Hi, my name is Shotguncoach, and I'm a Pre-24 o'holic. They just keep following my home. Really....I don't know how it happens.
This one arrived today, and as usual my FFL tried to talk me out of it. He told me on the phone that it was a rusty, hacked up piece of junk and that he would help me out and take it off my hands for $100.
I'm thinking that it's been reblued with a very light touch. There's just a bit of softening around the stampings and the screw holes. All of the lettering is still clear though.
It's wearing a set of antler stocks with S&W logo emblems. There is no makers mark that I recognize, just the number '18' on both sides and what could be "H-S-N" or "U-S-N" on the left panel. I'm hoping that someone can ID the manufacturer of the stocks. They fit well and feel great in the hand.
The mystery is the barrel: there is no serial number. It has the letter "S" stamped in the ejector rod housing where it would normally appear, but there is no serial number following it. There is another, larger "S" and a diamond stamped closer to the frame in the ejector rod housing. A factory replacement barrel maybe? Has anyone seen this before? There is no factory re-work date stamp that I can find.
Overall the gun is in excellent shape. The bluing is so reflective that it was difficult to get pictures without having my reflection show in the sideplate. I haven't opened the action up yet but I know what I will find: someone has already been in there and done a nice job. I can see a Wolff hammer spring with the stocks off, and the trigger pull is 2 lbs single action and 8 lbs double action. And it's smoooooth.
I'll have a range report up tomorrow. For now, here are some early pictures. If anyone can help on the stocks or the non-serialized barrel I'd appreciate it.
Edit to add: Yes, this is number 6. I told you I had a problem.
The serial numbers are: S98758, S100023, S118071, S118227, S118277, and this one S145188.
Here's the rest of the pack:
This one arrived today, and as usual my FFL tried to talk me out of it. He told me on the phone that it was a rusty, hacked up piece of junk and that he would help me out and take it off my hands for $100.
I'm thinking that it's been reblued with a very light touch. There's just a bit of softening around the stampings and the screw holes. All of the lettering is still clear though.
It's wearing a set of antler stocks with S&W logo emblems. There is no makers mark that I recognize, just the number '18' on both sides and what could be "H-S-N" or "U-S-N" on the left panel. I'm hoping that someone can ID the manufacturer of the stocks. They fit well and feel great in the hand.
The mystery is the barrel: there is no serial number. It has the letter "S" stamped in the ejector rod housing where it would normally appear, but there is no serial number following it. There is another, larger "S" and a diamond stamped closer to the frame in the ejector rod housing. A factory replacement barrel maybe? Has anyone seen this before? There is no factory re-work date stamp that I can find.
Overall the gun is in excellent shape. The bluing is so reflective that it was difficult to get pictures without having my reflection show in the sideplate. I haven't opened the action up yet but I know what I will find: someone has already been in there and done a nice job. I can see a Wolff hammer spring with the stocks off, and the trigger pull is 2 lbs single action and 8 lbs double action. And it's smoooooth.
I'll have a range report up tomorrow. For now, here are some early pictures. If anyone can help on the stocks or the non-serialized barrel I'd appreciate it.
Edit to add: Yes, this is number 6. I told you I had a problem.
The serial numbers are: S98758, S100023, S118071, S118227, S118277, and this one S145188.
Here's the rest of the pack:
Last edited:
...Ben
