How many of you collect guns from 1980 to the Present

[LOBO]

The Classic Hunter model 29's with unfluted cylinder & full underlugg barrel are the only ones that I am trying to collect/obtain a full set of. Everything else is "dealers choice",

29-4 3" 1 of 2,532 circa 1989
29-4 5" 1 of 500 made for Hill Country Dist. circa 1989

29-4 8 3/8" 1 of 2,500 circa 1989
29-5 6" Limited production circa 1991

 

[gaf]

I have a collection of the revolvers I envied in the 80-90's when I was a young police armorer. I had a young family and couldn't afford a lot of the weapons I worked on then. I have accumulated them after the kids have left.
GAF

 

[holo]

everytime i check this topic i want another gun thats posted. you guys give a new collector something to shoot for. thanks and keep the pics coming.

 

[Grayfox]

I don't really focus on anything in particular. I just buy what I like. I'd say about half of my accumulation falls between 1980 and the mid-90s. I believe the newest was made in 1996.
There have been some really great guns made after 1980. Many were in limited quanities which makes them somewhat collectable.
Just off the top of my head I can think of the 25-7, 24-3s, 16-4s and the full lug versions of the Models 14 and 17. All of which are highly desirable. I'm sure there are plenty more.
The only ones I ever actually set out to find were the full lug versions of the K- masterpiece series. I just recently found the final member of that small group.

17-6, 16-4 and 14-5.

 

[Nygma]

What have I missed?

here's a few unusual ones:

646

631

617, no lug

 

[manomet]

I just bought a very nice 4" 681. No one seems to talk about them, a search here turns up nothing.Is this the black sheep, am I missing something? I buy newer smiths to shoot and enjoy, can't afford to collect safe queens at this point, although I would certainly like to. There are some beautiful revolvers shown above,

 

[Nightowl]

I have a weak spot for 27's, and that has translated to the 627 family of Smiths. There are a lot of variations. Oddly, my first one was a lock gun. It is my only 627 I have with a lock. I'm still looking for a 5" fluted cylinder, 6 shot that was made in the early '90's. (that I can afford)

 

[1943]

N frame transitional

N frames in the high N800000 S/N with counterbored cyls and no pins.
Here is a recent addition to the accumulation. This is a 57- without a pin. Probably sometime in 1981

I cannot find out how many of these was made-maybe someone can help with that information.

Terry

 

[fyimo]

I own about 30 S&W revolvers and all but two were made before 1982. I have a 686 no dash and a 586 no dash both of which don't have pinned barrels. The rest all have pinned barrels and the magnums and 22's have recessed cylinders. That's just what I collect and shoot.

I don't think that this makes them better shooters then the post 1980 guns but I do think they were made during a period when S&W did a better job manufacturing them.

Some of the newer magnum models like the model 29 are actually stronger guns then the early guns in the same model.

 

[fyimo]

N frames in the high N800000 S/N with counterbored cyls and no pins.
Here is a recent addition to the accumulation. This is a 57- without a pin. Probably sometime in 1981

I cannot find out how many of these was made-maybe someone can help with that information.

Terry

I'm not sure anyone would know because that's a transition gun when S&W was using up their old parts for the different models and some models ran out of the old parts at different rates. I've seen them the opposite way with a pinned barrel and not having recessed chambers on some magnum revolvers during the transition.

 

[Wee Hooker]

I bought my first S&W revolver some 20 years ago after a disappointing run of "off brand" guns. It was a mod 14 LNIB. Still have it. From there I was smitten and gradually set off to collect with the goal of getting one of every 45acp, 38, 357 and rimfire revolver, in every barrel length made since WWII. I got up to over 100 at one point (with lots of duplicates from dash#'s, barrel lengths, etc) . I had to back off and even sold some in recent years for personal reasons. Pruned the collection down to a few dozen 'gotta haves" these days but always have an open eye for more !

 

[1943]

Pinned barrel

Art- I also have many Pinned barrel guns, and like you I have a deep appreciation for them, However over the years I have passed on some fine revolvers that were not pinned. Maybe because I'm getting older, but more and more some newer model are starting to catch my attention.
I do however draw the line with locks and scandium.
A pic of what really turns my head. It is still the older ones

Terry

 

[RightWinger]

Wow, what a great bunch of pictures! After reading these posts and seeing all of these pictures I feel really out of place, I guess mainly because I'm the farthest thing from a collector. I do have a criteria I go by when shopping for a smith, and here it is. I typically only buy Stainless guns, aluminum, or scandium guns, w/o the lock. I prefer pre MIM guns as well, but obviously thats not possible on some of the scandium J frames. I say I'm not a collector because I only buy guns for either carrying or hunting or plinking. I have nothing against collectors and if I was single and didn't have a wife and plan on (hopefully in the near future) having a child I would collect different guns just because I think they are sexy. The majority of the guns I have are work guns and I carry them extensively. I have 3 342's, one of them has the lock but this is only because I was able to buy it NIB for $125.00. Here is what I got....no ryhme or reason, just a good bunch of shooters: The few guns I do have I love very much, but plan on shooting them till they fall apart, and then will have them fixed and pass them on to my child one day so he/she can start the process all over again! One of these guns is already credited in keeping me from getting car jacked, that to me has more value than anything else...ha.

625-2 5 inch 1988 .45 ACP
629-1 6 inch .44 MAG
686-4 2.5 inch .357 MAG
686P-4 2.5 Inch .357
617-1 8 3/8 .22
342-0 Ti .38 Spl
342-0 PD .38 Spl
342-1 Ti .38 Spl

 

[Nanook 450]

Even though Art (V35) says the cheapest S&W is the one you paid the most for, I'm just not in the $3,000 - $7,000 league so I do collect and shoot the newer models. I like the 19/66 and 29/629s and made the mistake of buying some with locks - the last picture is of a 629 with the lock removed and filled in - I hate it that much. The rest have the flag stud filed off and will be beat up (used a lot) over time. Right now my beaters are a 329pd, 325pd, 360pd & 386pd - they are light and decent shooters.