off. What do you all think?
Model 13-3 3"
- Thread starter HappyJack
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Looks like a great find to me. If it was a 4” gun rebarreled to 3 inch gun it would most likely have a square but instead of a round butt. Clean it, shoot it, enjoy it. They are great shooter/carry guns.
Sistema1927
US Veteran
Looks like you got a good one. How much did it set you back?
I remembered that then lost it again before I finished writing. Just can't figure the difference in the frame and cylinder/barrel. Thanks for reminding me. Now that I have written it down maybe I'll remember it.
How much did it set you back?[/QUOTE]
I was wondering the same thing ^^^^^ after my great buy at cabel's model 18-3 for $450.00
ContinentalOp
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Assuming the gun is in good shape, that is an excellent price in today's market. I don't think it'd be unheard of to see 3" 13s going for around twice that.
jjmIII_Ruger
Member
I paid 830 for one recently. A mint one in box (13-3 R&P) just went for a few shy of 1900.
Sistema1927
US Veteran
It appears to me that $800 is the floor these days, with prices going up from there. Looks like you did well in that department as well.
Thank you for the replies. I don't care much for recessed cylinders. Just more to clean on my 4" R&P but I do wish the barrel was pinned. Box, tools and papers would have been welcomed. And a nickel one like above would have had me dancing for a week. Very nice revolver. So as this one is not R&P and had no box or tools and has some pits on the side of the frame I figured I was paying full retail from GO. Went in to spend less than $10 on a tin of musket caps and see what happened.
Don't sweat over pinned vs non-pinned barrels, the pin does not actually hold the barrel in place. I would not say that you got the deal of the century, but you did get a very good deal considering the cost of any defensive firearm these days. I think what you bought is original, it's not uncommon to see older revolvers with slightly different shades of bluing on frame, cylinder and/or barrel, sometimes parts will even take on a plum hue.
Thank you for the replies. Yes the frame is not as dark as the barrel and cylinder. My eyes have trouble these days but could be a plum color I guess to some but I see a a kind of shallow dark gray. Not the deep darker of the barrel and cylinder.
Feeling a bit better about the purchase price now. I have a holster for cc I used for my 4" and my 5 screw Model 10 stubby. But now I am considering cleaning it up really good and keeping it in the safe to preserve it's value. Maybe looking for a nicer set of stock grips. But I do want to go and shoot it. At least a cylinder or 2. I have plenty of others that are not collectors for cc.
I like to shoot my 4" with pachmayr presentation grips. I have 2 one peice for square butt. One slightly larger than the other. I have tried the add on piece that fits between the trigger housing and the top inner grip frame and did not like it with the stock wood grips. The grips make a huge difference for me in how I shoot. I do not have any round butt grips as all my other Smiths are square butt.
Any recomendations for grips?
Feeling a bit better about the purchase price now. I have a holster for cc I used for my 4" and my 5 screw Model 10 stubby. But now I am considering cleaning it up really good and keeping it in the safe to preserve it's value. Maybe looking for a nicer set of stock grips. But I do want to go and shoot it. At least a cylinder or 2. I have plenty of others that are not collectors for cc.
I like to shoot my 4" with pachmayr presentation grips. I have 2 one peice for square butt. One slightly larger than the other. I have tried the add on piece that fits between the trigger housing and the top inner grip frame and did not like it with the stock wood grips. The grips make a huge difference for me in how I shoot. I do not have any round butt grips as all my other Smiths are square butt.
Any recomendations for grips?
Grayfox
US Veteran
A 3" K-frame is my favorite carry revolver. 
I have two. A Model 13-4 and a Model 10-8. Both are excellent shooters.
I think you'll quickly fall in love with that gun.
I have two. A Model 13-4 and a Model 10-8. Both are excellent shooters.
I think you'll quickly fall in love with that gun.
ContinentalOp
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If you like Pachmayr's, they do make some models for RB K-frames.
FWIW, I think Spegel boot grips are among the best, but ordering a new set means going on a 2-year waiting list. You may be able to find some for sale somewhere.
You may be able to find some Ahrends grips on the Interwebs. I had a set for my 3" 65 and they worked quite well.
No personal experience, but I've seen nothing but good reviews of Culinas.
Altamont usually has some good readily available options, as well as Hogue.
If you want something a little more custom there's Herrett's.
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