Letters for two 57s...

[SuperMan]

Figured that since I had two engraved 57s I better get letters for them before Mr. Jinks retires....

First came back to a Model 57 blue Class A engraved. Shipped to California Gun Specialists. Lindsey, Ca. on August 23rd, 1979. Serial number is N606929. It is still unfired and the presentation case is still wrapped from the factory.



The second to come along was the same gun in nickel. It shows to be shipped on August 13th, 1980 to Pacific International Merchandising, Sacramento, Ca. Serial number is N728834. It came complete with the still wrapped pc, box and shipping carton.




The engraving on both guns are close but not matching. Interesting in that the guns were shipped almost exactly a year apart and both went to California. One difference between the two is that S&W changed the machining of the front sight in early 1980 from a slotted base with separate blade to one fully machined unit. While this saved money I wonder if anyone at S&W understood that guns get dropped and any front sight damage would call either for the replacement of the barrel or milling a slot in the sight base... The blue gun is of the earlier type and the nickel of the one piece design.






Bob

 

[rags]

Great pair and great story. Thanks for posting!

 

[KLYDE]

Boy, you have some nice pieces. Thanks for showing.

 

[CWH44300]

What a stunning pair,
Again, I'm needing more than a like button.

 

[teesur]

Beautiful guns, great photography.
Thanks for posting,
teesur.

 

[bdsorcic]

Oh Man, I never knew such bliss existed... Them are some beautiful Revolvers. Thanks for sharing.

 

[SuperMan]

Great pair and great story. Thanks for posting!

...story...you want a "story"...the blue one... Was on GunBroker...I won the bid and am not sure if anyone even bid against me.... The Seller has a very low FeedBack count...like 3... Wants $25.00 for postage and insurance on a $1600 gun....and he is not a dealer.

So my dealer sends him a ffl. There is some delay in shipping and finally the guy says it is coming UPS.."ground". Excuse me, non-dealer shipping gun UPS Ground?

Guy is not real forth coming with answers and finally we get a tracking number out of him. Shows that the gun was delivered to my dealer the day before...left on step... Only one package was on the front step and it was a credit card machine. Turns out the jerk figuring out it was going to cost him $85.00 to ship the gun wrapped it up and took it to a friend who had a business where UPS made pickups and sent it without telling them what was really in the package..."sporting goods".

UPS is contacted and they are HOT. Driver is contacted and he says he left two boxes on the step.... The dealer is out in the country with no neighbors in sight...so where is the gun!!! It has been raining...he takes his dog out for a walk and the dog finds the box in the woods not far from the house.

...and what kind of box you ask? The dingdong had used the empty case from Girl Scout Cookies. The Rotti next door who wanders the neighborhood must have just walked by after UPS left the box and headed home with it. He stopped to eat his stolen loot and found he had been ripped off. One more day out in the rain and the case would have soaked through and the gun ruined.

DingDong was confronted and he had the audacity to say my dealer tried to steal the gun by faking a theft.

The nickel gun was also bought off GB but went much more smoothly...

Bob

 

[MAG-NUM]

Great pair of guns and an incredible story. Thanks for the YIKES!!!