Ok, I find myself in a quandary. I recently purchased a georgia state police commemorative, ANIB. I have never believed in safe-queens and I want to shoot this. But I also recognize that these aren't the most common items, especially in this condition. So, should I proceed with a range trip, or trade it to someone who has a shooter, but now wants a collectible? (If such a person exists)
Model 26 GSP commemorative
- Thread starter chasr
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Was that the one on Gunbroker last week? I looked at it too. If it was me I would not shoot it. I have a 25-7 to shoot, though, if I want to shoot .45 Colt. Just me, of course, its your gun and you can do whatever you want. I don't know if you can hurt the value much.
Thank you for the response. Yes, that was the one. it arrived today and is in near mint condition; only issue is the faintest trace of a cylinder turn-line. As is said, i've never had much use for safe queens, but this one is so nice it's giving me pause about shooting it.
Pizza Bob
Member
In that condition, it would give me pause too. The 26-1 is one of only two commemoratives that I can think of that have unique model numbers (if there are others please jump in and enlighten me). Other commemoratives are simply versions of an existing model - maybe with an engineering change number, but still an existing model, i.e. The Model 25-3.
There are no "plain" model 26's, the only way you get a gun marked Model 26 is with the commemorative markings.
The other that I can think of, is even more unique and that is the model 544. You can buy other N-frames in .45 Colt (other than the 26), but there are no other N-frames chambered in .44-40.
Any other unique model number commemoratives?
Adios,
Pizza Bob
ETA: My bad. There was, of course, a model 26 that was not a commemorative. It was the model of 1950 in .45 ACP with the lightweight profile barrel. So the 544 stands alone as the only unique model number commemorative?
There are no "plain" model 26's, the only way you get a gun marked Model 26 is with the commemorative markings.
The other that I can think of, is even more unique and that is the model 544. You can buy other N-frames in .45 Colt (other than the 26), but there are no other N-frames chambered in .44-40.
Any other unique model number commemoratives?
Adios,
Pizza Bob
ETA: My bad. There was, of course, a model 26 that was not a commemorative. It was the model of 1950 in .45 ACP with the lightweight profile barrel. So the 544 stands alone as the only unique model number commemorative?
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Actually, the non-marked guns are tend to run about twice the price of the comemmorative ones.
Cpo1944
Member
Chasr, I`m very pleased you like your Model 26-1. I would shoot it, make an event out of it. Have a shooting the GSP party .If you don't someone else will, why not you?
akjaeger
Member
I have two GSP 26-1's and they are both great shooters.
S&W did a great job on the mechanics of these commemoratives. Tight cylinder throats and just the right relationship to the forcing cone to shoot .451-.452 cast bullets.
One of mine had been stolen and badly molested cosmetically, but still very accurate. I sent it off to Andy Horvath to have a S&W 28-2 side plate installed and had it refinished with a bead blast and matte blue. It makes a great "packin' pistol", basically a 5" Mountain Gun.
Not shooting your 26-1 would be akin to marrying the best looking gal in town and then saving her for the next guy.
S&W did a great job on the mechanics of these commemoratives. Tight cylinder throats and just the right relationship to the forcing cone to shoot .451-.452 cast bullets.
One of mine had been stolen and badly molested cosmetically, but still very accurate. I sent it off to Andy Horvath to have a S&W 28-2 side plate installed and had it refinished with a bead blast and matte blue. It makes a great "packin' pistol", basically a 5" Mountain Gun.
Not shooting your 26-1 would be akin to marrying the best looking gal in town and then saving her for the next guy.
I would keep it unfired, but I have several other 45 long colt N-frames that I do shoot.
There were two version of the 544. Both commemorating the Texas Sesquicentennial.
A rather plain standard edition 544
And what is probably the best presentation of a commemerative that I have seen from S&W, the Deluxe edition 544
Allen-frame
Member
The conundrum of to shoot or not to shoot. That is the question.
Thank your stars it is not one of the 40 overrun guns.
Owning a couple of the 26-1s and a Clements custom which
emulates the 26-1 in every way, I chose to shoot the Clements.
That's what it was made for.
If I were to shoot a 26-1 I would put a box of 250 gr. lead
handloads through it and give it a good cleaning.
But one must look at owning such a scarce and valuable collectible.
Will it increase in value if left unfired?
Almost all N frames we have observed through the years
have appreciated in value depending upon condition.
And unfired is unfired, or, as close to that as one can get.
Good luck,
Allen Frame
Thank your stars it is not one of the 40 overrun guns.
Owning a couple of the 26-1s and a Clements custom which
emulates the 26-1 in every way, I chose to shoot the Clements.
That's what it was made for.
If I were to shoot a 26-1 I would put a box of 250 gr. lead
handloads through it and give it a good cleaning.
But one must look at owning such a scarce and valuable collectible.
Will it increase in value if left unfired?
Almost all N frames we have observed through the years
have appreciated in value depending upon condition.
And unfired is unfired, or, as close to that as one can get.
Good luck,
Allen Frame
Cpo1944
Member
Really, if someone were to do a careful study to figure out just how much a rare gun like the 26-1 would depreciate if fired, I for one would be very happy. So I challenge a good Math Man , how much will it cost to shoot a virgin m 26-1? When I shot my unfired Colt SAA NRA commemorative I figured roughly in my head it cost a couple of hundred bucks, but that was too far from scientific, so what does it really cost?
Come -on- guys lets hear from you.
Jack
Come -on- guys lets hear from you.
Jack
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akjaeger
Member
What I like about the 26-1 is the tapered 5" barrel, that's what makes it the "perfect compromise" in my opinion.
The 5" barrel gives a little longer sight radius than the 4", but is much easier to pack than the 6-6.5". A holstered 5" lets me sit without pushing up my belt. The tapered barrel saves some weight and has great balance.
Shooting the GSP 26-1 at a range and then putting it back in the case won't be much different from shooting any other S&W.
I really hope I get the opportunity to wear all the blue off of these, a 26-1 and a 27-2 converted to 44 Special.
This shiny 26-1 should wait in the wings until the other one wears out.
The 5" barrel gives a little longer sight radius than the 4", but is much easier to pack than the 6-6.5". A holstered 5" lets me sit without pushing up my belt. The tapered barrel saves some weight and has great balance.
Shooting the GSP 26-1 at a range and then putting it back in the case won't be much different from shooting any other S&W.
I really hope I get the opportunity to wear all the blue off of these, a 26-1 and a 27-2 converted to 44 Special.
This shiny 26-1 should wait in the wings until the other one wears out.
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Pizza Bob
Member
I was aware of that - but the point is there were never any plain 544's. Also, are not both commemoratives just 544's - the fancier one is not a 544-1?
Makes the 544 rather unique in its own right.
Adios,
Pizza Bob
