44 Double Action First Model

[bigwagon]

I have this 44 Double Action First Model .44 Russian in my collection. Serial number is 40969. It's also got a factory repair star and 8-21 date under the grips. About 75-80 percent original finish, a very good bore and tight and solid lock up with good timing. Thinking about selling or trading it but I am having a hard time finding comparable sales. Everything I see is either a beater or priced to the moon, nothing in between. I also know these weren't exactly the most popular big-bore Smiths then or now. Opinions on value welcomed.

 

[iby]

opinion

Start by re-evaluating your estimate of 75-80% finish

 

[bigwagon]

OK, so tell me what condition you think it's in. That's why I posted photos.

 

[mrcvs]

That wear to the right side really affects the value. I would look at this as a fair condition revolver.

A similar corollary is with Winchester lever action rifles. There may be considerable bluing on the barrel, but condition is largely based on the condition of the receiver, which might have negligible finish.

I would probably price your revolver, if selling, at $1500, and see what happens. If no takers, then drop the price until it sells. A few years ago, this would definitely have been an under $1000 revolver, but the market is stronger now.

 

[raljr1]

I don't think $1500 is an unreasonable expectation for that gun. Not many sales on the online auction. A recent Rock Island auction had a first model with very good original blue hammer at $2800 plus fees. so 50% of that number still puts you in the $1500 range.

 

[mrcvs]

Here is one I own I dug out of the safe this morning. Serial number 34641. Forged 03 February 1897 (Thank you Ed Cornett (opoefc)!!!). Shipped May 1900. I paid $1200 for this revolver December 2015. Note the "folk art" replaced front sight—it's a coin, appears to be a Liberty Head nickel.

I don't know how detrimental the replaced front sight is, but I like it.

Liberty Head nickel - Wikipedia

 

[mrcvs]

Also, one thing I noted is that my revolver contains the S & W logo on the right side, and yours does not, that being in the area of wear on your revolver. For what it is worth…

 

[bigwagon]

Thanks. $1500 seems reasonable. It's just hard to find any actual recent sales in that range to confirm or compare condition. It does have heavier wear on the right side, including the worn S&W logo, but I think it looks a little better in hand than the photos show.

 

[mrcvs]

Thanks. $1500 seems reasonable. It's just hard to find any actual recent sales in that range to confirm or compare condition. It does have heavier wear on the right side, including the worn S&W logo, but I think it looks a little better in hand than the photos show.

I think $1500 doesn't seem unreasonable in todays market. But the market will determine that.

How much do you have invested in this revolver and when and where did you get it?

Where do you intend to try to sell it? I would list in the classifieds section of this forum—and see what happens!

 

[bigwagon]

I've had it a couple years. It was part of a multi-gun deal, so hard to put an exact dollar amount on it, but I probably overvalued it at the time. I will list it here first if I decide to sell. I am more of a single action fan, so if I do move it along it will be in the hopes of eventually replacing it with another S&W big bore revolver like a Model 3 or Schofield.

 

[iby]

I would rate your gun @ 50-60%
The grips straps look worn from what I can see and one grip is chipped.
I would offer it @ $1500 and see what

 

[BMur]

International Market

Every day is a new day for the Antique Market Place. And every day I shake my head in disbelief at what collectors and enthusiasts are paying for Brown, pitted, buggered and frozen screwed, what we use to call Parts guns years ago. Now they are heavily sought after by collectors "Outside of this Country".

It truly is becoming more and more an international Marketplace for Antique Firearms and even low grade examples are achieving very high selling prices!

I just watched this DA Smith & Wesson 44 sell for $1600 after Fee and Fee fee, tax, shipping.

It's Brown, pitted all over, modern replacement grip scales that could be Moose, Goat, Elk, bone, caribou, pig tusk, walrus tusk or anything else you might want them to be. Anything but Antique.

And where is it going? Likely Canada!

So my advice to the OP is " it will sell for more than you think if you expose it to the right Market"!!

Murph

 

[Oldmanwesson]

Every day is a new day for the Antique Market Place. And every day I shake my head in disbelief at what collectors and enthusiasts are paying for Brown, pitted, buggered and frozen screwed, what we use to call Parts guns years ago. Now they are heavily sought after by collectors "Outside of this Country".

It truly is becoming more and more an international Marketplace for Antique Firearms and even low grade examples are achieving very high selling prices!

I just watched this DA Smith & Wesson 44 sell for $1600 after Fee and Fee fee, tax, shipping.



It's Brown, pitted all over, modern replacement grip scales that could be Moose, Goat, Elk, bone, caribou, pig tusk, walrus tusk or anything else you might want them to be. Anything but Antique.

And where is it going? Likely Canada!

So my advice to the OP is " it will sell for more than you think if you expose it to the right Market"!!

Murph

Yep, you're probably right about that. If this one sold for $1600US, the buyer in Canada will pay:
- $2272 CDN
- $99 Cdn Shipping
- $275 Cdn tax
If the buyer uses a broker, it's another $250. If customs don't see it as an antique it will get confiscated and not released until they are satisfied that it is indeed antique. That could take three months. So, he's waiting for an almost $3,000 gun for three months... Some people up here are really desperate because the only handgun you can buy here legally is an antique!
Here is an even scarier story:
This guy I know bought an antique in the US and had it shipped to him in Winnipeg, Canada. Customs confiscated it and disagreed with the antique status. The buyer was charged with trafficking a prohibited weapon and was looking at serious jail time. After a good six months of back-and-forth, he finally has them convinced that his purchase is actually antique. He had to take a lawyer and spent many sleepless nights, I'm sure. His legal bill is over 10k. He won't be reimbursed for any of this by anyone...

 

[bcowern]

O Canada!

bcowern

 

[4K2022]

,,, a very good bore,,,, Opinions on value welcomed.[\QUOTE]

My $.02 Black powder and corrosive primers were the only game in town when these were new and folks didn't have A**zon driving up the lane delivering their choice of cleaning solvent they ordered the night before. I can live with a chipped stock or front sight hammered in with a rock on the back of a horse. In my world the seller sets HIS / Her value and the buyers set their values based on want regardless of condition. I believe the 3 digit gun is an excellent example, when will we have the opportunity to purchase another (3 digit) at ANY price. When I was a boy I sold gasoline for $.20 a gallon and kerosene (diesel) for much less.

I spend my money on the inside of the barrel,,, the area no one seems to photograph!

 

[Kinman]

I'm a fan of the 1st Model D.A., I prefer them with shorter barrels. I keep my eye out for them and usually only see them on auction sites where you are going to pay a premium. I have since learned about the Canadian market concerning .44 Russian. I'd like to find a real nice 4" 44-40 but am very happy with my .44 Russian.

 

[Exmilcop]

If the OP wants to move this along, I'd be interested in seeing if we could come to an arrangement. PM sent. I've been looking for a nice functional blued one for a while. I thought I'd found it but it turned out to be a Frontier model in .44-40 which put it into the restricted class here in Canada.

 

[glowe]

That wear to the right side really affects the value. I would look at this as a fair condition revolver . . .

I think that is too low of a condition for an antique revolver whether refinished by the factory or not, but the factory refinish complicates properly assessing value. I will guess that I see very few 44 DAs in as nice a condition as the OP's, maybe 20 rough ones for every decent one out there today.

Here is one that recently sold with 30 bids on Gunbroker with less bluing left for over $1800. Just a moment...

 

[wlw-19958]

Hi There,

Here is one that recently sold with 30 bids on Gunbroker with less bluing left for over $1800. Just a moment...

I think you will find that this particular 44 DA was nickeled.


Cheers!
Webb

 

[glowe]

That is what the seller says, but if you look closely at the surface, it is most likely that it is a "cleaned" surface that shows no finish whether blue or nickel. Doesn't change the fact that it sold for a lot of money versus condition. OP's gun is much less worn.