To shoot or not to shoot

[Chasing Crow]

Elroy,
Having a nickel plated around same year I say shoot it. Smooth as silk and "soid as a Smith"!

 

[Elroy]

Thanks to everyone for their kind words and guidance both pro and con

But what about the date??

Would we be accurate with our 1929 Dating ??

 

[gunnut44]

The only real way to get a accurate ship date is to letter it, as for the value to me it's a $500-$550 gun, nothing rare but the condition.

 

[Avery11]

The only real way to get a accurate ship date is to letter it, as for the value to me it's a $500-$550 gun, nothing rare but the condition.

WOW I'd like to be there when you sell some "common" guns

Elroy, I would buy it a wedding ring but I wouldn't shoot it. What a beauty.

 

[arjay]

I generally don't shoot my really nice examples as I have a number of shooters too.It just takes a lot of time to clean them up again.Stainless revolvers and the 1911 platform make the best shooters (imho) because they clean so easily.I vote to just fondle it

 

[feralmerril]

For me it would depend on what other guns I have or dont have. If I had similar 38s or 357s I would make it a safe queen. If not, and I wanted to shoot, and pack it, I would. The only guns I dont shoot are a couple commemortives and some antique`s.

 

[Cooter Brown]

I don't own a gun I don't shoot. But if I had that one I probably wouldn't shoot it.

And here's why--in my mind it's worth preserving that almost mint condition as much as possible as a testament to and an example of what Smith and Wesson was producing at the time it was made. It really looks close to what it would have when it was handed to the original owner over the counter of the hardware store or wherever it was bought.

There are a finite number of guns on the planet that can serve as that kind of example.

You can certainly preserve the condition very well even if you shoot it, except for the turn line on the cylinder. It does not take a lot for that to start to appear. Of course that can appear without shooting it.

 

[Wingmaster]

That gun doesn't really even have a turn line. Please don't make one. My vote goes for DON'T shoot it. You aren't going to find a gun like this every day.

Wingmaster

 

[bushmaster1313]

Sell it to someone on the forum who already has plenty of guns they shoot.

Take the proceeds, buy several guns you will shoot, plus ammo, and have a ball.

Personally, I have no hankering for mint guns I will not shoot.

 

[Elroy]

You aren't going to find a gun like this every day.

I think I was a lucky boy alright

There were (3) guys looking at and I was the first one to offer up the funds that I thought the owner would bite at. I was looking for a clean revolver and to find out it was from about 1930 made it all that much better.

The only real way to get a accurate ship date is to letter it, as for the value to me it's a $500-$550 gun, nothing rare but the condition.

I might letter at some point but that's exactly where I was at. $500

I'm kind of a dumb *** when it comes to fire arms (it's a big subject and there's a LOT to know) but I know good machine work and craftsmanship in metal. This thing's like a jewel and I couldn't be happier.

All I need now is a GOOD 1911 with about 90 years on it in the same shape

Been looking at the various "commemorative" models and this is the year to buy one but they're all over the place and they're not cheap. As a matter of fact, I think most 45's are over priced.

Like I said, I know I'm a lucky boy. Hope to keep it up. I appreciate all the kind words.

We're still on the fence about shooting it but I can't really see what harm a few rounds is going to have on it. I'll be damn if an 80 year old gun hasn't been fired at least a few times.

 

[Elroy]

Please review the pictures below and advise about the lack of blue on the mushroom ejector

Notice how the coned surface is polished and lacks any blue.

The action has a tendency to bind and we have noted this is due to the right hand threads of the ejector working loose from the standard rotation of the cylinder.

Is this polished cone surface factory or was this smithed at one time??

From reading the board we understand that S&W went to a left hand thread on the ejector at some point. When did this engineering change take place and can we safely assume this LH thread was implemented to address this tendency to work loose ??

What about that polished cone??

 

[Hammerdown]

Elroy here, new member, first post.
Be kind but do not hold back. Seeking seasoned professional advise
Pistol appears unfired but come on, surely it's had a few rounds in it at some point in the last 80+ years. The gentleman we purchased it from stated it was his Grandfathers weapon. He died in 1955 and claims it hasn't see the light day sense.

Hello Elroy
To make things a little more clear here, there are No S&W's that have left the factory that have not been shot. All S&W's are Test fired an average of Three times before they leave the factory to test Function and accuracy, Hence there are none that have not been fired. In looking at your excellent close up pictures in the First one I do see "some lead" around the base of the forcing cone where it meet's the revolver's frame, Indicating to me it has been fired more times than it's factory Test firing. I would say shoot it and enjoy it... The Lack of Bluing on the end of the extractor is typical for a gun with that style extractor the factory left that Portion in the white....Hammerdown

 

[hsguy]

I would not shoot the gun. The only thing that distinguishes that gun from a run-of-the-mill shooter grade 1905 is the condition and if you shoot it and accumulate some wear or dings you have turned it into a shooter grade gun, not a high grade gun with some collector interest. You paid a bit of a collector premium for the gun so it would be wise to protect it. Shooter grade 1905's are common so pick one up if you want to shoot a gun of that era. Here is a dead mint 1905 I own and don't shoot but I do have several shooter grade guns I enjoy often.

 

[kbm6893]

Buy another one cheap and shoot that one. I feel the same way about a model 19 I stumbled on a few months ago. Made in 1967 and the blueing is pristine. I fired maybe 30 rounds through it, 12 of them being 158 grain .357. Then I cleaned it and put it away. I doubt I will shoot it much. I have other .357's that I don't worry about as much. Yeah, we can't take them with us (although I MIGHT specify in my will that the model 19 be buried with me!), but we can pass them along to others who will apprciate them as much as we do.

 

[therick]

I don't think I'd shoot it. Looks like a Museum quality piece to me. I understand that they aren't particularly rare but try to find another one just like it in the same condition for any amount of money and I think you'd have a tough time.

 

[10/22]

Shoot or no

I've watched the dialog go on about shoot or don't shoot and it isn't that simple.
I live in Florida where heat and humidity play hell on tools, people and especially hand held things that are very complex, like revolvers.
Then there's the risk of damaging pristine grips that cannot be replaced. OK, get a shooter grip and remove them. Soon it begins to be more nerves about maintaining condition and fiddling about with a very rare piece, then it does the joy of shooting it.
If you simply must, take it out once and have fun, then clean it, polish it and admire it. Love shooting it? Get yourself a shooter grade, there are lots of K frames and lots with a much better sight picture than these early M&P's.
I won't shoot this one from 1919-1920...would you? It has a turn line, but that's about all.
10/22.

 

[nightshade2x]

That's just too nice to shoot in my book.

Save & preserve it.

Have fun and be safe.
Nightshade2x

 

[Elroy]

All numbers match but we have not removed the grips but we have no doubt they pencil match as well.

Should have known better. The grips are NOT pencil matched.

Really comes as no surprise as these were truly mass produced weapons. There are some light file marks in the wood at the top of both grips where they "key" into the frame. That's the limit of hand fitting on this example

 

[firearmsunlimited]

 

[Bell Charter Oak Holsters]

I vote to not shoot it. That revolver is simply pristine and any collector of M&P's would be delighted to own it, no doubt. I have not seen many M&P's of that period in such superb overall condition. Great score, congratulations!

Cheers;
Lefty