What is the toughest Smith for you to to find? The bulk of my collecting is from 1953 or 4 to 1970. I prefer the "S" numbered N frames and early 19's. I'm not talking about special order guns just production guns. I've found it impossible to find 5" nickel 5 screw pre-27 or a pre-27 or any 27 for that matter in 6 1/2" or a pre-19 4" nickel. What have you found tough to find?
Hello Pumaonly
I Prefer the Five screw Pre-model stamped revolvers. This Intensifies the chase due to their age and availability. About Five Years ago, I made a Lethal Mistake that I have regretted ever since. I had a chance to purchase a Pre-27 Nickel Five screw revolver with a 6-1/2" Barrel and Passed on it. The seller of it wanted $1000.00 for it with no box, or tools included in the sale of it. At that time I felt his price was staggering, but as it turned out, I have Not seen one since then offered Either.
It has been said that fewer than 10% of all S&W Pre-27s were made in Nickel finish from the early 1950s to the early 1980s time span, and I passed on one of the hardest barrel lengths to be offered in a Nickel finished variety being the 6-1/2" length.
I did later come across a Nickel 3-1/2" Barrel Pre-27 example that shipped in July 1955 that I did not pass on and will never get rid of shown below.
Another model that had always eluded me was the Model 16 or Pre-16 Known as the Elusive K-32 Masterpiece revolver. These were made from 1947-1974 with only 3630 of them being produced so they do not Pop up often and the Pre-Models almost never show up out there. I did finally locate one after an exhaustive 25 Year search, so this is another one I was Lucky to find and add to the List of Hard to locate S&W revolver line up. I Once Had a Nice Model 48-2 revolver which is chambered in the .22 W.M.R. cartridge. This gun was Offered from S&W with an Optional .22 L.R. Cylinder fitted to the gun if the buyer was inclined to purchase it that way and mine had Both cylinder's, The box, tools and paperwork. In a Weak moment I sold it off, and deeply regretted it. That Mistake took me 14 Years to correct again when I came across the First year Model of 1959 Four screw revolver shown below that came with both cylinders. Oddly, S&W did not offer the spare cylinder of .22 L.R. with this gun until 1961 and mine had to have been sent back to S&W to have it's .22 L.R. cylinder fitted to it at a Later time as the extractor threads of the .22 L.R. cylinder are left hand threads that we saw come after 1961 time span and the guns Original .22 Magnum cylinder has right hand threads.
I Like most guys that have had a lot of S&Ws in the past years Certainly have had some seller's or swapper's remorse in the past, but I have found that if I remain Patient I have found that the ones that I have regretted letting go of, as they usually come back to us later down the road. Keep the faith and Keep Hunting those hard to find ones as the fun in it all to me is the Chase of Locating them....
Here is some Inspiration for you to
restore your faith in finding the tough to locate ones out there....
Pre-27 that shipped In July 1955
Pre-16 K-32 Masterpiece that shipped in April 1951
A First Year 1959 Model 48 chambered in .22 W.M.R. Cartridge with the Optional .22 L.R. Factory fitted cylinder
