Hi guys. Just joined the forum, made my introductions and thought and thought I'd lead off with this as my first substantive post.
I've only taken up a handgun license in the last couple of years and am busy trying to tick off all my childhood dreams while I have the chance. Most recently I spotted an interesting lot at a local antique arms auction, did a bit of homework and decided it was worth a bid or two. Ended up with the revolver you see pictured below.
It is a 4" N frame .357, serial number 608xx. If I've read my "Standard Catalog" correctly that means you'd call it a Pre-war non-registered magnum, probably built around 1940. It shows a lot of fine handling marks that suggest a lot of reasonably careful use. It was originally wearing a trigger shoe and a set of really nice early combat grips with almost no handling marks or finish wear. The right hand panel has serial number 382xx. Considering the mismatched number on the grips and their much better finish than the revolver I thought I'd put them somewhere safe and replaced them with the stags. Leaving the grips aside serial numbers match in all other places I know to look (lug recess under the barrel, cylinder face, under the ejector star, bottom of grip frame).
This is definitely a revolver I will want to letter, just need to figure out how to do that. I'm open to comments or advice on the possible history of the gun. Am I right to think the 4" barrel length would have been a special order at this time? I'm also wondering, based on my reading, whether this might have been part of an order for the Kansas City police.
In any case, its amazing what will turn up in a local arms auction in Australia. You can bet that I'm happy I stopped for a look.
I've only taken up a handgun license in the last couple of years and am busy trying to tick off all my childhood dreams while I have the chance. Most recently I spotted an interesting lot at a local antique arms auction, did a bit of homework and decided it was worth a bid or two. Ended up with the revolver you see pictured below.
It is a 4" N frame .357, serial number 608xx. If I've read my "Standard Catalog" correctly that means you'd call it a Pre-war non-registered magnum, probably built around 1940. It shows a lot of fine handling marks that suggest a lot of reasonably careful use. It was originally wearing a trigger shoe and a set of really nice early combat grips with almost no handling marks or finish wear. The right hand panel has serial number 382xx. Considering the mismatched number on the grips and their much better finish than the revolver I thought I'd put them somewhere safe and replaced them with the stags. Leaving the grips aside serial numbers match in all other places I know to look (lug recess under the barrel, cylinder face, under the ejector star, bottom of grip frame).
This is definitely a revolver I will want to letter, just need to figure out how to do that. I'm open to comments or advice on the possible history of the gun. Am I right to think the 4" barrel length would have been a special order at this time? I'm also wondering, based on my reading, whether this might have been part of an order for the Kansas City police.
In any case, its amazing what will turn up in a local arms auction in Australia. You can bet that I'm happy I stopped for a look.
