Gun Show Report: I didn't strike out!

[357magster]

I didn't hit a home run either ... but I got on base ... and maybe batted in an RBI or two.

Just back from the Wilmington, Mass gun show. Didn't come home empty-handed. Respectfully submitted for your perusal, a circa 1968 3" Model 36 and a circa 1961 2" Model 30-1. And the dealer allowed me to remove the grips to check their serial numbers.

The 30-1 is all original and a real beauty. Plus, it's my first birth year gun.

Is the cylinder release on the 30-1 considered a flat latch? It is mostly flat, but rises a bit on the cylinder end. If it IS a flat latch, it is my first.

The grips on the 36 are numbered 40253, so they are older than the gun. Any idea how old they are? They fit great and are staying where they are. Just curious as to their age and what model they may have originally been on.

Thanks for looking!

[19leben]

Nice acquisition on both of them! They both look like great condition.

I recently acquired a non model marked 3" round butt Chief's Special with the flat latch just like the one on your Mod 30.
It's a 1957 shipped gun. I need to find my birth year gun, same as yours.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[Lee's Landing Billy]

You did GOOD. Enjoy.

[JSR III]

Well I was at the same show and didn't see much at all. I was there when they opened at 9 and there were probably 50 folks ahead of me.

Where about in the show did you find your treasures or what dealer? I saw a couple of 30-1's and maybe a 34-1 but wasn't in the market so I passed. By and large I thought that the prices were on the high side and the only antique (what I was looking for) was a top break in the box asking $799 IIRC. (Might have been $899. It was in nice shape but might have been refinished so because of that and the asking price, I didn't even look.

All in all the MA shows have been disappointing lately and I was told that last week in Sturbridge, 50 tables were empty.

Next week is the Springfield show and my crew has already told me they are not interested in making the trip.

[Breakaway500]

Nice finds! They are out there. I went to the Sturbridge show and came home with a post war pre-model 10 that was wearing rubber grips for under $300.Did a good cleaning on it,snagged a nice set of period magnas for $20 at a gun shop just down the street and I now have a very fine classy .38 Special 6 shot shooting iron for less than a cheap .380. The crowd was light..but that's OK with me. I'm hoping the dealers that attend may start bringing the guns that wouldn't sell during the "zombie" craze back to the tables. I saw more people handling revolvers than ever before.

[Alk8944]

Yes, it is a "Flat Latch". There are three styles of flat latch and yours is the latest style.

[Stirling]

Those revolvers look to be in great condition, nice job!

[hittman77]

Congrats! You picked up a couple of very nice looking wheel guns at that show.

[blackdeuce]

Very nice pick up. The last gun show that I went to didn't have anything worth buying. A bunch of worn out junk, or brand new guns.

[JP@AK]

Originally Posted by 357magster

Is the cylinder release on the 30-1 considered a flat latch? It is mostly flat, but rises a bit on the cylinder end.

Yes. As Alk8944 advised you, this is the third style flat latch. It was used from about 1956 until 1966, when all the flat latches went away. The first style is very distinctive and has a sort of rounded shape from top to bottom. Generally speaking it is only found on the Baby Chief J frames. The second and third style are found on the I frames and early post-1961 J frames as well as some airweight K frames.