So I go into a shop today and they have a S&W marked model 11 which I am not familiar with. 38 special, barrel marked that way, 1 line address which indicated pre war, hammer looks pre war, stocks do not, reminds me of a pre 14. I was able to snap a couple of bad pics, is this a parts gun or something else. The story is that it was brought in by a woman, it was her fathers gun that sat in a closet for decades, any insight would help.
Some quick help on ID of S&W revolver
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It appears to be an N frame .38/44 Outdoorsman from just after WW II, called a "transitional" model due to a mixture of pre- and post-war features. Looks to be in nice shape.
Not a model 11, but in the absence of a model stamping not the easiest gun to ID, and bigger than the K-38 Masterpiece..
Not a model 11, but in the absence of a model stamping not the easiest gun to ID, and bigger than the K-38 Masterpiece..
The pictures indicate good condition...If it passed inspection at that price, it would have left the shop with me...
...Ben
...Ben
I would imagine the shop did a cursory internet search to get as close as they could. Finish looks nice and I would assume grips are original?
I wouldn't give $1K for it, but the shop may not be too far off in this day and age.
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Since they don't seem to know what it is, they might bite at a $750 offer. Good luck! 
An early postwar .38/44 Outdoorsman's in good shape with original stocks (apparently). I actually don't think $1K is a bad price at all. These don't come around every day. But, yes. Make an offer.
I suspect the "Model 11" came from something stamped in the yoke cut. Obviously, the shop management knows little about S&W revolvers.
I suspect the "Model 11" came from something stamped in the yoke cut. Obviously, the shop management knows little about S&W revolvers.
Maybe, but they missed it by two miles! The Model 11 had fixed sights and was chambered for the .38 S&W, not the .38 Special. Plus, no shrouded barrel.
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Nice. $350? 
We have a winner!...
...Ben
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Well worth $1000.
What did you pay?
What did you pay?
Paid $900 otd
I guess it all depends on who's doing the selling---and how----and where---and of course what.
Mine (#S93429) went for $1625 during the liquidation of my collection by David Carroll during the last three years ending a year ago.
I knew there was a reason I asked him to tend to that!
Ralph Tremaine
Mine (#S93429) went for $1625 during the liquidation of my collection by David Carroll during the last three years ending a year ago.
I knew there was a reason I asked him to tend to that!
Ralph Tremaine
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When these guns come off of pawn, these shops are often staffed by guys that will just do a quick search and then label it for sale.
When they have a $300 pawn ticket, everything above that is profit.
Several years ago I bought a Japanese Type 2 paratrooper rifle, mummed and matching from a pawn shop... Price was $95. I sold it for $2000 and that was 20 years ago.
The listing was for "old Jap rifle caliber unknown".
Ralph, my above Japanese rifle buy was at a pawn shop in Dayton Tennessee, just south of Pikeville... I grew up around Pikeville and north.
The pawn shop was owned by "Sheriff Leon Sneed" at the time. I worked for Tennessee Department of Transportation then as a construction inspector on the Highway 60 project from Dayton to the Tennessee River.
I reckon it's been a while since you were in the neighborhood, so you get a pass on the geography.
Dayton is due east of Pikeville---over the mountain as they say. Dunlap, on the other hand, is due south---about the same distance for both. Both are more significant communities than Pikeville---you can tell because both of them have Walmart stores---and Pikeville doesn't---and very likely never will! Whether this is a curse or a blessing depends on where you came from. Coming from St.Louis/Philadelphia/Chicago, it's a decided BLESSING---BIG TIME!!!
And as for the Highway 60 Project, you and your TDOT folks did a fine piece of work!!---or was that Highway 30? Whatever, they're both fine pieces of work!
Ralph Tremaine
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