.357 transitional postwar value

thomas farrell · Sep 3, 2009

One of my best buds, a no-internet kinda guy, just discovered that an old revolver of his is a collectors' item, and is looking for a current value.

It is a .357, 5" transitional postwar model. He spoke to Roy, who placed the serial ## as 1948 manufacture. Only 142 made, and not many 5" guns.

Gun shows some holster wear. Bore and cylinders are perfect.

Anyone want to take a stab at the value?

Thank you,

Tom

DBWesson · Sep 3, 2009

I have only seen two of the .357 Mag. Transition guns one 3 1/2" well worn that went to Australia and the other 8 3/8" 98%-99% blue was one that Ray Brazile got from Gary G. on a trade and at the time I think Ray wanted $8000. This was some time ago at one of the SWCA conventions.
Larry Gaertner
# 956

mokuloa · Sep 3, 2009

Post-War Transition .357

Sure, I'll take a stab at it.
Original finish?
Correct grips?
Correct pre-war parts?
No rust or pits?
Unknown provenance.
And some holster wear, whatever that means.
FYI the five-inch barrel on these models is the norm, as is 3.5 and 8 3/8ths, the known population are all these three lengths.
$1500 to $2000. Much higher for a really nice example.

thomas farrell · Sep 3, 2009

original finish
correct grips and parts
no rust or pits
some blueing wear from being holstered

Thank you

thomas farrell · Sep 3, 2009

I'll try to get some pics of it tomorrow.

sw357nm · Sep 3, 2009

Transitional 357 Magnums

They are very very rare. I feel that D. B. Wesson is correct. Only a sleeper would go for much less than the $8,000 to $10,000 range. They were made in all the same barrel lengths as the non-registered magnums.
Few people have seen one, let alone one for sale. The serious collectors have only located around 10 to a dozen.
John

DBWesson · Sep 3, 2009

I know MI is kind of depressed right now, but the rest of the country would offer a lot more for that gun.
Larry

handejector · Sep 3, 2009

sw357nm said:
They were made in all the same barrel lengths as the non-registered magnums.

Correct.
Barrel lengths had been standardized in the Non-Reg magnums before the war. Yeah, we all know they made a few Non-Regs with odd barrel lengths, but they were either special order or parts cleanup.
The 1940 catalogs offered only 3.5- 5- 6- 6.5- and 8-3/8.
Same with the earliest 1946 post-war catalogs.

VALUABLE gun. I'd love to have it if he decides to sell.

sw357nm · Sep 3, 2009

Transition magnum

May we have the serial number? I would like to add it to my data base and to give it to the SWCA for our base there. Also, please give as many of the details of the gun as you can. I really don't think that you have to worry about someone claiming that the gun was theirs.
Many thanks,
John

bmg60 · Sep 3, 2009

357 Transitional post war

hi
here is a list of the guns we know about from the 142 made.

SERIAL # SHIP DATE CONDITION BARREL
S-71667 1948 85% 3-1/2
S-71598 12/15/1948 98% 3-1/2
S-71642 Nov-46 97% 6
S-71788 1948 90% 5
S-71796 12/23/1948 75% 5
S-71992 12/23/1948 85% 5
S-71655 6/30/1948 98% 8 3/8
S-71885 11/18/1949 97% 8 3/8
S-71972 6/29/1948 99% 8 3/8

most of these were made for police departments and will be in the 5 inch and 3 1/2 inch and most likely will not be in the highest condition.
the 8 3/8 guns were made for special people. the 6 inch were most likely
special order and not for police depts.

Jim Fisher
S&WCA 1491

thomas farrell · Sep 4, 2009

Here are the promised pics. The serial ## is pictured.

You all are a great group! Thank you for the very helpful information. The owner, a gunsmith here in Tulsa, rates the finish as 80%. Lint and grease do appear on the gun here and there.

thomas farrell · Sep 4, 2009

More pictures:

thomas farrell · Sep 4, 2009

The money shot:

thomas farrell · Sep 4, 2009

The owner plans to eventually send it to S&W for full factory engraving, and a letter.

What do you guys think that will do to the value? Should he just leave it alone, or have it engraved??

Dan M · Sep 4, 2009

The Gun doesn't look bad to me. Seems like having it engraved would devalue it and would not be a cheap adornment. I would leave it alone and I am usually a tinkerer myself.

DCWilson · Sep 4, 2009

Here's one huge vote to leave it alone. Engraving can make an ordinary gun special, but it can't do anything to an extraordinary gun except modify its extraordinariness -- and possibly in an unsuccessful way.

This gun can't be any better than it is right now. With a five-digit or near-five price tag I'll never own it, but it makes me happy to know that it exists. It can't be made better, except by a good cleaning. After that, put it aside in a controlled environment and ignore it save for periodic condition checks and adulation.

sw357nm · Sep 4, 2009

Transition Magnum

Don't do anything to the gun except keep it clean and oiled.
John

sw357nm · Sep 4, 2009

Transition Magnum

Interesting serial number. It is the lowest number so far identified, but of course S&W didn't insist on taking the frames in numerical order. S71642 seems to be the earliest date.

Very interesting and many thanks for bringing this to our attention. Your friend is a very lucky person.
John

gjamison · Sep 4, 2009

please leave that gun alone!! that is a wonderful find and a very rare firearm. it's the last thing you want to do is send to the factory for anything. LEAVE IT BE!!!!!!!

DBWesson · Sep 4, 2009

If the owner wants to engrave it, he does not deserve that gun in the first place. He should just sell the gun to somebody that would appreciate it.
I am sure that an extra $8,000 to $10,000 would come in handy right about now.
DBWesson

.357 transitional postwar value

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