Pre-15 in So Cal... K946XX.

[gametime]

K38 Combat Masterpiece in decent shape, non-original grips (rubber) and buggered screws, otherwise finish is clean with no noticable wear or scratches. I checked under grips and it's clean, no rust.
$500 on consignment at Norwalk, Ca Turners Outdoorsman.
Not posted on their site yet, as I had it on hold but will probably be up by Friday.
Ask for Glen...

 

[gametime]

K38 Combat Masterpiece in decent shape, non-original grips (rubber) and buggered screws, otherwise finish is clean with no noticable wear or scratches. I checked under grips and it's clean, no rust.
$500 on consignment at Norwalk, Ca Turners Outdoorsman.
Not posted on their site yet, as I had it on hold but will probably be up by Friday.
Ask for Glen...

 

[Pistol Toter]

Beware of buggered screws, it is a good indication that the knuckle head who had the gun before didn't know what he was doing, used the wrong screwdrivers thus messing up the screw heads. What else did he do under that sideplate? If you get my drift. $500 sounds high. I would pass or at least be very careful of getting a high priced set of problems. Just my 2 cents.

 

[madcratebuilder]

I recently picked up a 15 no dash, box, papers, like new for $350. $500 seems high for the condition you describe. That's more than I paid for my 98% 27-2.

 

[gametime]

I agree on both counts, but in CA you don't see many of these! I was hoping the owner found the original magnas and placed it on hold as he checked his garage... no luck (but he admits they are there, somewhere!).

 

[Marshal Tom]

I would pass on that one at that price. There are better ones to be had for less money. I was really lucky and picked up a pre model 15, in excellent condition,(1950) Birthday gun a year ago for $225 OTD.

 

[CH47gunner]

gametime - thanks for the heads-up.

People, people - this is California, where everything is about double the price of other states. Where if the gun is not on the CDOJ "approved" safety list, the gun cannot be imported into California. The exception is C&R if over 50 years old. Many of the Gun Auction sites won't even deal with C&R, in California.
So we buy what's available HERE, we attempt to keep California guns in California. And it behooves Californians to sell to other Californians as price/demand for "off list" handguns is higher.
I'm very glad to hear of great deals made by other members but, price-wise, a great deal made in Timbuktu vs. a deal made in California is like comparing apples to oranges.

Bruce

 

[coffeebar]

Originally posted by gametime:
K38 Combat Masterpiece in decent shape, non-original grips (rubber) and buggered screws, otherwise finish is clean with no noticable wear or scratches. I checked under grips and it's clean, no rust.
$500 on consignment at Norwalk, Ca Turners Outdoorsman.
Not posted on their site yet, as I had it on hold but will probably be up by Friday.
Ask for Glen...

Seems to be made in 1970... (source: standard catalog of s&w,3rd edition)

 

[gametime]

K946xx... I believe it's about 1951-52?

 

[GLL]

As a California resident I would conceed the price is not too far out of line for this state IF it still had original grips and those screws were not buggered up ! I would worry about those screws !

Jerry

 

[bmcgilvray]

Forgive my ignorance but are all guns in California registered? Do they really know how many pre-safety list firearms there are in the state? What about gifts from out-of-staters? Do they search every vehicle at the border?

 

[dnater]

Any handgun transferred thru a dealer since at least the '60's, and possibly earlier, are registered in CA. In the early '90's, ALL transfers were required to go thru a dealer (no private party sales w/o registration). People bringing handguns into CA are required to register them with CA DOJ.

Searches by a person's name, or serial number are trivial. Running a name will result in a list of all handguns registered to that person. Custom searches (Say all .380 Walthers registered in a zip code) can be ordered. I think it unlikely they know how many pre-list guns are around. Despite all the registration nonsense, during my 28 years as a cop there, running the serial number on a handgun almost invariably came back as "no record". There are A LOT of unregistered handguns in CA.

"Do they search every vehicle at the border?" Not yet, but probably sooner than later. I retired and got out of there.

 

[coffeebar]

Originally posted by gametime:
K946xx... I believe it's about 1951-52?

Im not expert and maybe i'm in wrong...but i've read 1970 on the catalog...