You Walk Into A Gun Store in 1978...

[RKmesa]

...you head to the handgun section and you see a couple of S&W's premier .357 Magnums:







...but right next to them you see the Premier Colt .357 Magnum knock offs of a King Super Target:







...You only have enough $'s for one. So which one do you take home with you?

 

[Laketime]

Thanks,now I need a bib ! What a shame ,all we see now is black and pink plastic with green nail polish in the accessory isle.

 

[SPEEDGUNNER]

Considering a friend and I did exactly that I would buy the S&W Model 19 and he would buy the Python. Of course he is the same guy who bought Apple stock when I was speculating in corn futures.

He still has the Python.

 

[jack the toad]

Door #2...
ETA:
I never cared much for snakes and would use a S&W to dispatch them... (python, diamondbacks, cobra, anaconda, boa, etc)

 

[-db-]

Richard, you obviously did the right thing and grabbed them all but if I had to pick only one, it would have to be the 6" S&W .357 Magnum.

The Pythons are great and might be bringing more money right now but the S&W is THE classic .357 revolver.

 

[Krogen]

Easy! You think outside of the presentation case, er... outside of the box:

You put them all on layaway with 25% down on each.

 

[snowman]

No question here -the one in the first two pictures.

Andy

 

[NYlakesider]

...you head to the handgun section and you see a couple of S&W's premier .357 Magnums:


..You only have enough $'s for one. So which one do you take home with you?
[/B]

Neither, because in my area in that time frame that would not happen. Finding S&W or Colt premium guns like that was wishful thinking (or dreaming)

We did have one dealer that could sell you just about anything you wanted. Course the price was mind boggling. Model 29s were at least $200 over MSRP. 27s, 19s, 60s at least a $125 over.

He did not sell much to the serious gun people but there are some people out there that kept him in business.

 

[4barrel]

The Colt on the bottom & hold it for 30 years & sell to high bidder & buy
4 or 5 S&Ws. A 19 2 1/2--19 4 inch--a 19 6 inch--a 15 4 inch--and a 6 inch 14. Colts were about $100 more back then. My first new gun was a 19-5 -2 1/2 when they first came out & I still have it.

 

[22hipower]

Back then I would have bought the 4 inch Python. Likely confirmed that again this week when I traded a 6 inch bright stainless Python I've had for 20 years even for a pre 27 5 inch (1956), a 8 3/8 27-2 (1972), and a 25-5 (refinished in hard chrome). Love the S&Ws but the snake guns have been better investments.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[sbowenjr]

I'd go with the 3.5" Model 27. Or is it a dash 1?
BTW there are not any gun stores like that around here. Period. Now there is windy hill in Elkin NC. They are superb in their offerings of colts. But I am not a colt guy.

 

[SLT223]

The 3.5" 27. I have never understood the the attraction of the Python. I thought they were an uncompetitive deal 15 years ago when they were $800. Yes, I have handled them. They didn't tickle my fancy at $800 and they certainly don't today at $3000.

Now if it were 1978 and they were approximately the same cost, I would ask myself "Why would I pay the same money for a mechanically inferior gun?"

Not having the Python attraction has saved me beaucoup $$$$.

 

[armorer951]

Neither....on a police officer's salary in those days (1974), and a family to feed, I couldn't take any of them home. While on probation (first nine months) I made 688.00 a month. After taxes...... $ 563.98. My OT rate was $ 4.30/hr.

Although not pictured above.....the 2.5" model 66 is still on my grail list. According to one researcher, $ 1.00 in 1975 had the same buying power as $ 4.56 does now. The reason why I still can't afford one.

 

[Smoke]

So which one do you take home with you?

Given, if it's 1978 I'm only 12

None of them

 

[snowman.45]

Pythons are fine revolvers, but they tend to have timing issues relatively quickly in their life cycle. Further, I prefer the S&W action over the Colt action by a wide margin. Admittedly subjective, but I'll take the Model 27 (or most other medium to large frame S&W revolvers) over the Colt without a second thought.

When I started as a Police Officer in 1977, my first (personally owned) duty gun was a 4" Model 28-2. It was a tank, and I loved it. After that, it was the typical 19/66 revolvers. Today, I'd have the 28 back, but that's what nostalgia does to you.

 

[bvoges]

I'd choose the 3.5'' Smith. In terms of practicality, it can't be beat! And I think its the best looking of the lot.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Also the 3.5 inch 27.
Already had a 6.5 pre 27 and a 4 inch 19.

 

[lowriderfxr]

.....you shoot them both , regularly, and in 1979 you walk into a gunsmith shop with the Python.....jk. Beautiful revolver!!!

 

[murphydog]

Had this exact situation, my dad chose the 6" Python (he still has it). At that time and place, short barreled model 27s gathered dust in display cabinets.

 

[Dave686]

1978 was the year I became a Police Officer. I bought a 4" blue 19. The Police Officer price was $175. I could not afford a Python or I would have bought it.

Several years later I could afford a Python and went through 3 of them. I shot in competition and could not shoot a better score with a 6" Python than my 4" 686 duty weapon; so I sold them.

I understand fully it was me and not the gun; but that didn't help my score. Been with S&W's every since. Sure do wish I had those Pythons back to sell now though.