NYSP 520

[Retired W4]

I saw it, held it in my hands, and even bid on it a few times, but somebody wanted it a whole lot more than I did . This was the real deal and complete. One of the 3,000. While I was outbid on the 520, I did pick up a few nice Smiths.

Post war K-22, Perfected Model single shot, and the NJSP IACP 100th year M-36-7. I really wanted that 520, but, oh well. I know the guns pictured don't fit the catagory, but the 520 is pinned and counterbored, and 1980.

 

[03clyde]

I scored a 520 last year or so. The seller wrapped it before putting it in the original box for shipment to my FFL. The stress split the end piece of the box. Gun is perfect but the box is now a little shop worn. Nice pictures!!

 

[Smith &W]

I am supposed to look at a 520 later this week. Do you recall what the winning bid was. It might help me in my negoiations. Thanks

 

[Triggerman66]

I picked up a 520 in the early 1980s before there was any real interest in that model. It came in the two piece blue box with oil paper, basic cleaning kit but nothing else. Seems like there should have been a instruction sheet and warrenty card at least.
Still haven't fired it.

 

[maglvr]

I had a couple of them NIB, couldn't bring myself to shoot them so out they went! Looked and looked for a non-mint one for 2 years, finally one turned up on auction, easily 98% with no box etc.
No turn line worthy of mention, I doubt it had seen 50 rounds.
I was mighty happy to add it to the safe for just under $500 shipped.
That was a year ago.
Took it to the range (20 ft. outside my door) and it printed silver-dollar-sized, 25 yard groups, but about 3" to the right of where I was aiming.
I took off the small, orig. grips and screwed on a pair of the ugliest plastag Fitz that had been painted black, but fit me like a glove!
Dead center, right where I was looking
It's a hunter now.

 

[Retired W4]

I am supposed to look at a 520 later this week. Do you recall what the winning bid was. It might help me in my negoiations. Thanks

I do know what the winning bid was, Smith &W. My top hammer price was $800 for this "as new, unfired, with everything" gun, but (you probably won't believe this, but it's TRUE) the winning bid was $1300+. That's $1530 OTD!!! I know that will not help with your negotiations. There are some crazy people out there. This was one of the 3000 NYSP guns that the State of New York never bought.

 

[4inch357]

I don't blame you for letting that one go!

 

[Smith &W]

Well, I did look at the 520 and it is a mint unfired gun. The seller says he thinks he might find the box but as of now he is not sure. He started out at $700. but settled for $600. and said if he finds the box he will notify me. The strange thing is that the grips are numbered about 30 numbers off the guns serial number. They are in the 558XXX correct range, but were not exact. I seem to remember reading on this forum that this was common in this run of guns. Has anyone else experienced this. Thanks for your replies. By the way Retired W4, The guns you aquired are all great finds.

 

[crsides]

I read the same thing on the grips numbers, so wouldn't worry about it.


Charlie

 

[Triggerman66]

My 520 is one of the first 100 and the grips are numbered. They are off by a few #'s also. So this appeards to be somewhat common.

 

[Art Doc]

Most are seen unfired as they were instant collector's guns. Saw my first one at a show in OH in 1995 tagged at $300. Thought about it but was really poor during the 1990s. If I had bought it there would be one less in unfired condition.

 

[talpine]

Hi,
My personal niche is filled by four hardworking 625s, dryboxes full of fullmoon clips when I shoot them. Not often I shoot my first true prize, an almost shiny barreled 4" 28. My reloading .357 is still a handloading pincer tool, so I'm too slow now to keep up with my new benchs of ACP tooling. But I am in a family that has prized N-frames
forever. I sure wish I had kept my first worn shiny 1917 Smith. I was young and real dumb. She still shot pretty sweet from her thin tapered
tube. But, if I may say, one of those in the box 520NYSPs was on an
auction site today. My, don't they look sweet. I saw one turned in in Iraq, too doggone bad, it's probably part of a fish reef now.

 

[stantheman86]

You saw a S&W 520 in Iraq?

How in the heck did it get over there?

 

[charlie sherrill]

I mentioned a while back I found one at a gunshow. No box and it was wearing a 3 1/2" mod. 27 barrel and it had been expertly converted to a round butt. Not original, but very cool. I picked up another 28-2 today that I really didn't need, but it was there. It's a 6" with a small chip on the right grip. The front sight currently has some wet Super Bright on it. When it dries I'll coat it again,

 

[Sebago Son]

520 Stock Patterns and Numbering....

I think that the earliest 520 stocks were left overs from the last of the Model 58's. The wood is generally darker and the shape of the 'horn' over the medallions is fully radiused. These stocks are almost always numbered to the frame.

Later, not quote halfway into the run, the wood seems to get alot lighter and the stocks may well be newer production. The basic scale seems to be thinner and therefore there doesn't seem to be as much wood and consequently there is a flat over the medallions. These stocks are sometimes, not always, numbered, and it's not uncommon for the numbers to be off.

At the last of the run, the stocks are of the newer type and are not numbered at all.

Boxes changed too at some point in the run.

This from my observations of many of these guns. I became interested in them from the outset of their release into commercial channels by J&G Rifle Ranch (an others I believe). I bought my first NIB 520 about 1986 or 87 if memory serves and I paid $198.50 plus shipping.

I still have it and a few others.

Drew

 

[Shooting4life]

I was not really aware how bad I wanted one of these. After reading this thread and some googling the 520 I think has moved into my most sought after s&w. The hunt is now on.

 

[talpine]

Hi stantheman86,
I've just succumbed to a 7year invitation and don't know how to use the site. then I went trolling over at coltforum and missed your post.
Figure you are looking (drooling) over some pieces seized from elite
guard officers by Tikrit and think you see a 4" 1917 in modern blue with "a mountain barrel and 27 grips. N-Frames, Pythons, I think I was
panting loudly. It was the first SWA tour, but I'd previously groomed
and interpreted for Kuwaiti NG officers in the early 1970s. They all
wanted to be Patton also. So I figure given the number of Large Dealers in upstate NY, Detroit, Miami, St. Louis, etc., being offered
1K or better each in 1970s, anything was possible in small 'sheik' bulk
few hundred extra barrels. I learned never to drool whenever some
chief pulled out his pet. So, we'll just have to conjecture when we see fine armswork somewhere. The 520 under the crane is a surprise. Thought I'd found a customized 1917/1937. harumpf.

 

[talpine]

OOPS! 'for a few hundred extra barrels of oil'.

 

[stantheman86]

Most of the "cool" handguns I saw over there were rusty 0% blue Hi-Powers and Tariq pistols that had probably been carried hard since the Iran-Iraq war That climate is not easy on guns.

Lots of Glock 19's......found a CZ-70 hidden behind some books on a shelf. I never saw any S&W's

I can get why high ranking officers would want S&W's, anything American is like gold over there, and they think we are all gunslinger cowboys from Texas

 

[talpine]

That's on the money, they've been thinking that since before 1969 anyway.