Lee, I have a copy of the ordering sheet and personal letter sent by the owner with his order on RM #3450 in 1938.
The owner paid the NRA Discount price of $54.00.
Pre-War Magnums in Nickel, including 2 Non RM's
- Thread starter merlindrb
- Start date
Lee, I have a copy of the ordering sheet and personal letter sent by the owner with his order on RM #3450 in 1938.
The owner paid the NRA Discount price of $54.00.
rburg
Member
Its been an interesting discussion.
I can assure everyone here that the real motive of the aforementioned (and beaten to death) supper meeting was to fill our stomachs. Or at least that was the primary reason. And David left out my wife as one of those present. Her entire motive was a nice supper!
People opinions change when they handle a gun and can really inspect it. At that point in time I had no question about the lack of orinality of one of them. It was clearly a good refinish, and it isn't part of this discussion (but it is a part of a different, email discussion.)
Whenever you hand a gun to other people, collectors, experienced shooters, whatever, you need to be careful not to poison the discussion. Some very honest but well meaning people will tell you what they think you want to hear, or hedge if it runs counter to your beliefs. Thats why you don't tell them what you think till they've told you.
We spend way too much time and effort preaching what the factory did or didn't do. We just don't have all the answers. When you have the gun in hand, and a magnifier, and good light, you just get an opinion or idea. When you get candid opinions from others, and everyone that handles a gun agrees, its a strong trend.
I believe at the time David, Jim, Lee and I all came to the same conclusions.
The rounded and flush pin question came up here on the forum about 5 years ago, in the context of K32s. That was when I had a small accumulation of them, and I had both posibilities on several guns. That was back when I was posting photos, and there was just no question that in the early postwar years they didn't follow any rule. What suprised me a little was that early ones were both ways, as were later ones. That told me that there wasn't a preferred method, or at least to the exclusion of the other. Probably depended on who was doing the work.
I can assure everyone here that the real motive of the aforementioned (and beaten to death) supper meeting was to fill our stomachs. Or at least that was the primary reason. And David left out my wife as one of those present. Her entire motive was a nice supper!
People opinions change when they handle a gun and can really inspect it. At that point in time I had no question about the lack of orinality of one of them. It was clearly a good refinish, and it isn't part of this discussion (but it is a part of a different, email discussion.)
Whenever you hand a gun to other people, collectors, experienced shooters, whatever, you need to be careful not to poison the discussion. Some very honest but well meaning people will tell you what they think you want to hear, or hedge if it runs counter to your beliefs. Thats why you don't tell them what you think till they've told you.
We spend way too much time and effort preaching what the factory did or didn't do. We just don't have all the answers. When you have the gun in hand, and a magnifier, and good light, you just get an opinion or idea. When you get candid opinions from others, and everyone that handles a gun agrees, its a strong trend.
I believe at the time David, Jim, Lee and I all came to the same conclusions.
The rounded and flush pin question came up here on the forum about 5 years ago, in the context of K32s. That was when I had a small accumulation of them, and I had both posibilities on several guns. That was back when I was posting photos, and there was just no question that in the early postwar years they didn't follow any rule. What suprised me a little was that early ones were both ways, as were later ones. That told me that there wasn't a preferred method, or at least to the exclusion of the other. Probably depended on who was doing the work.
Say, this wasn't one of them candlelit suppers where ya gotta squint to see the menu now, was it?
vintagesmith
Member
Originally posted by merlindrb:
Same to you Tom, and it'll be good to see you in Tulsa. You too Bob, I hope??
I forgot the 3 1/2" was your Bob.I've no knowledge of any 8 3/4". It would be doubly unusual as that was not a standard barrel length in a non-reg. That gun of yours if awfully pretty
Dave, the 8 3/4" non reg nickel is not a typo. I would remind you that you saw this gun in the not too distant past! Perhaps at that time there were other things that captured your attention.
FWIW I am in complete agreement with Bill Cross's observations regarding sight bases and pins. I know of three examples of pre-war .357s (presumably original or not able to be discerned as not original) where the sight base is nickel and the pins exposed.
I also like the idea of a calendar--we'll talk and see what we can come up with.
Ray
OP
merlindrb
Member
Thanks to everyone for their continued input, just when I thought it was safe to raise my head over the parapet again.
Lee - in the letter you mention Roy states "It is my opinion after examining this revolver that it has not been refinished and that the nickel is the original factory finish". In Roy's opinion. Right back to where we started...?
Apologies Ray. You have the fourth, the 8 3/4", of course. As you rightly say, I was kinda stunned at the time!
I'm with you on the calendar. Great idea Bill as I'm sure it will generate sales outside the S&WCA and maybe encourage some new prospects. Ray - I'll call you about it next week.
Lee - in the letter you mention Roy states "It is my opinion after examining this revolver that it has not been refinished and that the nickel is the original factory finish". In Roy's opinion. Right back to where we started...?
Apologies Ray. You have the fourth, the 8 3/4", of course. As you rightly say, I was kinda stunned at the time!
Dave
As for the pins that secure the rectangular block to the barrel : I checked about
a dozen blue registered magnums. Maybe 3/4's of them have the rectangular block, the
others have a ramp base. All of the ramp bases are mounted with non-flush pins; most of
the rectangular blocks are mounted with flush/polished pins, some very hard to spot.
So - I would have to say that I would expect the same thing with nickel guns.
Regards, Mike Priwer
As for the pins that secure the rectangular block to the barrel : I checked about
a dozen blue registered magnums. Maybe 3/4's of them have the rectangular block, the
others have a ramp base. All of the ramp bases are mounted with non-flush pins; most of
the rectangular blocks are mounted with flush/polished pins, some very hard to spot.
So - I would have to say that I would expect the same thing with nickel guns.
Regards, Mike Priwer
1Aspenhill
US Veteran, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
need to keep this at the top!
Bill
Bill
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