Pawnshop Rescue S&W 19-3

[Tony2much]

Which is more gratifying, waiting for a good deal or just paying current market price and having it now? I almost always wait for a deal and somehow manage to fill my want list on my relatively meager budget.

I just picked up this nice 1970 19-3 from a local pawnshop. Gummed up with old, gooey oil and wearing rubber grips, it was marked $399. I got it for $375 OTD.

Here it is after it's bath and with replacement, period correct grips. It's action is now smooth as butter with tight lock-up and only a few surface scratches. Patience has proven to be a virtue once again.

 

[loknload]

Congratulations,,,,Looks like you got a nice looking piece at a pretty good price!
Nice,,,Very nice!

 

[BaldEagle1313]

You've done very well on that. Congratulations.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

I like a good rescue and rehabilitation story. I have found and restored one or two S&W semi-automatics, but have yet to find a revolver in a pawn shop that was in or could be brought back to good condition. Thank you for posting. Nice find.

 

[Narragansett]

Nice find!! We do not have shops like that around here. Only a couple, and they get flooded with plastic semi's. Even the LGS shop stores don't have anything in stock like that, uless they rat hole them in the back room. Congrats!

 

[robertrwalsh]

You did OK on that one. Real OK.

 

[D Brown]

Excellent price on a nice Model 19-3! Keep doing what you're doing Tony!

 

[Mrnurse]

OK Ill give ya 399.99 + 100 for the grips so... call it 500.00.... Deal right?. Well Done Sir. My Pawn shops here in CLT just sit on them... no price movement at all.

 

[shakyshoot]

Looks way better than the 19-3 I bought, which was coincidentally the exact same model and priced at $399.

 

[ken158]

Now, that is a true rescue at the right price.

 

[chuck17]

You scored big time! That is a beauty. The 19 up to dash 4, 4-inch, is my favorite S&W. You have motivated me to go check-out the local pawn shops next week.

 

[Engine49guy]

Very nice gun especially at that price here in So Flo.
Guessing it was an older pawnshop without internet

 

[KEN L]

WOW! Where in S FL? I used to live there. Makes me wanna move back!

 

[charlie sherrill]

You stole it.

 

[daddio202]

I know just how amazing of a difference a good cleaning can make in appearance but, it does not seem like much of a rescue to me. More like a really good bargain on a really nice gun to me. Enjoy that puppy

 

[BC38]

Nice. I paid more than that a year ago for a no-dash with a lot more holster wear than that one. Great snag.

 

[Bakebfr480]

Very nice!

 

[lamarw]

Thank you for doing your duty and helping preserve a good one. You cleaned it up nicely and dressed in up in spit shined shoes. (well maybe not literally)

 

[Marshal Kane]

You would have never gotten that revolver had I been in that pawn shop ahead of you! You should have put on a mask before paying for it! You got a great buy and you did a great job cleaning the revolver and installing period correct grips. Congrats and thanks for sharing.

 

[Xfuzz]

Home Run...Nice mod19.

 

[jmark1651]

The best revolver you can buy for the money. Beautiful piece.

 

[RMFnLA]

Very nice!

I have found some real deals in pawnshops over the years but they seem to be getting more and more rare.

 

[charlie sherrill]

The deals are out there. I usually find them when I'm not looking for them or I'm looking for something else. Since this thread started I found a "S" serial numbered 28-2 about 98% for $550.00 OTD at a pawn shop and a 3 1/2" nickel pre 27 for $500 at a gun show. I bought that one from an older lady who said it was originally purchased by her grandfather in 1953. Serial number indicates such. I watched a dealer offer her $300 which thankfully she turned down. I asked the dealer if he was through with the deal and when he said he was I offered her $500 and she took it. After some shooting and a clean up it looks to be 95%+. It was wearing cheap franzites. I pimped it up a little with some stags and a Tyler-T until I can find some correct grips. Now I won't feel ashamed at the next BBQ. I've got to quit finding stuff, getting too expensive.

 

[Laketime]

Nice find.What was done to the hammer and trigger?

 

[bananaman]

Which is more gratifying, waiting for a good deal or just paying current market price and having it now? I almost always wait for a deal and somehow manage to fill my want list on my relatively meager budget.

I just picked up this nice 1970 19-3 from a local pawnshop. Gummed up with old, gooey oil and wearing rubber grips, it was marked $399. I got it for $375 OTD.

Here it is after it's bath and with replacement, period correct grips. It's action is now smooth as butter with tight lock-up and only a few surface scratches. Patience has proven to be a virtue once again.

Congratulations on a "BEAUTY" at a great price! Bob

 

[gman51]

At pawn shops around here that gun would be listed for at least $800. How much they would actually sell it for I don't know. I see many beaters with price tags around $600 and they seem to sell them. I often wonder how much they sold for. Myself I would not have given them more than $300 for the beaters.

Looks like you actually came out from a pawn shop with you smelling like flowers.

 

[rwsmith]

Excellent.

Simply excellent.

 

[steelslaver]

I agree that it was a steal. Around here it would be a $7-800. There was a 19-3 in a pawn shop near here that had scope mounts on it, no rear sight. $750. They have 30% off sales at times, but even then I didn't take it.

There is a 3" 624 in another shop, missing the thumb piece. Marked $1100, Asked for best deal and they said $900. Most of the time revolvers are high around here and not to many of them.

 

[Miles42]

had one sold it. regret doing so was the first HG I bought on my own

 

[blasterp7]

Very nice find!