|
|
12-22-2011, 11:39 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Effingham,IL
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
|
What to do??
I just picked this up at a dealer. Probably paid too much. $250out the door. I figured you can't get much of a gun for 250. Need some opinions on weather to have it re-blued/nickel plated or just leave it alone. Where is a good place to have the work done? TIA
Last edited by weeha1966; 12-22-2011 at 01:28 PM.
|
12-22-2011, 11:42 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,701
Likes: 1,526
Liked 1,827 Times in 738 Posts
|
|
Need some pics and a little more info here !
John
|
12-22-2011, 11:42 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 154
Likes: 1
Liked 11 Times in 8 Posts
|
|
AH...no pic? Maybe one would be good to judge your find.
10/22.
|
12-22-2011, 11:45 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Effingham,IL
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
|
Sorry I forgot to post.
|
12-22-2011, 11:50 AM
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Northwest Georgia
Posts: 5,126
Likes: 8,534
Liked 1,232 Times in 430 Posts
|
|
I love it just as it is!
|
12-22-2011, 11:52 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Colorado
Posts: 4,225
Likes: 6,543
Liked 9,978 Times in 2,067 Posts
|
|
Going by your photos I don't see any reason for a refinish. If there are other issues I'll step aside & let those more knowledgeable remark.
If it checks out mechanically then get some nice mild loads & enjoy it as a fun range gun.
I'm not much of a fan of refinishing unless there are serious flaws.
Good luck and enjoy it.
|
12-22-2011, 11:56 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 345
Likes: 410
Liked 142 Times in 73 Posts
|
|
I would leave it alone. Take it to the range and enjoy the revolver,for the reason it was built. If it could just talk!
|
12-22-2011, 12:12 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: So. Cal.
Posts: 144
Likes: 2
Liked 7 Times in 5 Posts
|
|
Beautiful just the way she is... buy ammo and have fun!
__________________
Regards,
|
12-22-2011, 12:32 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 307
Likes: 489
Liked 325 Times in 93 Posts
|
|
Contrary to most folks on the forum I am not against "project" guns. I think if you can get a deal on a cosmetically challenged gun and make it your own - DO IT!
But, in this case. This one looks great as is. I'd get a custom holster made for it and call it "done".
|
12-22-2011, 12:36 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Due south of Orlando
Posts: 7,202
Likes: 597
Liked 3,451 Times in 1,412 Posts
|
|
LEAVE IT ALONE! You've got a $250 gun that you're going to put $250 more into, to end up with a $200 gun.
__________________
Dick
Last edited by diamonback68; 12-22-2011 at 12:38 PM.
|
12-22-2011, 12:40 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 14,002
Likes: 5,019
Liked 7,712 Times in 2,629 Posts
|
|
I'd leave it alone; it's just fine as is. Whatever money you put into refinishing it would be essentially unrecoverable at the other end. It is a $300-350 gun, give or take, and nothing you do to it will make it more valuable.
$250 is a good price for a solid M&P specimen, which that is. In complete terms, it is a Model of 1905 Military and Police, fourth change.
Is that a .38 or .32-20? Smith made both in that format.
I can tell from a couple of the gun's features that it is probably of 1930s manufacture. The grips are not original, as they date to the 'teens. Grips looked similar in the 1930s but used different medallions.
__________________
David Wilson
|
12-22-2011, 12:49 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: NE Iowa
Posts: 5,450
Likes: 1,956
Liked 3,499 Times in 1,287 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by DCWilson
I'd leave it alone; it's just fine as is. Whatever money you put into refinishing it would be essentially unrecoverable at the other end. It is a $300-350 gun, give or take, and nothing you do to it will make it more valuable.
$250 is a good price for a solid M&P specimen, which that is. In complete terms, it is a Model of 1905 Military and Police, fourth change.
Is that a .38 or .32-20? Smith made both in that format.
I can tell from a couple of the gun's features that it is probably of 1930s manufacture. The grips are not original, as they date to the 'teens. Grips looked similar in the 1930s but used different medallions.
|
What he said.
+1
Jim
|
12-22-2011, 01:20 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains
Posts: 434
Likes: 63
Liked 46 Times in 18 Posts
|
|
Looks okay to me, I think you did good. Be happy. Sometimes the character is in the blemishes.
|
12-22-2011, 01:31 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Texas, USA
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 1,827
Liked 1,170 Times in 310 Posts
|
|
For $250, you have an excellent 1905 Fourth Change. Refinishing it will do nothing to increase its value, and a bad refinish will greatly lessen its value. Enjoy it for what it is: a great example of a classic revolver, and one that you can shoot without having to worry about damaging it's collector value, but at the same time is one to be proud of owning. In other words, "ya done good".
|
12-22-2011, 01:32 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: MN
Posts: 347
Likes: 447
Liked 402 Times in 128 Posts
|
|
I'm with everybody else, leave it be. It is a beauty. Good purchase.
WILDPIG
__________________
I ain't from around here.
|
12-22-2011, 02:44 PM
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MA
Posts: 7,351
Likes: 7,545
Liked 5,591 Times in 2,563 Posts
|
|
Agree with above. You did fine as it stands. You can put money into it to make it worth less, but not more. Enjoy it!
|
12-22-2011, 03:43 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Effingham,IL
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
|
Its a .38 I just got done shooting it. It shoots great. The only reason I was thinking of refinishing is that it has a few scratches on it that you can't see in the pics. Did they make these in nickel?
|
12-22-2011, 07:04 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: West Central IL
Posts: 22,818
Likes: 18,603
Liked 22,448 Times in 8,286 Posts
|
|
I love a gun with a little "character". Leave it alone.
__________________
H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244
|
12-22-2011, 09:04 PM
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: The SW Va Blue Ridge
Posts: 17,561
Likes: 90,019
Liked 24,974 Times in 8,551 Posts
|
|
"Did they make these in nickel?"
Yup.
Yours looks real decent. Leave it alone as far as finish. Spend your money on ammo instead.
__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!
|
12-22-2011, 11:16 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Effingham,IL
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
|
You guys know more than me. You win. I have a future son-in-law that might get it!!
thanks
-Mike
|
12-22-2011, 11:35 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Kentucky, USA
Posts: 7,470
Likes: 2,830
Liked 6,261 Times in 2,170 Posts
|
|
Yep, they made them in nickel. If you've got the other $250 in your pocket, instead of blowing it on a refinish, why don't you go looking and find an identical one with a nickel finish. Then you'd have a great pair.
For ammo, I'd suggest you find someone who reloads and makes 148 grain target wadcutters. Its a very mild loading that works really well in those old M&Ps.
If you need or want a holster, spend some time looking. Don't jump at a new production model. Look for a vintage H H Heiser or something similar.
__________________
Dick Burg
|
12-22-2011, 11:57 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Newport News, Va
Posts: 79
Likes: 88
Liked 15 Times in 6 Posts
|
|
That's a nice looking little gun. $250 is never a bad price for something in good enough shape to shoot.
|
12-23-2011, 09:35 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Effingham,IL
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
|
I've been shooting semi-wadcutters through it. Works great. The wife even likes it! That means more guns. LOL
|
12-23-2011, 02:42 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Connecticut Yankee
Posts: 2,380
Likes: 744
Liked 3,575 Times in 789 Posts
|
|
Shoot it. A lot.
DW
__________________
"NUTS"
|
12-25-2011, 12:16 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 432
Likes: 8
Liked 30 Times in 27 Posts
|
|
If someone wants to swap grips, for the 1920's nonmedallioned ones do it, otherwise standfast!
|
|
Posting Rules
|
|
|
|
|