My Quest is over

[Hair Trigger]

Found the Holy Grail today, at least my personal one. The traveling gun show is in town, and I went just to look around (I still took some money). I always go to one table first, the guy always has some nice S&W's, and man was he loaded (pun intended). I almost bought a beautiful M19-3 snubbie, gun was perfect, not even a turn line, but no box, etc. Price was a bit more than I thought it should be, so I held off. He also had plenty of other stuff I wouldn't have minded owning, but I decided to look around the whole show.

After wading through the usual arsenal of AR's and AK's and 100 year old shotguns, I came to a table with only one handgun, inside a glass case with a bunch of knives. I asked if I could look at it, the guy asked if I had my credentials, because he wasn't going to take it out unless I was serious. I told him, "That's a 1980 S&W M520, only made 3000 and only one year manufacture." He laughed and said, "Yep, you're serious all right" and took it out for me to look at. Not a mark on it, no turn line, and the kicker is he has a S&W letter for it, written and mailed in 1980, to the original owner, also has the box and accessories and papers. He claims it is unfired, and a very careful inspection tends to verify that claim. He is the second owner and bought it about 4 years after the original owner and has held onto it all these years. The other kicker is that he only lives about 5 miles from me. Imagine, my Holy Grail being that close and I never knew it.

I don't have it just yet, I didn't bring enough cash and he wouldn't take the balance in a check. Can't say as I blame him, though. We traded phone numbers and he put it back in his packing crate instead of the display case. We finish the deal on Monday. I trust he will honor the deal, he's a retired firefighter/paramedic, and we kind of clicked while talking. I offered him a sizeable down payment, but he said it was mine, and we talked S&W for a few more minutes before I left. I'll do a complete photo-op on it once I get it.

 

[NCBeagle]

That great. Look forward to the pictures


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[scott1970]

The 520 is my absolute favorite handgun chambered in .357 Magnum. I had more difficulty tracking down a used shooter than I did the NIB example I have.

 

[raygixxer89]

That's a cool story OP. I'm glad you found your gun. I've never heard of this model. Is it a N frame, like a model 28 but with fixed sights? I like it.

 

[huthike]

Nice spotting - those are hard to find. Looking forward to pictures!

 

[Hair Trigger]

That's a cool story OP. I'm glad you found your gun. I've never heard of this model. Is it a N frame, like a model 28 but with fixed sights? I like it.

Basically, yes. Special order of 3000 for NYSP in 1980. They cancelled the order after the guns were built, S&W sold them on open market. They only come with 4" barrel. Only N frame .357M with fixed sights.

 

[Hair Trigger]

Question for the experts here: SCSW says the M520 comes from factory with PC magnas. Any chance there were some with the standard magna stocks?

When I read the included letter, I didn't look at the configuration, only confirmed the letter has the same SN as the gun I'm buying, it does. However, in retrospect, the gun I am buying has standard magna stocks. I didn't think about it at the time, there were several customers at the guy's table and he was back and forth talking to me and other people at the table. I was the only one interested in the revolver, everybody else was a knife nut, that's what he had at the table.

The stocks on the gun are immaculate, though, maybe that's why I didn't pick up on them not being PC's. Rest of the gun is also immaculate, but I didn't remove the stocks and I don't figure he would have let me there, but I'll insist on it tomorrow. I'm not expecting to see them numbered, even if they were the correct ones. It won't be a deal breaker, but maybe a bargaining chip.

 

[Jeppo]

I knew I should have gone to that show!!!!

 

[Hair Trigger]

I knew I should have gone to that show!!!!

The guy I always visit first that has such an offering of nice S&W revolvers owns The Aisle Pawn Shop in Mooresville. He wasn't the one with the M520, but he had some really nice stuff there Saturday. I've bought four of my guns from him over the last few years. The store is on Main Street downtown, if you have a chance to get there.

 

[Truckman]

I've had two NIB and got slick-talked out of both of them...I'm always on the hunt for another......Ben

 

[bigmoose]

I much prefer Magnas over PCs. Congrats on finding such a nice gun.

 

[Hair Trigger]

I much prefer Magnas over PCs. Congrats on finding such a nice gun.

I like either one, I have revolvers with each. I'd like to have the PC's with this one mainly because the gun is supposed to be ANIB, but if the stocks aren't originals, then it isn't and shouldn't be offered as such. I could do the "buy now" option on the one on GB, it's the same price, but I definitely don't buy a firearm I can't inspect and hold before I buy it.

 

[handejector]

Question for the experts here: SCSW says the M520 comes from factory with PC magnas. Any chance there were some with the standard magna stocks?

None that I have seen, and I have handled a bunch. All I have seen that were unmolested had PCs. The PCs are numbered. However, I have never seen but one that had a matching number. All the grip numbers fall within the serial number range for the 520s, but usually don't match the gun. The story is S&W was so perturbed at the cancelled order after building a special gun that they told the stockers to just throw the PC grips made for the guns on the guns so they could blow them out to one distributor at a big discount. They were everywhere back in the 80s and someone was always trying to trade one off.

 

[mchom]

Congratulations OP.
My 520 stocks dont number either. FWIW I wouldn't let the magnas slow me down if the gun is LNIB

 

[demkofour]

My 520 also came ANIB with PC Magnas that were numbered, but do not match the gun's serial number, which as handejector noted is the norm, not the exception…

 

[Hair Trigger]

Thanks for those replies regarding the stocks, which confirms what I've learned from reading what is mentioned in SCSW and from other threads here on the M520. Regardless of the type stocks, I plan to complete the deal, but I will be asking questions of the seller to see if he, or the original owner, swapped them out, and I'll also re-read the letter from S&W to see if it mentions the original configuration. This letter is dated in 1980, which I believe is prior to the Historical Foundation taking over the authentication process. The format is very similar to what SWHF does today, but is not on the SWHF letterhead. I'm supposed to meet up with the seller later today to complete the deal and transfer. This will go as a private sale, and both of us are NC residents and CC permit holders; in NC that's all that is needed for a private sale, the CC permit acts as both a permit to purchase and as the background check.

I'll post up some pictures as soon as I get the fingerprints and drool cleaned off , and a nice coat of RenWax applied. I'm as excited as a 5-year old with a new Radio Flyer wagon.

 

[Hair Trigger]

OK, here goes, the next couple of posts will be picture heavy but I don't know how to load them as full page pictures and I don't use a hosting site for photos.

I met up with the seller this afternoon, and it was like seeing someone you'd been a high school buddy with and hadn't seen in years. We hit it off immediately, I took a couple of my nicest guns, he had out a bunch of his; seems he has about every stainless J and K frame you can think of, even had a stainless S&W pump shotgun. He also has a NCHP M29-2 commemorative like I have, sort of unusual since there are so few of them (1080), and he also had a nickel M58 that NCHP had issued for a few years, with the NCHP logo where the S&W stamp would normally be. He's retired from being a firefighter and paramedic, but has also been a reserve LEO. We knew a lot of the same people, and we had a grand time out in the beautiful day, under his carport while we looked at guns.

I re-read the letter, it makes no mention of what stocks the revolver originally had, but does describe everything else particular to the model, like a SWHF letter does. I asked him about the stocks not being the ones it came with; he had to think about it, and decided he must have switched them several years ago when he had removed stocks from several models to store the guns in a safe deposit box. He feels he must have switched them with another gun, and apologized that they weren't original, and he didn't know where the originals would be, since he's sold several of his collection over the years. He told me he would find a set of PC magnas for me and exchange them for what are on the gun. I can't ask for more than that, even though they won't be numbered in the SN range, most likely. The set of magnas I have are numbered to some gun, if anyone recognizes what model they would likely have come from and the year, let me know.

The gun itself was only smudged up from handling, it was clean as a whistle and only needed wiping with a microfiber cloth to look untouched. I put a good coat of Renaissance Wax on it and it looks awesome. The finish is slightly shinier than what is on a M28, but not as fine a polish as a M27, The polish is even on all parts of the frame, unlike the matte areas on a M28, and it has smooth front and back straps like a M58.

Now for pictures. 1st is the letter, then the original box ends. Last is the inside of the magna stocks.

 

[Hair Trigger]

Now, the revolver itself. Left and right profiles, a look down the top and one with the cylinder open from behind:

 

[Hair Trigger]

Lastly some shots from different angles. The recoil shield is unmarked, and the cylinder front has no burn rings that are visible

 

[raljr1]

Very nice.

 

[scott1970]

Now, the revolver itself. Left and right profiles, a look down the top and one with the cylinder open from behind:

Congratulations. You definitely got a nice one.

 

[Retired W4]

I wish I had not sold mine. There's a guy up in Jefferson who has one that might be for sale some day.

 

[chief38]

I just recently bought a 2 1/2" Snubby 19-4 that was unfired by the owner (a friend). Yes, it was factory tested fired (every other cylinder charge hole) but not any more than that. Well, I've remedied that - I now shoot it on a regular basis. So far I've got about 300 rounds of 38 special and I have shot only 3 rounds of 158 grain .357 magnums through it. Shoots great!

This model was one I always wanted and never bought as I already owned a similar 3" M65. It was made in 1977 I believe. When my friend brought this over to my house for me to look at, he asked me if I was interested in buying it - I did not hesitate!

Use yours well!!

 

[Hair Trigger]

Thanks to Masterbuck54 I now have a model and period correct set of PC magna stocks for my M520. These are new old stock and un-numbered, but that's okay. Both they and the gun are unused, so the condition matches. Here's a picture of the M520 alongside the other revolver I own with PC magna stocks. The PC's on the M58 are numbered to the gun.

 

[smithra_66]

Awesome and congrats. This is why you have to hit the shows. The guns are out there, and you never, never know when they will pop up. Ya gotta be ready with cash in hand (or have a nice guy that let's you pay later like this one )

 

[tajada]

I own a few grail in my collection, some correspond with my dob, some are just so flawless I can't shoot them and some are just too rare. Nice to know you found yours.

 

[Gunhohulk]

Anyone with a 520 that has matching grips have input on how they are numbered? Mine has a a set that the last 3 of the S/N are written in black marker above the washer on the right panel. Seems like the clear coat is partially applied over the marker but can't say for sure. I'm not the original owner so I can't say it wasn't just written there by a previous owner but there is no other numbering on either panel.

 

[scott1970]

Anyone with a 520 that has matching grips have input on how they are numbered? Mine has a a set that the last 3 of the S/N are written in black marker above the washer on the right panel. Seems like the clear coat is partially applied over the marker but can't say for sure. I'm not the original owner so I can't say it wasn't just written there by a previous owner but there is no other numbering on either panel.

I'll take the grips off my boxed 520 later today and see what's under there.

 

[mchom]

520 Stocks marked

The right panel on mine has the number stamped. And they do not match the revolver. LNIB

 

[smithman 10]

My almost 520

I once had the chance to buy a 520 for about $300 at a gun show must be 20 years ago. Not mint, no box, grips? - can't remember what it was wearing.

I passed. In fact I had forgotten it was an N-frame until reading this post, which is likely why I didn't buy it.

In hindsight, not being a collector, I'm glad I didn't buy it. Too heavy to carry, not compatible with K or L frame accoutrements.

But it is an interesting item, no question and quite rare of course. One has to wonder what the NYSP planned to with such a monster.

Not surprised they canceled the order when they came to their senses.