Help with collecting K Frame .38 SPL & .357s

[Texas Star]

What are Uruguayan gun laws like? Is there a limit of guns you can have, or do you need a special collectors license to own many, as in Brazil?


Can you get many brands and types of .38 Special and .357 Magnum ammunition? Is it legal to carry a handgun, for defense or for a sidearm while hunting or fishing?


If I needed a basic set of guns for concealed carry or for general use, I'd start with a M-60 snub and a four-inch barreled M-66.


I'd want a typical M&P from the 1930's because the M&P or later Model 10 is the most typical Smith & Wesson. You could shoot it, but it's basically for collector and nostalgic value.


BTW, your English is excellent.


Are there quite a lot of S&W revolvers available down there? I'm thinking that some, like a Model 60-4, would be very hard to find. But you may find some that US collectors won't, for the most part, like models made for sale in Brazil, to comply with their laws, which limit civilians without a special collectors license to .38 Special power.

 

[D Brown]

Diego,

I especially liked the suggestion in post #10. Keep your eyes open for good deals, take your time.

Best of luck.

 

[automan71]

I agree with D Brown. That's the way I've approached it and I've started with the K frames as well. Always enjoy going to a show looking for a sleeper. Lol

A Few of my K frames...

 

[Black Knight]

Most of the S&W handguns in my "collection" are guns that I have carried on duty as a private armed security officer. In the K- frame line I have a 4" model 10-8 (uniformed armed security), 2 1/2" 66-2 (Private Investigator/Security Supervisor; my wife uses this for her home gun now). I also have a 3" 65-3 (after my wife chose my 66-2 for hers). In the L-frame line there is only my 4" 686-1 (many night patrols where it kept me and others safe and well defended). In the N-frame there is only a 4" 28-2 (my first S&W and did the same job equally well as my 686-1). In 15 years in private security as an armed officer, Private Investigator, and Security Firearms Instructor I had the opportunity to carry many different handguns on the job but these are the S&W revolvers in the .38 Special/357 Magnum class. The 65 is the only one that did not see actual duty use as I had become a police officer by then. It does see use though as an off duty carry weapon from time to time. Your choice of starting with the K-frame .38 Special/357 Magnum line up it a very sensible choice. I imagine there have been more of them made and sold than any other group of S&W revolvers. Don't be so focused on the acquisition that you don't see the other good sights along the way and there will be many.

 

[at_liberty]

Many guns were intended for open carry with their size and square butt grip frames. If wanting to carry some of these guns on occasion, look for the round butt models.

Older guns and new can be tight for shooting lead and would need gunsmithing.

I like nickel plating, and Mahovskey's Metalife can make a deal on a beater look like new.

I am not too concerned about original grips and box/case, because they are just going to be stored away in any event and can run up the price, presuming to be a collector gun.

 

[Glashaus]

Collect what you like and what interests you, don't get too caught up in trying to find all of this model in a certain caliber or what not. Life is too short to be too anal about collecting anything. Unless you just want a bunch of safe queens, remember to take items in your collection out to shoot now and then, that is what they were made for. Before you know it you will have a varied collection that you can be very happy with, only problem with collecting Smith & Wesson's is there is such a larger variety, there is always something interesting!