Price Check on Z BAR *** PICTURES ADDED***

[Joe W]

A friend has a .38 Safety Hammerless 1st Model (Z-bar)that he is thinking about selling. The gun is a 4", nickle, ser. # 36XX. Serial numbers match. The gun is V.G. plus in good working condition. The only problem is with the grips. I don't know if they are factory. They are pearl without any monogram. There is a chip, about 1/4 inch, at top of left panal.
I understand that without seeing gun it is hard to place a value. All I am looking for is a price range. Thanks Joe,

[/url][/IMG]

This is the best I can do with pictures. I don't know if the gun has been re finished or not. Can anyone give me some hints on how to tell. Are guns being re nickled polished as they would be if being re-blued ?? All lettering and numbers look sharp. There looks like some very small pits just behind the recoil shield on left upper side of frame. These pits do not appear to been nickled over but I am far from an expert. If gun has been refinished how would that effect the price ??
One other thing, The area of cylinder, under the star extractor, shows no signs of re-nickle. I would think that if cylinder was re-nickled this area would also show the re-nickle.

 

[Joe W]

A friend has a .38 Safety Hammerless 1st Model (Z-bar)that he is thinking about selling. The gun is a 4", nickle, ser. # 36XX. Serial numbers match. The gun is V.G. plus in good working condition. The only problem is with the grips. I don't know if they are factory. They are pearl without any monogram. There is a chip, about 1/4 inch, at top of left panal.
I understand that without seeing gun it is hard to place a value. All I am looking for is a price range. Thanks Joe,

[/url][/IMG]

This is the best I can do with pictures. I don't know if the gun has been re finished or not. Can anyone give me some hints on how to tell. Are guns being re nickled polished as they would be if being re-blued ?? All lettering and numbers look sharp. There looks like some very small pits just behind the recoil shield on left upper side of frame. These pits do not appear to been nickled over but I am far from an expert. If gun has been refinished how would that effect the price ??
One other thing, The area of cylinder, under the star extractor, shows no signs of re-nickle. I would think that if cylinder was re-nickled this area would also show the re-nickle.

 

[Bell Charter Oak Holsters]

I'm no expert on these, but it seems the auction averages based upon your description is around $200 to $250. As for the pearls, without medallions they are probably aftermarket. Of course a factory letter would likely document the type of grips it was originally shipped with. Probably hard rubber, or possibly special ordered pearls with medallions or perhaps even ivory. There are a few possibilities in that regard. Hope this is helpful. Good luck.

 

[cflier]

Hello Joe W,
A 38 Z bar Safety Hammerless 1st model if the finish is original should be worth between $400 and $800 dollars depending on what good plus condition means. A few pictures would allow a much better estimate. 4 inch barrels are worth slightly more than the more common 3 1/4 inch barrels. In any event, they only made 5000 of the first models clear back in 1887 and they are not common. There has been one for sale on one of the on line gun auctions for some time now, but it is a 3 1/4 inch barrel that has been very poorly refinished which drastically cuts the value. I believe the starting bid is around $650 and it has not been sold. I have a nickel 4 inch Z Bar Safety just like you describe with the original finish at about 95% that I picked up a few years ago that I would not sell for less than $800(its not for sale). I have half a dozen 1st 38 Safetys, but would buy more if I could get them for $200. Lefty, I think you are thinking of the much more common 1st model 32. There were over 90,000 of those manufactured. I would very much like to see pictures of your friends gun.
Smith and Wesson did not begin making the pearl medallion grips until well after the 1st 38 was manufactured. So, non medallion pearls would be correct for the era. S&W non medallion pearls of the time period we are talking about tended to be much thicker and heavier than most that are seen on ebay and later guns.

cflier

 

[opoefc]

Cfliers info is pretty much on target. Good condition Z bars will bring over $600 quickly. I have sold several 95 to 98% Z bars in last couple of years for $800 to $1K range at Tulsa show. Those were nickel guns. A NIB blue Z bar will double those prices. Ed.

 

[Joe W]

I will be taking some pictures on Monday and will post them asap Thanks for the replys

 

[Bell Charter Oak Holsters]

Originally posted by cflier:

Lefty, I think you are thinking of the much more common 1st model 32. There were over 90,000 of those manufactured.

cflier

Yup...I dropped the ball on that one.

 

[mmaher94087]

Joe W, The gun appears refinished. Aside from the overall buffed, wavy appearance, the barrel latch (Z-bar) and triggergard would have been blue. The trigger should be case colored from the factory. As a shooter, it'll sparkle. Mike

 

[Joe W]

Posted 24 September 2007 07:45 PM Hide Post
Joe W, The gun appears refinished. Aside from the overall buffed, wavy appearance, the barrel latch (Z-bar) and triggergard would have been blue. The trigger should be case colored from the factory. As a shooter, it'll sparkle. Mike

Thanks Mike, I now realize it is refinished. I had looked at pictures in the SCSW and should have picked up on the case colored trigger etc.
The refinish is really pretty good, the gun doesn't have that buffed and wavy appearance as it appears in the photos. That's really my cheap camara.
Unfortunatly it now appears, in light of the blued or cased triggers etc., a few more of my friends guns may be refinished.