Buck 307 Wrangler

[Ole Joe Clark]

Bought a used Buck 307 today at a local gun show, couldn't afford the S&W 27-2 I saw. Looks like an older one, no photos yet. Got the box and papers for 25 bucks. Looks like my Stockman's big brother.

Any knife experts here that know anything about them?

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[Richard Simmons]

Congratulations. Not an expert by any stretch but I do love Buck knives. I can tell you that Buck introduced the 307 Wrangler around 1971. Camillus was making Buck's 300 series knives at the time. They actually referred to the 307 as a "jumbo stockman".

If the model number is stamped on the blade it was probably made after 1972-73 which I've read is when Buck started adding the model number on the 300 series knives.

Not 100% sure but I'm thinking the steel used was 440A. Yours should have three brass spacers. Does yours still have the long nail pull or is it the small crescent? Pretty sure they changed to the crescent in 1972. Hope this helps.

 

[mauser9]

Just read the same info as Richard posted above. Kind of a fan myself of the Buck brand. Added the folding Alpha Skinner recently. You might check BladeForum for more info on your model. All the different steels today can be mind boggling.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

Does yours still have the long nail pull or is it the small crescent? Pretty sure they changed to the crescent in 1972. Hope this helps.

I'm not sure I understand the question. Are you talking about the slot used to open the blade? It has a slot that is about 1 3/8" long in the large blade only, and the fingernail crescent on the other two blades.

Maybe I can get some photos up in the morning, we have a death in the family and my day is pretty well taken.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[shouldazagged]

I'm sorry about the death in your family.

I bought a 307 for my son when he was assigned to an antisubmarine squadron in the Navy. All his squadron mates carried them, and the 422 Bucklite version of the 110 folding hunter, so I had his initials electro-etched on the blades.

I think they may have been made by Camillus. Years later I obtained one with the Camillus brand that was identical to the 307 in every way except that the sawn Delrin scales were green over a layer of yellow. Nice knife.

 

[k22fan]

I'm not sure I understand the question. Are you talking about the slot used to open the blade? It has a slot that is about 1 3/8" long in the large blade only, and the fingernail crescent on the other two blades. [...] Leon

I have been watching Buck 307s for a few years. I want one but am not willing to pay what new in box Buck 307s bring at auction on eBay. A collector of Buck 300 series knives posted on other forums that all Buck Wranglers were built by Camillus with the long pull master blade you describe. That is confirmed by years of watching auctions and owning the same Camillus made large Stockmans. I own 3 branded Remington and 2 that Camillus put their own name on. I am not motivated to pay twice as much just to get one with Buck's brand on it. The blades in the Remingtons are Camillus' standard 1095 carbon steel. That same collector writes Buck 307s were built with Camillus' standard 440A stainless. There have not been new Buck 307s since Camillus closed in 2007.

Not long ago Smoky Mountain Knife Works (SMKW) sold a few Camillus Large Stockmans assembled with left over parts mixing the brand names. My guess is SMKW bought the parts when Camillus' assets were sold. I watched their auction for one thinking it would be an inexpensive way to get a large Stockman. Its tang stamp was Buck 307 but it had a Camillus marker plate in Remington's green Delrin side covers. It sold for an absurd price in the hundreds of dollars.

I often carry one of my Remingtons in a Case Trapper pouch. That's more comfortable than letting one lay in the bottom of a front pants pocket. The mix of blade shapes is more useful to me than a modern quick opening single blade. I hope you like yours. You got it for a great price.