.44 Magnum 4", 5 Screw, 1956

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The 85% condition would bother me a lot. Sounds like lots of holster wear and maybe worse. A 4 inch 44 Magnum, especially if from 1956, is a holy grail for some (only 168 of them shipped that year). But 85% suggests, to me anyway, a shooter condition gun which is fine if shooting it is what you have in mind. Percent condition is very subjective though so perhaps it is better than that.

Does it have the box and tools? If not, it's $500-$600+ to get the box and perhaps more for the tools too. By the way, if you get it, and it doesn't have the box, I have one I would sell.

Are the cokes in good condition? If not, $500-$600 for decent ones.

A 4 inch 5 screw in high condition with cokes and with box/tools is likely in the $4k+ range. More if lettered as a 1956 ship.

Good luck, pictures if you get it of course. Here's mine from November of 1956.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

https://flic.kr/p/2nsYjiW https://www.flickr.com/photos/194934231@N03/
 
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No box or tools. The pics show some wear and areas that are not good. 85% seems a fair estimate to me. Cokes look pretty good. Dealer says 1956 gun.
I looked at a 4 screw at the Symposium for $1900 that also had a lot of wear.
The condition does not bother me. I would shoot it some. Mostly just looking for a price I can afford. This seems to me like a good price based on what I have seen lately.
 
DARE said:
No box or tools. The pics show some wear and areas that are not good. 85% seems a fair estimate to me. Cokes look pretty good. Dealer says 1956 gun.
I looked at a 4 screw at the Symposium for $1900 that also had a lot of wear.
The condition does not bother me. I would shoot it some. Mostly just looking for a price I can afford. This seems to me like a good price based on what I have seen lately.
Click to expand...

You could get the SN and ask Dr. Jinks about the ship date. Without that, or a letter, I'd be skeptical of the 1956 date. As I said above, there are only 168 of those and they didn't ship in order. Just having the SN won't tell us much about the ship date. Nothing magic about 1956 though, it won't shoot better one way or the other. Just if you wanted a first year gun, good to confirm it before you buy it. Good luck.

Jeff
SWCA #1457
 
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DARE said:
No box or tools. The pics show some wear and areas that are not good. 85% seems a fair estimate to me. Cokes look pretty good. Dealer says 1956 gun.
I looked at a 4 screw at the Symposium for $1900 that also had a lot of wear.
The condition does not bother me. I would shoot it some. Mostly just looking for a price I can afford. This seems to me like a good price based on what I have seen lately.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you have already decided. I say go for it! Could you share some pics with us? I'm sure it would greatly help the experts put a value on it. As posted above, someone throwing a percentage on it is highly subjective.
 
The times are clearly different between then and now---and I don't even remember when then was (maybe 20 years back), but I had whatever the longer barrel was, 6-6 1/2"---first year gun, as new---just the gun, no box, no nothing. I also don't remember what I sold it for, but the mere thought of paying $2000 for an 85% gun makes my teeth hurt! Hell!!---the thought of even owning an 85% gun makes my teeth hurt-----unless, as the man says, it's just a shooter---and I'd rather have a nicer shooter!

High condition guns hold their value--or appreciate. Low condition guns depreciate.

"You pays your money, and you takes your pick!"

Ralph Tremaine
 
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I bought it.

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Better than what I think an 85% gun looks like. Hope it's the lighting in the picture and not "dishing" around the side plate screws? Care to share the SN? The cokes look very good. If all original it looks like a good buy to me.

Jeff
SWCA #1457
 
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Very nice five screw,
With the Coke stocks it was more like $1500 for the gun and $500 for the stocks.
I would have been hard pressed to pass as well,
How often do you come across 4" five screw pre 29's ?
I'm sure Doc44 might know when it left the factory but I'd bet a shiney penny it was finished and waiting in the vault in 1956 along with the ones that didn't ship until after the holiday shut down.
 
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22hipower said:
I think I'd letter that one. The SN is early although they didn't ship in order. Mine, SN S161859 shipped in November 1956 to a hardware store in Amarillo. I'd say there's a good chance yours is 1956 too.

Jeff
SWCA #1457
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It's crazy how much the serial #'s vary from ship date. S156473 shipped in January 1957.
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Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
 
spin132 said:
It's crazy how much the serial #'s vary from ship date. S156473 shipped in January 1957.
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Can certainly happen when the last one in the vault is the first one out. Probably wasn't exactly that but if they built up inventory and then shipped what was easy to grab, the variance in dates is understandable.

Jeff
SWCA #1457
 
Kinda depends what your definition of "First year" is.

Definately made and shipped in first 12 months of 4" production.
Also really neat that four inch five screw .44 Magnums even exist considering that four screw 4" Combat Magnums were shipping all through 1956, like these earl 5 screw guns the first 1000-1500 CMs have the early 6 groove tangs, too bad no 5 screw Combat Magnums exist.
 
DARE said:
Serial number S153063. A better pic of the sideplate.

I emailed the seller and he said he believes it is original finish. He has sold a bunch of guns, so hopefully he knows what he is talking about.

pix744110419.jpg
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David, it looks much better than 85% to me, the Cokes look really nice, and side plate seam looks good too. I think you did fine especially for a 4" gun. My .44 magnum serial number 154153 shipped in December 1956.
Larry
 
FWIW, with a couple of handling marks and some holster wear, that looks more like a 90% gun to me - but that is just my grading scale.
$1,400 for the gun and $600 for the Cokes seems about right for the current market. If it letters as to 1956, then that would just be a bonus.
 
DARE said:
Serial number S153063. A better pic of the sideplate.



I emailed the seller and he said he believes it is original finish. He has sold a bunch of guns, so hopefully he knows what he is talking about.



pix744110419.jpg
Click to expand...
This is one of the first places I look to check if a gun is original finish. I'm pretty sure it's original.
776948d3fc09fdb073ad421a6f629801.jpg


Sent from my SM-G781U1 using Tapatalk
 
While the number of 4" 5 screw guns, and 4" 4 screw guns, is much smaller than the 6 1/2" 44 Magnums, the collector value of the 4", in like condition is naturally higher. I believe that the buyers of the 44 Magnums in the mid-1950's wanted the power of the 44 magnum round going down the longer barrel. Of course I was only 8 years old at the time so I am only proffering a guess. It looks to me that David (DARE) found a well used and well cared for example of the early 4" 44 Magnum, with what looks to me to be the original finish. If that thing could only talk. Congratulations on acquiring that hard to find revolver.
 
The 44 Magnum was cataloged in January 1956 as being available with a 6 1/2 inch or 4 inch barrel, but the 4 inch 44 Magnums did not become available until late in 1956 (generally November and December, with a very few shipping a little earlier). I don't know why S&W delayed manufacture of shorter barrel as the first 4-inch was made in February.

Bill
 
Bill, thank you very much for the ship date. I am excited!
Will send my letter request as soon as I have the gun in hand.
Decided a while back to letter all guns.
I consider it a donation to SWHF and get a free letter out of the deal.
Wanted a 4" pre 29 because had one that came from my dad and foolishly sold it. His was a 4 screw, 4" about 98% with case and tools.
I like that this gun is a 5 screw and shipped in 1956.
The condition is ok with me because could not afford a high condition gun.
Will post pics when I receive the gun and the letter when it arrives. Will also order any SWHF documents that are available.
 
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