1959 Model 18 with 8.75" barrel...

[islandguy]

Hi all,
There is a 1959-shipped 4-screw Model 18 (confirmed by SC of S&W) with a 8.75" full-lug barrel for sale on a forum up here in Canada. I've been in a recent email exchange with the vendor and he tells me that there is no rework "star" on the butt. The original owner is deceased and the vendor is the 2nd owner. From the photos and description, the revolver is in excellent condition. He's asking $1200 Cdn for it. My guess is that the owner had the original 4” barrel replaced with a later 8.75” barrel to make the gun a Restricted instead of a Prohibited (4" and under are prohibited in Canada). Is it worth $1200?

 

[H Richard]

Unless the circumstances of the Canadian law make it very desirable, I would not think it would have such a worth. Beings as the barrel was changed to a much later model barrel, (full lug wasn't available until the 17-6 which would have been in the late 80's to early 90's). A 4 screw Mod 18 would most probably be from the 50's. This would relegate it as a shooter, not a collectable. In the US it would probably bring in the $600 to $700 range provided the overall condition is very nice and the barrel swap was done professionally.

 

[S&WIowegan]

H Richard has got it exactly right except his value estimate may be too high. That gun is just a shooter in the US. The answer to your question relates solely to the unique market in Canada. Hopefuly, you can find good used Model 17s up there...what do they cost?

 

[DCWilson]

I can't claim to be expert in the prices commanded in the Canadian revolver market, but I have read a few posts recently from Canadian members of this forum who discussed new acquisitions at prices that seem to me competitive with or even better than the corresponding prices the guns would bring in the US.

The rebarreled gun about which you inquire would NOT be one of those. At $1200 the asking price is at least twice too high and maybe even three times. I suppose a value kick would be in order if it once belonged to Pierre Trudeau or some other luminary.

If you are in the market for a long-barrel K-frame .38 with adjustable sights, you should probably keep looking. I am sure you can do a lot better.

 

[mikepriwer]

Its just a shooter, and as noted, has no collectible value whatsoever. Its a parts
gun. Its got the wrong barrel on it, by a lot of years. Unfortunately its not worth
anything.

You ought to be able to find a decent 6" .22, which from what you say, ought to be
OK by Canadian law.

Mike Priwer

 

[shawn mccarver]

To me, the value is greatly reduced by such work. I would pass and look for a standard weight 6 inch barrel Model 17 or K22.

 

[824tsv]

I've looked at the ad. Avoid it, it's not worth it.

 

[JPriest]

There really should have been no reason to change the barrel length under Canadian law, assuming the original owner had it before the early 90s. The phrobited class of firearms came into being then, but if you already owned a short (4 inch or less) barrelled gun you would have been grandfathered and can continue to own it. The grandfather extends to immediate relatives (children or spouse) upon the original owner's passing, so both could have been entitled to a prohibited class PAL. Perhaps the barrel was changed for another reason.

 

[824tsv]

Changing the barrel length to over 4" opens the potential buyer pool to anyone with a restricted licence, not just 12(6) holders. We see lot's of rebarreled handguns over 4.1" for this reason.

 

[k22fan]

I couldn’t click on this thread fast enough. The SCSW writes there are a few thin barrel skinny ribbed 8 3/8” 15s so I envisioned a similar 18. Hope springs eternal.

The other possibility for why this 18 was rebarreled is its owner wanted a long heavy .22 and rebarreling with a used barrel was less expensive than selling the 18 and buying an 8 3/8” FL K-22.

 

[islandguy]

Thanks for all of the input folks. Much appreciated. Sorry not to have gotten back online sooner. Busy with other issues lately. I wasn't so much interested in buying the gun for myself as I was in figuring out what it is and if it has any collector value. I already have a very nice 17-6 6" that I picked up a few years back for $600.