Value of this MINT New Model #3

[gunteach]

Hi everyone.. I have one of those twice in a lifetime deals... An elderly family friend has given me 19 fantastic vintage weapons to sell for him. Most I am able to price, but several I'm not sure about. This weapon is in superb condition... I spoke with Mr. Jinks a couple of days ago and the serial number indicates a birthday of Dec. 1890. I am unsure of caliber - 32-44 or 38-44 I believe. There is a star after the three digit serial number which indicates the factory reblued at some point in history. The bore is as sharp as the rest of the weapon. Any help will be appreciated folks.. I will post more of this collection over the next week...

 

[peyton]

Post them here and we will be glad to help with values. Pictures are helpful. The one's you took look great.

 

[gunteach]

I posted a superb 38-44 on this site and I will post a mint model 1955 next day or two..

 

[Buffalo Nichols]

Nm#3

Very nice, can you provide the serial number for the NM#3 data base?

 

[deadin]

Nice looking NM#3 Target!
This one is going to be difficult to evaluate without a hands-on inspection. With the factory work star on the butt it's going to take one of our experts to determine if it's a refinish, and if so, is it factory or not. (The star doesn't necessarily indicate a refinish.)
I might suggest a trip a couple of hundred miles to the south from you and have David Carroll (Wordsmith here) take a look at it.(He's in Clay, Alabama) Especially worth the trip if you have any other older S&W's in the group you're selling.

 

[gunteach]

Serial # 834
I may take that trip.... I feel this firearm is worth a trip to know more specifics... Any helpful info is appreciated.. Check out the posts on several other jewels on the hand ejectors page....
John [email protected]

 

[deadin]

I've seen several of your other posts. I really do think you should contact David. He does the more modern S&W's also.

Here's a link to his website: Smith and Wesson Collector Firearms

Before you take the trip you should check with him as he travels all over the country. He might even be in your neighborhood in the near future.

 

[opoefc]

GunTeach, What is the date code stamped on the left grip frame under the left grip panel? It would be something like, " 6.98" indicating the repair/rework/refinish was done at the S&W factory in June 1898. Do all the parts have the same serial number? (Barrel, latch, right grip panel, cylinder & frame?) If the barrel & laych numbers do not match the butt serial number, or have no numbers, that's a strong indication that they are replacement parts and the reason for the star stamp on the butt. My gut feeling from the photos is that the gun is a factory refinish, however if David has a chance to see the gun he can tell you quickly. The caliber can be checked with a .38 caliber round. If it goes in, the gun is a .38-44 caliber. Most of these target models in calibers .32-44 and .38-44 have the caliber stamped on the side of the barrel. I don't see any stamping in your pics. While less than 5,000 of these guns were made, they don't seem to overly excite collectors, so values seldom exceed standard New Model #3 Target models values.

 

[gunteach]

Date code on grip frame is 3-23... matching serial number is on butt, latch and cylinder.. no markings on barrel except patent info on top rib.. I believe this to be .32-44...

 

[opoefc]

Gunteach, If you are sure there's no numbers on the barrel, then it is probably a replacement in March 1923, and that was the reason for the return to the factory. A barrel replacement would also require a reblue as the replacement barrel could have been in the white to start with. Now having said all that, barrel numbers on these guns are very hard to see, as they are stamped inside the ears, on each side of the latch, in very small numbers that take a magnifying glass to see clearly, and can be overlooked, even by collectors that know where to look. To really know what happen in March 1923 you will have to go the the Conn. Valley Historical Museum 's S&W archives and look thought the boxes of old work orders for 1923. That could be thousands of pieces of paper. Good Luck! Ed.

 

[gunteach]

The matching number is where you described - on the side of the latch.... I did not know to look there...... Any idea of value? I will need to list this weapon for my friend.

 

[da gimp]

guys correct me if I've graded too harshly in the past, but

by the way I was taught, any refinish/rebuild by anyone, even the factory, precludes the use of the word MINT in a gun's description.He could use the word RESTORED & if documented, factory restored.

It is still a very pretty antique pistol, but if it is a re-finish, possibly a rebuild too, it would severely affect the price of this pistol.If the work can be documented as S&W factory work, it would cut the price less than if a Joe Schmoe , Gunsmith/Anywhere, USA did it, but would still cut the value by 50% or more.

The only firearms that I know of that do NOT seem to have their price affected by factory rework/refinish are Winchester Mod 21's, and the Best Grade English doubles.

thanks

da gimp

OFC, Mo. Chapter
NRA Life/Endowment

 

[opoefc]

A fair value for this refinished gun, in my area, would be in the range of $1800-$2200 and it could be correctly described as a factory refinish/restoration, but not a Mint gun, IMHO. This is a model that has a lot of specimins out there that are mint, or near mint, as they were target guns and did not get daily use or carry, and I see them at asking prices of $3500-$4000 range. Ed.

 

[gunteach]

Thank you for your help.. That is what I was wondering..