Would Like opinions on the S&W 125TH Anniversary Gun

[Model39]

Let's get a few opinions/comments going. I see plenty of these 125TH anniversary guns for sale, most going for not that much money. People ask me as a Smith collector, why they don't bring big dollars. I say besides the fact it's a commemorative (commemorative collectors, please don't take offense, none was implied), I reply it was that they chose the wrong caliber for the gun. My question is, why, when Smith&Wesson has developed and has been responsible for so many great calibers, would they offer a competitor's caliber (45 Colt) as a choice to commerate their 125 Anniversary? Here is this nice "N" frame Smith&Wesson lying in a nice presentation case with it's competitor's name COLT on the barrel. Surely a nice Model 27 marked S&W 357 Magnum or a Model 29 in 44 Magnum would have been more appropriate than the horse company's name and caliber stamped on it. Being proud of what your company stood/stands for and it's many accomplishments, and the fact you are celebrating a milestone in the company history, why not offer one your own calibers, rather than a competitors? What's your opinion?

 

[TDC]

In my opinion they are the very best N frame buy from their era. A pinned barrel, a beautiful presentation case, the Roy Jinks Book. Beautiful 1970s bluing and fine grips.

Some have had problems with oversized throats. If you reload and/or cast your own bullets there are solutions to resolve that issue....

What's not to like!

 

[JJEH]

Wish I had one.

Don't care about the caliber that much.... wouldn't shoot it anyways

 

[Model19man]

I've been asking myself the same question. A great caliber for target shooting or home defense and a gorgeous revolver, yet priced less than some of the new ones. Might have to get one to use as a shooter to keep from wearing out my Model 1955 / 45 Colt.

Let's get a few opinions/comments going. I see plenty of these 125TH anniversary guns for sale, most going for not that much money. People ask me as a Smith collector, why they don't bring big dollars. I say besides the fact it's a commemorative (commemorative collectors, please don't take offense, none was implied), I reply it was that they chose the wrong caliber for the gun. My question is, why, when Smith&Wesson has developed and has been responsible for so many great calibers, would they offer a competitor's caliber (45 Colt) as a choice to commerate their 125 Anniversary? Here is this nice "N" frame Smith&Wesson lying in a nice presentation case with it's competitor's name COLT on the barrel. Surely a nice Model 27 marked S&W 357 Magnum or a Model 29 in 44 Magnum would have been more appropriate than the horse company's name and caliber stamped on it. Being proud of what your company stood/stands for and it's many accomplishments, and the fact you are celebrating a milestone in the company history, why not offer one your own calibers, rather than a competitors? What's your opinion?

 

[perrazi]

if you want to shoot it,look around. there are some fired ones out there floating around and will cast less than nib. if you want a 61/2 in bbl in a 45 colt, these are the cheapest and easiest way. besides, they shoot pretty good too. i use remington bulk bullets in mine and it shoots great.

 

[kennyb]

yup....i picked up a mint copy of one of these last august...it's certainly a beautiful gun

 

[teezer]

i bought one when they first came out, serial number in the 3000s and paid $575, i think the retail was @$450

the marketing ploy back then was that this was Smith's first commemorative and their first gun made for a 45 colt cartridge, so had to have it ~~~ kept it unfired and lost money when sold

as i see now they never did appreciate

 

[k22fan]

S&W chose to chamber this gun for .45 Colt because at the time DA S&Ws in .45 Colt were rare and valuable. They marketed these 10,000 .45 Colts as your only chance to afford what most of us would otherwise never be able to own, a S&W DA .45 Colt. Just after these sold out they made .45 Colt 25-5s with longer cylinders standard catalog items. I paid too much to get one in an unopened factory shipping box, not because I didn’t intend to fire it or because I wanted a commemorative, but because I wanted to fire those manly slugs in a DA S&W. I was unhappy with the underhanded marketing of these and even less happy with the .458” throats in mine.

The low price today reflects those over size throats and IMO, there never were enough commemorative collectors to absorb 10,000 of any commemorative. They are beautiful revolvers, but making .45 Colt a cataloged cartridge killed the value of these forever.

I apologize for being unable to answer any comments. I’m in the Library & my computer at home has problems.

 

[TDC]

Yep..... There always has been a lot of controversy about the 125th Anniversary Mod. 25's.

With 10,000 of these guns made, too many were produced to be a true collectible, except for the special run of 50 serial numbered group (the Mod 25-4) that were engraved and had ivory grips.

Some of the standard models had over-sized throats making accuracy a problem, especially for those who didn't re-load or cast their own bullets.. Many people didn't like the concept of any commemorative gun believing they are too pretty to shoot -- although they are as functional as any other S&W handgun. A comparatively short cylinder required a more careful selection of bullets especially very long SWC's.

Those seem to be the main reasons people tend to put them down and the market price, as a consequence, has remained so low.... The retail price of these guns in 1977 was $350 and today I've seen them offered in the $600 dollar range, NIB... about half what a current new production N frame would cost.

I have 4. One is a very fine shooter, two make up a NIB consecutive numbered pair, and one low serial numbered 25-3 remains new in a factory sealed shipping box..

I believe it is a serious mistake when I hear about someone rejecting one today at some of the unbelievable prices I hear them being offered for... But "to each there own"....

JMHO

 

[BUFF]

Back until 1977, when these were made and sold, if you wanted a Smith & Wesson chambered for .45 Colt, you pretty well had to make your own. Lots of us were doing just that.

S&W doubtlessly noticed the demand for an N frame .45 Colt and they were also aware of the hit-and-miss sales for just about every gun maker's commemorative products.

I believe the choice of .45 Colt chambering for the 125th Commemorative was S&W's way of making sure that the guns sold well, by pretty much guaranteeing sufficient demand, both as shooters and colletors items. It also gave them a way to gauge possible future demand for a regular production revolver in .45 Colt.

These guns sold like hotcakes. Demand initially outstripped supply and the price on the aftermarket climbed quickly after the dealers initially sold the 10,000 guns. I bought 2 of them for the suggested retail of $350 each. I shot one and then sold it at a gun show for $700 to the first guy that looked at it. I still have the other one.

The shooter market price for the commemorative dropped when S&W introduced the next .45 Colt, the Model 25-5. A lot of the initial price surge had been from speculators who anticipated the price staying high by the limited number of guns that had been produced. When you could buy a standard shooter for under $400, the appeal of the commemorative became a lot less.

They are still pretty appealing as a package. It's not hard to make them shoot well.