Help W/ Decision - Model 64 w/ 4" Tapered Barrel

[MacA]

I have found what I think MIGHT BE a good purchase opportunity. A local guy is selling an early Model 64 w/ 4" barrel. It has the tapered barrel. In his description he writes, "Nice tight lockup, superb factory action with no evidence the internals were ever molested (all I did was clean it lightly inside and out), Handles and shoots sweet."

It has the non-original Hogue-style grips which I would definitely have to change. His is starting out at $400, but I get the impression that he is willing to negotiate!

What do you fine folks think?

I have included a picture below from his ad...

 

[murphydog]

It looks nice; I would point out the non-factory grip and see if the seller will go $50-75 lower.

 

[MacA]

It looks nice; I would point out the non-factory grip and see if the seller will go $50-75 lower.

I just sent him an email with some questions. I asked about the original grips. Also inquired about original box and papers.

If he holds to the $400, considering I'd have to buy correct grips, is it still a reasonable purchase? Or should I "step away from the computer"!!!

 

[sqhead]

the hammer and trigger look new,thought they would be the forged steel back then,looks like it's been polished up a bit as well,i think he would have to go lower to make the sale................ just saying.

 

[sqhead]

oop's,i looked at mine and the trigger and hammer are the same as yours,picked mine up,box and all awhile back

 

[murphydog]

I think $400 would be at the upper range of price, but not so high that you need to worry about overspending wildly on it. I agree it looks original aside from the Hogue Monogrip.

 

[Smith357]

I would try to talk him down but still fork out the 400 bones if he did not go down if you really want the tapered barrel.

I spent a long time looking for one under $450-500. I stumbled on mine about 4 months ago and talked the seller down from $400. I paid $350 for a police trade covered in crud with a lot of holster wear, I probably would have paid the $400 if he would not have come down. There was even light pitting under the old grips that had to be pried off to find out they numbered to the gun. Though not as nice looking as yours at first, a little elbow grease and jewelers rouge and a set of diamonds she now looks as good as she shoots.

 

[MacA]

a little elbow grease and jewelers rouge and a set of diamonds she now looks as good as she shoots

Wow! If yours really looked as bad as you say, then you did a heck of a job making her look incredible. Nice job!!

I threw him an offer. Hope it "sticks"! I'll let you know.

 

[Ashlander]

In the description you quoted the Seller doesn't speak to the finish on the gun. With that in mind, I'd look under those Hogue grips. Like Smith357 above, I have seen a lot of older S&W K-Frames with pitting under the original wood grips (even the stainless steel models). While that wouldn't kill a deal for me it might be worth a few bucks in negotiations. I bought a nickle 19 a few months back with a lot of corrosion under non-original target grips. They hid the corrosion well.

 

[Smith357]

Wow! If yours really looked as bad as you say, then you did a heck of a job making her look incredible. Nice job!!

I threw him an offer. Hope it "sticks"! I'll let you know.

Hopefully he will accept your offer and will will pick up a sweet shooter at a fair price.

This is what mine old 64 looked like the day it came home with me. Even after a wipe down with an oily rag you can still see the crud around the grip, and behind the recoil shield. The grip screw was frozen and was completely buggered getting it out and the grips themselves were stuck to the gun to the point I had to take a watch case back knife to pry them off.

 

[MacA]

Hopefully he will accept your offer and will will pick up a sweet shooter at a fair price.

Thanks!

This is what mine old 64 looked like the day it came home with me...

Incredible job! How long did that take you?

The sad thing is I've already been searching for correct replacement grips. Found a nice set for about $40. now I just have to get the 64 to put them on!!

 

[Smith357]

Thanks!



Incredible job! How long did that take you?

I using jewelers rouge dissolved in gun cleaner (Ed's Red) it took about 2 weeks of an hour or three every evening while watching the news. I removed all the internals (it was nasty on the inside too) replaced the crane and side plate while leaving the cylinder out then cleaning every last bit of abrasive off before reassembly.

The sad thing is I've already been searching for correct replacement grips. Found a nice set for about $40. now I just have to get the 64 to put them on!!

Yup you got it bad.

 

[woad_yurt]

Even for $400, it's a great gun. I looked for a tapered barrel 64 for 2 years before I found one that was affordable. They're tough to find. I'd snag it for $400 if the seller stood firm. They only made them for a short time; I think they'll be one of the more costly S&Ws in the future.

 

[MacA]

Actually his first reply to my offer was he planned to stand firm at $400. I told him no thanks and wished him luck selling it. To my surprise he responded back right away with a counter-offer and we agreed on $375. Looks like I will be picking up my "new" Model 64 no dash w/ 4" tapered barrel this weekend!!

He seems like a real nice guy. He apologized for his first reply. I'm actually glad that he replied back so fast, because I was probably going to break down and agree to the $400!

I'll post pics up after I get her home AND after I change those ugly Hogue grips!!

THANKS for the great feedback! And Thanks Smith357 for the great pics. You've been an inspiration!!

 

[Engine49guy]

Mark, you did fine.
The Model 64 is a cornerstone in any M&P collection.
Non target site K frames of that era usually came with the rounded bottom non diamond "PC" (plain clothes) Magnas shown.
Target site K frames usually have flat bottom grips.

 

[MacA]

Mark, you did fine.
The Model 64 is a cornerstone in any M&P collection.
Non target site K frames of that era usually came with the rounded bottom non diamond "PC" (plain clothes) Magnas shown.
Target site K frames usually have the earlier style flat bottom grips.

Thanks! And I appreciate the info on the grips! But I'm still a little confused. I found this set that I thought might be right...

Smith-Wesson-Grips-K-Frame-Square-butt-S-W

But if I understand you right, these would fit but aren't right because they are too flat at the bottom. The correct ones are more rounded? And to confirm, the model 64 that I am looking at is a K frame with a square butt, correct?

 

[murphydog]

The early model 64s I have seen all have had the rounded bottom or PC square butt stocks, but that doesn't mean they all came that way. The factory likely used whatever they had available. The standard ones with the flat bottoms will fit fine.

 

[jimmyj]

Long Story Short: Buy It!

 

[Engine49guy]

Your gun has a square butt , round butt grips will not fit correctly.

Its a bit confusing at first , kinda Depends on how bad your OCD is but there is a kind of evolution to S&W Magna grips.

Most Magna grips including the flat bottom grips will fit your gun .
Although flat bottom grips probably did come on some taper barrel Model 64's ,
IMHO "PC" Magnas are probably "More" correct for an early taper barrel Model 64 but you will find that with anything S&W there is no absolute rule .
You just start to notice that certain style grips are more common to certain guns.
For instance Model 19's usually have Target grips even though they are "Combat" guns.

Some general things to consider when choosing K Magnas include :
Round or Square butt,
Pre or post WWII grip pattern,
Upper Shoulder taper changed in early 50's ,
PC grips (first appeared on K snubs) later more commonly found on non target site guns.
Diamond center dropped in 1968,
Inside washer colour changed sometime in late 60's from black to stainless.
80's era Magnas became wider and fatter.
Current issue Magnas are a type of laminated wood.

I have been meening to put the different styles all together in one picture so you can see them all side by side.

 

[MacA]

Excellent info! There is a decent gun show close by this weekend. I am going to look there first before ordering anything on-line. I think I will try to hold out for a nice pair of the "PC" Magnas, but hopefully it won't take too long!

THANKS again for the information!!

Your gun has a square butt , round butt grips will not fit correctly.

Its a bit confusing at first , kinda Depends on how bad your OCD is but there is a kind of evolution to S&W Magna grips.

Most Magna grips including the flat bottom grips will fit your gun .
Although flat bottom grips probably did come on some taper barrel Model 64's ,
IMHO "PC" Magnas are probably "More" correct for an early taper barrel Model 64 but you will find that with anything S&W there is no absolute rule .
You just start to notice that certain style grips are more common to certain guns.
For instance Model 19's usually have Target grips even though they are "Combat" guns.

Some general things to consider when choosing K Magnas include :
Round or Square butt,
Pre or post WWII grip pattern,
Upper Shoulder taper changed in early 50's ,
PC grips (first appeared on K snubs) later more commonly found on non target site guns.
Diamond center dropped in 1968,
Inside washer colour changed sometime in late 60's from black to stainless.
80's era Magnas became wider and fatter.
Current issue Magnas are a type of laminated wood.

I have been meening to put the different styles all together in one picture so you can see them all side by side.