4" RB Blue 19-5 Shows up at ATL Show

[Retired W4]

AYY prefix and I am pretty certain it was a State Dept. gun from the 1988 contract. A very nice gun that really didn't look special except for the round butt. I did not see it until a dealer bought it and put it out with a $250 mark up. My buddy Ken L did see it but I'll let him explain. That is a gun that is screaming for a letter. Life goes on Ken.

 

[KEN L]

Hey Tom, if you're trying to cheer me up, it ain't workin'!
Did you have to remind me and tell everyone here what a DA I was?! Oh well, I'm still trying to convince myself there's a reason I wasn't supposed to own that gun. And for the record, that dealer was asking $299 more than I could have bought it for. Oh well, I should've heeded Mike Wolf's advice, "When you find something you've never seen before, that's the time to buy it!" I don't know what came over me.
As Tom said, it was a 29-5, 4" blue round butt. I asked to remove the stocks to see if they matched, which the seller allowed me to do. First, they were not numbered at all and under the top of the left side stock there was some light rust on the frame. I showed it to the seller and it made no difference and that's where it went south. I guess I was just being pig headed. Tom actually found the information in "the book" stating 680 of the AYY prefix guns were shipped to the U.S. State Department in March 1988. I know, I know....................let the flaming begin! One thing's for sure, that'll never happen again.
And, on top of all this, the show wasn't all that great, I guess due, in part, to the fact it was opening weekend of hunting season. Still, in all, I had a pretty good time, met some new S&W people, including Lee Jarrett. We had a nice conversation and parted as new friends. Okay, I'm off the soap box now!

 

[Hapworth]

...a dealer bought it and put it out with a $250 mark up.

$250 mark-up over what?

 

[Hapworth]

...I asked to remove the stocks to see if they matched, which the seller allowed me to do. First, they were not numbered at all...

By the -5s, S&W had pretty much if not entirely stopped numbering stocks.

I guess I was just being pig headed.

Not pig-headed, sir -- you were being firm.

For what it's worth, I'd've probably done the same. As you note, might be there actually is a reason that gun's going elsewhere. Don't sweat it, just frees up the cash for the next interesting item.

 

[flagman1776]

Is it a 19-5 as in the Heading or a 29-5??

 

[Retired W4]

It was a 19-5 and the original asking price was $600.

Lee was indeed there and a good time was had by all.

The un-numbered grips (factory replacement?), and the rust under them might have scared me off too. Like I said to Ken, that gun screams for a letter.

Just reread the point on the numbered grips by Hapworth. Ken and I did discuss that issue but I was not certain about when the change occurred. Now I know a little more.

 

[Texas Star]

I thought the State Dept. guns had a dull finish.This has the normal bright commercial blue?

I think it's overpriced, especially with rust under the grips.

 

[MRS]

I have one of those . Check out the post from 7-17-15 "Info on rare model 19". There are pictures too. Cool gun !!