So there I was, cruising around the interwebs just checking prices. I wasn't really shopping....I just like to keep track of what things sell for.

Then I run across this:



Sometimes there can be deals on these so I clicked on it. Here is one of he pictures of the "Model 10":



Hmmmmmm......

Surely someone else will realize what this is, but I'll put a lowball bid on it anyway. No way I'll win. No way. People will notice.

Yesterday out of the blue I get the magic email. One of the pictures showed the serial number which was confirmed with the seller.

We'll see what actually shows up. I'm not going to bother buying a lottery ticket this week because I think I just used up all my good luck. Stay tuned.......

While we wait, what have you gotten a deal on because it was mis-identified or people didn't realize what it was?

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SWCA #3942 / SWHF #988

Umm, pre-model 14, Masterpiece, with later non-diamond magnas? Bet you'll be happy with results of your "lowball bid." Show us more when you get it please.

Not much luck with mis-identified S&Ws although I did once get a post war Outdoorsman simply tagged as a "38 Special" with bright blue finish for $600, which seemed like a lot for a 38 Special back then. And this scratched up "M&P pre model 10" with horrible pictures didn't get any bids on GB. I did have to change out the grips for some of bigmtnman's though. And I suppose this 631 marked as a 63 at Bass Pro would count too. Probably should include too this Model of 1926 Wolf & Klar 44 which was tagged as a "2nd Model." It has factory service grips stamped with the SN but I like these W&K MOPs.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

So you got that for 350?

Another forum member came upon a situation similar to yours. It's always fun when you run into a mis-identified bargain.

Is This A Pre-10?

My deal of the century: a Rugar Model 77 in 220 Swift for $110.00. That's right one hundred ten ( $110.00 ) dollars. Buying ammo raised the price to $500.00 but hey: It's not a gun unless you have ammo to shoot in it. That 500 less 110 equals 1000 rounds of ammo.

Not quite. Shipping and tax upped the price a bit, but there was still a “3” as the first number.

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SWCA #3942 / SWHF #988

I once got a Lew Horton 686 2 1/2” for about $525. It was simply labeled S&W357. The best deal was probably on my $200 early model 41. My brother in laws , brother in law passed away. He had a few guns. Long guns and handguns. They told me what they wanted and I bought them all. About a month later I get a call saying they found another one while cleaning out house. It’s a S&W 41 something. Saw a pic and realized it was a model 41 not a 41 mag. I asked what they wanted for it. Well at this point another brother in law gets involved. He states that he knows what this gun is worth and they are not giving it away like that last group. I said ok how much? This highly educated brother in law who knows what it’s worth says we won’t take less than $200. I said ok but only because there’s 2 magazines.

I picked up a 4 screw 44 magnum (non model marked) that was labeled as a model 29 for $700 (minimum bid) several years ago.They only had 3-4 fuzzy pics in the ad and it was dirty,but I thought I could see a screw in front of the trigger guard,so I took a chance on it. Found the grips here several months later

I picked up a M686 2.5 inch a while back because it would "misfire" once in a while, according to the owner. Got it for $250.00, took it home, tightened the strain screw, no more misfires

De Oppresso Liber

I'm not a gambler but I've heard of riding the hot hand, so to speak. Have at it!!

Found this 68 Colt GM a few years ago for $700. It had huge target sights and a mangled mainspring housing. Got a colt msh and longer trigger from a member here ( kept the originals) added a retro rear sight and filed down the front sight. Kept the grips that it was wearing

My one and only "misidentified bargain" came at a Knoxville gun show that's not worth your time and money-------unless you'd rather stay home and mow the lawn---or give the dog a bath.

You'll recall the .32 Regulation Police Targets---the 196 4" versions put together in 1957 or so with pre-war parts. Okay, this is long since after 1957---sometime in the 90's, and these things are selling for $2000 each----and I'm at this worthless gun show.

Here's a likely looking S&W something on a table coming up. I slow down----then stop! Here's what sure enough looks like one of these "post war/pre war" .32 RPT's----and it's AS NEW!! But the tag on it says "22/32-32 caliber-$450". Now never mind there's no such thing as a .32 caliber 22/32-----but it's nice to know, and every once in a while to come across someone in the gun business that doesn't know the first thing about it---as in "as dumb as a rock", and his own worst enemy!! It's even nicer to pay $450 for a $2,000 gun!!

I pick up the gun, and lay down 5 $100 bills. He says, "OH---you want to buy this?" I was sorely tempted to tell him I just wanted change for the phone, but bit my tongue, and just nodded.

It's nice to know there's still a God--and sometimes He chooses sides!

That was my one and only true bargain in 60+ years of fooling with these things, but it made it all worthwhile!

Ralph Tremaine

I've had a few of these, all gone now (long story), but I think this is the one that answers the OP's question:



I was in the LGS and under glass there's this beautiful snub-nosed SB Model 10 marked $250.00. I had to have it. As I check out the owner looks at it, looks at me, looks at it again, and says, "This is a $400 gun!". I said, "I know". He rolls his eyes and remarks that he'll stand by the price tag but he'll be talking to the staff about this. Then we both laughed.

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Come and take it!!

I once traded a Glock 19, and $200 cash for a 4" Model 29-2 and 38 rounds of factory 44 magnum ammo. One round out of each of the two 20 rounds boxes missing.

I didn't steal it or anything. I figured a Glock 19 was worth MAYBE $300 on a trade then, so add $200 and I got a very nice 29-2 for $500.00.

Of course I sold it a few years later, but got a bit more for it.

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John 3:16 .

I picked up a Winchester Model 70 featherweight in 6.5 x 55 Swede off an auction a couple of years back at significantly under the price it should have gone for.

It was sold as a "Remington 6.5 x700".

Like the OP, when I saw the picture I knew immediately that it was a Model 70 featherweight.

I could barely make out the caliber in the pictures, but could tell it was "6.5 something", bid on it and got it.

Bought a ‘pre model 10’ from a pawn shop a few years ago. Had a scope mount and a cheap red dot on it. Looked it over and gave $168 for it. Got it home, pull the redot. The scope mount was a ‘no drill’ mount for a K frame target. Turned out to be a 1958 target masterpiece. About $70 for a rear target sight and I had a nice target revolver.

Poor pictures can hide a lot,,,
Good pictures can show a lot,,,
This was tagged ".44 Smith & Wesson",,,


Sometimes you can question a dealer too much,,,. And Yes,,, it is a 5" New Century. I can only guess the later grips confused them.

I once traded a Winchester model 1300 pump, worth about $200, to a guy at work for a Smith & Wesson model 29-2 4-in nickel, in the presentation box, even swap. He had only fired a couple boxes of factory ammo through it, said it recoiled too much. He seemed happy with the trade, and I wasn't complaining...

Larry

I answered an ad in the local paper for a S&W .44, $400. I bought it, a 6” triple lock. I offered him more but he wouldn’t take more. His grandfather bought it new a long time ago. Oh, and it was Target model.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Not Smiths, but 2 great shotgun deals.

A winchester Model 42 that I got at a discount because “everyone knows” a Cutts kills the price… except when there’s no factory choke mark. Only known field grade 42 with a Cutts according to the collector I sold it to for 5x what I paid.

An Ithaca NID 16 gauge Grade 5 at a local shop that was more tactical than old school. Less than 30 were made. When I told a Ithaca forum what I paid, the consensus was “They left off a zero”.

I bought a “K38” in decent but not mint shape finish wise for $200. Figured it was a good deal for a K38 but an even better deal for the post war 38/44 Outdoorsman it really was.

Yes, that was me. Didn't get a super lotto deal but certainly well below market price. Excellent condition and all number matching. Love it!

I acquired a Commercial Model 1917 with factory target sights via a GunBroker ad that described it as a King conversion. It didn't look like King sights to me but I bid on it anyway.

Commercial 1917 Target - letter confirmed, post #13 - SWHF docs, post #15



From the SCSW page 164 (3rd edition):

"Target model variations: Very rare. Our information on these is not entirely clear. To the best of our knowledge: Estimated fewer than five produced."

A subsequent factory letter and documents from the Historical Foundation confirmed it as legit. Described by Roy Jinks as "...a very rare item seldom seen."

Having paid more than enough for a Colt New Service Target the other day, reading this thread makes me a bit queasy. Even my typical “dollar cost averaging” theory isn’t helping me feel better. (That’s the idea that you get good deals on some guns and pay a little to much for others so it all balances out.)

There was a time 30 years ago when deals were plentiful and gun collectors were few and far between compared to today. Before the internet Shotgun News was the go to source for exotic surplus guns and prices for Garands, M1 carbines, 1903A3’s and 1917 Colts and Smiths were cheap. M1 carbines were $99 in excellent shape in the box for example.

Then there was my local sporting goods store. There were two of the stores near me that had surplus rifles at nose bells prices, low prices. This dealer had hundreds of Russian, US, British and Swedish rifles ranging in price from $39-69. I cherry picked a super clean P17 for $69. I picked up a Westinghouse and Remington made Mosin Nagants for $39 each. The certainly had seen battle but were super rare and fetched $1200 total when I flipped them. I also picked up a basically new Swedish Mauser for $69.these were regular prices and I took advantage of it regularly. I think in total I picked up around 50 rifles.

Oh the good old days!

The only misidentified "deal" I got wasn't such a great deal but had an interesting issue. It was in fact a factory original PD 2" M+P .38 special from the late 1940s, miss-tagged as a model-15 because it came with an owners manual for a model 15. The store put it into the system when it hit the shelf as a model 15. They corrected it when I bought it, sort of.
About 3 days after I got it home I got a phone call from the CA DOJ wanting me to double-check for the "model number" under the yoke. I spent about a half hour giving a basic class in S&W revolver history to the DOJ guy. He had already called S&W and they gave him a bunch of inaccurate info about what "model number" the gun actually was.

I've found a few good deals, but only one mis-identified gun: A nickel Baby Russian listed as a .32 at a local auction. I figured my $355 bid was an OK price to pay, considering the box came with it.

Attached Images

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Peter #2091

WAY COOL!!
Larry

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

Some of us aught to be ashamed of ourselves.

Okay, here is my other best deal: Safety manager comes to me because he knows I'm into guns.

Safety manager: "Listen, Llance, my neighbor wants to sell a couple of guns, would you be interested in a Winchester 30-06. There are a couple of small cracks where the receiver meets the stock, I don't think they will affect the safety of the gun."

Me, "How much?"

"He wants 400"

Mind you I've never been into names on a firearm. Colt, S&W, Rugar, Win, whatever, It doesn't matter to me, if I want the gun then the brand doesn't flip my hammer. And I always thought that putting a number next to the name didn't excite me either. So four hundred seemed a good deal and it came with a B&L Alaskan scope.

"Okay, Jack, I'll take it."

I reasoned that $400.00 for a model 70 was a fair price even if it was a post 64 rifle. The next time I was in the terminal I handed over four big ones. Jack handed over the rifle. It's in a cheapo soft case and I'm wondering how long it will take me to flip it. Once home and in my basement workshop, I pull it from the case. I'm looking at the first, and likely the only, Winchester Model 70 Super Grade, manufactured in 1945, I'll ever own. I'm certain it's the only one selling for $400.00 I'll ever own.

No $401.00 will not get it out of my safe.

It arrived today at my FFL. Looks like it’s covered in sawdust, but that may be the interior foam of the case disintegrating. I’ll know more when I pick it up on Saturday.





Definitely not a model 10….

Edit: Images cropped because someone else's invoice was showing in the background

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SWCA #3942 / SWHF #988

My first was a factory engraved pre 29 marked 29-2 that I picked up a number of years ago for $1800.00 and sold to my friend Ray Brazille. My second was from a local dealer from whom I had purchased several guns. Was looking for an S&W 44 which they did not have. What was shown to me was a .357 Smith. Told them there was no interest on my part for a 357 was looking for a 44 but since you took the time I will take a look at it. When I opened the cylinder to make certain it was not loaded the letters REG hit me. Did not want to show my excitement so negotiated the price as I would normally do. They were asking $1200.00. Left with in my possession for $1100.00. Hope there will be another in my future.

Last year, I came across an internet auction listing for a “1917 S&W in 45acp”. What was pictured was a Triple-lock in .455 that was one of the 6,000-unit contract revolvers. The ejector rod shroud and third lock were clearly visible. One other bidder also appeared to recognize it, but I won it at what I considered a 50 percent discount. It turned out to be an all-original, unmolested, lightly-carried but seldom-fired specimen with better than 90 percent finish. Excellent bore. I reluctantly sold it for 90 percent of my estimated value of $2,800 because it didn’t fit my very small collection that centers on early post-WW2 S&Ws. Beautifully made revolver. Maybe I should have kept it as an outlier.

The wife and I were on our way to the mountains for the weekend to enjoy a trip I won in a contest. Stopped at a gun emporium 30 miles out of town. Wound up buying a Transitional 44 Special Target for $250.00. Go to pay for it and he asks if I am a resident of the state and I replied no. Sorry can't sell to you says he. I replied yes you can, you just cannot deliver it to me. I will get you an FFL from my dealer 30 miles away, just across the river in the adjoining state. I told him you have both the gun and my money till the following week. No risk to you. I wasn't losing that gun. After we finalize the deal I asked do you know what you sold me? He says a 50 Target. I said no. He ask if I was happy? Said of course. He says that makes two of us. The timing of this post is even more special as it happened on a Good Friday. A shooter grade, but I'm still as happy as the day I bought it.

After years of swapping and trading old shotguns I wound up with a skeet grade l c Smith with regular frame. I didn’t know it at the time and it is a shooter but it’s 1 of 20-25 made. Ignorance is bliss

I have a 38/44 with a humpback hammer Model 10 myself! Somebody removed all the finish, but got it really cheap.

Years ago, I saw an ad for a .44 magnum for sale. No photos. no more info, but had a contact number and it appeared to be a local number. Wasn't looking for one, but I was curious, so I called and asked him to text me a few photos. The photos came and I was shocked! It turns out to be a 6" S&W 629-5 and it was a "Pinto" (Stainless frame, Blue cylinder and Blue barrel). I had never seen one before. The seller wasn't a gun guy. He bought the gun new, dry fired it occasionally, and then it just sat on the closet shelf for 15 years. He wanted $700 for it. It appears unfired and was still in the original box with paperwork, grease paper, and trigger lock. I didn't haggle about the price.
When I got it home, I still wasn't sure what I had, so I called S&W customer service with the serial number and description. Turns out it's part of a 100 gun special order commissioned by Lew Horton in 2000. I called Earl Minot at Lew Horton and he confirmed what I had and even sent me a letter of authenticity.
Even a blind pig finds an acorn occasionally!

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Looks like a half target with that pinned front sight. Have you lettered it?

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

The best deal I got was around 1996...A guy I worked with had "an old '03 Springfield in really nice shape for $250"...He brought it to work and it looked brand new. I was thrilled until I saw the bolt was in the white and the buttplate looked different....Yep, a 1926 year production 1903 National Match...I sold it for $2300 and paid nine house payments at the time, which were $250 per month.

That dust is from the disintegrating case indeed.

I have bought no less than 3 "Model 10s" which were somehow...N frame model 10s!

Also one, "Model 27" that had this mysterious REG number where the MOD should have been. Still not sure what thats about but I love the gun.

It was 1977 and I had been transferred to Coast Guard District 12 District Office in San Francisco, CA. I moved into an apartment complex out in Concord, CA, about 50 miles northeast of San Francisco. It's a fairly good sized complex with a swimming pool and a tennis court. As I'm moving in I got to meet the tennis pro who also taught at the local Y and a couple of other complexes. Seeing that I was in the military he asked me to stop by his apartment when I had the time. I was on leave and would be for another week so on Thursday following three days of rest I caught him at the courts and asked what he wanted.

Tennis Pro (TP);" I have a gun to get rid of. I'm not into guns and if you are interested, I'll make you a good deal on it. Come to my apartment at 5pm."

Me; "What's the deal?"

TP; "I took it in trade as payment for some lessons. The guy who owes me has never contacted me for 6 months. The law says it's mine and I just want my money out of it."

Me; "Okay I'll see you at 5."

5PM and I'm at his door." Come on in and tell me if you want it."

I look it over and ask him, "How much are you into it for?"

TP; "$175.00. Give me $175.00 and it's all yours."

Me; "I get my travel pay when I check in on Monday, I'll see you when I get back."

Monday afternoon I hand over $175.00, and TP hands over the rifle.

It's a Colt SP1 with the 3X Colt scope, 480rds of ammo, the metal bipod in the carrier, canvas sling, correct bayonet, and 5, 20rd magazines. The rifle has a five (5) digit serial number and the first digit is 0XXXX. The original owner fired it once, (20 rounds) and put it away. I've put about 100 rounds down the barrel and haven't fired it in 35 years. It sits quietly in the dungeon not hurting anyone, and I smile every time I think about it.

At the time that 175 hurt my pocket book, but not now.

This thing was so nasty with the disintegrated innards of the old case that I didn't want to foul a good case and I didn't want the nasty case shedding all over the inside of my truck. It came home in a plastic bag.






The case immediately went into the garbage. Most of the nasty came off with a brush and a shop vac.

Here's where we are now.....it looks like it might turn out to be kind of ok for a $350 gun. I'll post more pics when it gets fully cleaned and back together.

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SWCA #3942 / SWHF #988

Shotguncoach, I'd love to know why you bought that thing. 1} It's dirty like someone dragged it through 30 miles of sandy beach. 2) it's all in pieces. Now listen lad, you pack it all up in a plastic bag, so I don't get any of that sand in my car and ship it to me. I'll fix it up and put it away, so you don't need to worry about it anymore. I'll save you a heap of work too.

lolololol

I do appreciate your very kind offer, but I wouldn't want to inflict something this bad onto a friend. I'll take one for the team and force myself to put up with it.

The magna stocks that were on it were silver washer and had the sharpest checkering I have ever felt, so I dug around in the box and found a set of ratty old stocks to put on it. I have commitments all day tomorrow so the range report won't be until next week.

I'll ask Roy for a ship date when I get a chance. K242435 makes me think 1955'ish.

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SWCA #3942 / SWHF #988

Disgusting. Simply sickening. You aught to be ashamed of yourself, spending all that time and money on that bit of rubbish. But it's your time and your money so I guess you can spend it as you will. Pity about the stocks. Here you had a chance to tear your hands up with sharp checkering and proper fitting stocks and instead you opt for ratty wood. I can't really blame you considering it's condition.

You must have found its companion hidden out with those ratty stocks. That thar wheel gun is right purdy. Don't let it get none of that sand on it.

Be safe and we'll be wait'n for that Range report.

Shocking!...Just think of all the shop rags and brushes that had to give up their lives to a day in the sun for this old relic...It should be confined for the rest of its days to a glass-topped coffin which by coincidence I can supply......Ben

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Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

I have 244932 that shipped in August of 1955, so you're likely correct on the ship date.


Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

I have. It went to the city of Amsterdam, NY police department in 1932. It was not originally a half-target. Some previous owner just removed the finish from it. No pitting or anything in it. I guess they thought it would look better. I have struggled trying to decide whether to have it re-blued. I got it for about the value of the hump back hammer.