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- - How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun (http://goldismoney.info/forums/showthread.php?t=404905)

Silver Stater | 09-04-2009 03:02 PM
How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun I don't know a lot about guns but I had a friend offer me this gun for what I thought was a good price so I bought it. I normally search online to find out about guns before I buy them but there wasn't as much info on this one as it was old. It is a Smith and Wesson hammerless .38 that he says is over 100 years old. It has ivory grips (not pearl!) and a chrome finish. It's in excellent shape. I paid $275 for it plus I got a box of ammo for it. Did I come out ok or get a bad deal? http://imgur.com/Oju2Nl.jpg http://imgur.com/TIcYPl.jpg

tulsamal | 09-04-2009 03:22 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun I would have paid that much! Usually those old grips want to crack. If they are intact, I start wondering if they are replacements. Either way, the gun itself looks like it is in fine shape. Gregg

SilverCity | 09-04-2009 03:23 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun It's a GOOD deal if you can get someone else to pay you more for it later (inflation adjusted of course). If not, well... These were reasonably well made. Not terribly rare. In the old days you could order these pistols from a catalogue for $20 or so. Finding ammo may be a little difficult, but not impossible. See if you can find an old original box of 38 S&W (not 38 Special) from a cartridge collector, clean it all up and put it away for another hundred years. :wink: EDIT: Sorry, 38 Short Colt it is...

horseshoe3 | 09-04-2009 03:58 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun Is it marked ".38 S&W"? If so, that is the same cartridge as .38 Colt New Police. Midwayusa has ammo in stock. In that time period, .38 Short Colt and .38 Long Colt were also popular, but they do not interchange with .38 S&W.

horseshoe3 | 09-04-2009 03:59 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun Oh, and yes, I think you got a pretty good deal.

Silver Stater | 09-04-2009 04:27 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun Thanks for all the replies. I've been trying to learn more about guns so I'll be wiser when it comes to buying. This forum definitely helps. Thanks!

TomD | 09-04-2009 05:16 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun Close it up (without bullets), pull the hammer back (again-real important-no bullets) and see how much the cylinder will rotate back and forth. If it is more than just a little bit (a 1/8th of an inch or so), have a gunsmith look at it. The cylinder has to "lock up" while the bullet is lined up with the barrel. I've seen some older revolvers get so sloppy that they didn't lock up well and were actively dangerous to fire. If it doesn't lock up at all the firing pin strike will miss but it is possible for the pin to catch enough of the primer but the bullet hits the forcing cone (barrel entry).

JJ_ | 09-04-2009 05:19 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun Quote:
Originally Posted by TomD (Post 1904390) Close it up (without bullets), pull the hammer back (again-real important-no bullets) and see how much the cylinder will rotate back and forth. If it is more than just a little bit (a 1/8th of an inch or so), have a gunsmith look at it. The cylinder has to "lock up" while the bullet is lined up with the barrel. I've seen some older revolvers get so sloppy that they didn't lock up well and were actively dangerous to fire.
Hey boss... What hammer?:biggrin::thumb.aspx:

TomD | 09-04-2009 05:37 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun Well it has a hammer, it's concealed. :wink: I'm just used to doing it that way, the trigger doesn't need to be pulled. :5_1_120:

Professur | 09-04-2009 06:08 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun I do like the breech style loading.

SilverCity | 09-04-2009 06:18 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun 1 Attachment(s) Modeled after the S&W .44 Schofield No. 3 action. Designed for the U.S. cavalry for easier loading and unloading. Produced from 1870 to late 1880s and originally chambered in .44 S&W American and .44 Russian...and later the .45 Schofield (sometimes referred to as the .45 "short" Colt) for the cavalry. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_&...No._3_Revolver

Silver Stater | 09-04-2009 06:20 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun The cylinder barely rotates at all. Maybe like 1 grain of sand in length. It is a .38 short colt, the guy gave me a brand new box of remington cartridges for it. The ivory handles are pretty cool. They are engraved with chinese dragons. I'll try to take a closer photo.

JJ_ | 09-04-2009 06:23 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun Quote:
Originally Posted by TomD (Post 1904431) Well it has a hammer, it's concealed. :wink: I'm just used to doing it that way, the trigger doesn't need to be pulled. :5_1_120:
:s9:Yeah I know. It was just... seeing how its a "hammerless" and all..:tongue_ma: That's a pretty gun BTW.. Not sure It would have been worth that much to me. But if you like it - good on ya.

Silver Stater | 09-04-2009 06:23 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun Quote:
Originally Posted by SilverCity (Post 1904515) Modeled after the S&W .44 Schofield No. 3 action. Designed for the U.S. cavalry for easier loading and unloading. Produced from 1870 to late 1880s and originally chambered in .44 S&W American and .44 Russian...and later the .45 Schofield for the cavalry.
Very nice! That's a beautiful gun.

damoc | 09-04-2009 06:23 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun very nice never shoot anything but blackpowder in it talk to the gunshop about whether those smokless cowboy loads are safe for it.

TomD | 09-04-2009 06:32 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun Quote:
Originally Posted by Silver Stater (Post 1904518) The cylinder barely rotates at all. Maybe like 1 grain of sand in length. It is a .38 short colt, the guy gave me a brand new box of remington cartridges for it. The ivory handles are pretty cool. They are engraved with chinese dragons. I'll try to take a closer photo.
That's pretty tight, good for you. I've seen some older revolvers just shot to s***.

Silver Stater | 09-04-2009 06:36 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun http://imgur.com/MG0bXl.jpg http://imgur.com/cWj0Ql.jpg

CyberGold | 09-04-2009 09:44 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun If those are real ivory, or even certain marked vintage period grips - they alone could be worth more than you paid for the whole shebang. Also called a 'lemon squeezer' because of the backstrap safety that has to be depressed to fire. There were 5 models between 1887 and 1940. The serial number would help place it but don't post the last 2 or 3 digits, just post xxx in their place. Values in my 2001 S&W guidebook for an excellent condition gun range from about 300 up to 850 depending on model. Adjust that for inflation and ad some because of the grips and condition of the nickle and you probably have a $600 plus in saleable value to a S&W collector - more if it is a 1st or 2nd model. Go over to www.smith-wessonforum.com and ask the experts over there, you might even get an answer from Roy Jinks or Jim Supica himself. very good deal in my opinion

Silver Stater | 09-04-2009 09:56 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun Quote:
Originally Posted by CyberGold (Post 1904918) If those are real ivory, or even certain marked vintage period grips - they alone could be worth more than you paid for the whole shebang. Also called a 'lemon squeezer' because of the backstrap safety that has to be depressed to fire. There were 5 models between 1887 and 1940. The serial number would help place it but don't post the last 2 or 3 digits, just post xxx in their place. Values in my 2001 S&W guidebook for an excellent condition gun range from about 300 up to 850 depending on model. Adjust that for inflation and ad some because of the grips and condition of the nickle and you probably have a $600 plus in saleable value to a S&W collector - more if it is a 1st or 2nd model. Go over to www.smith-wessonforum.com and ask the experts over there, you might even get an answer from Roy Jinks or Jim Supica himself. very good deal in my opinion
Thanks for the information. The serial # is 249XXX. I'm headed over to the forum now.

Doge | 09-05-2009 10:09 AM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun Wow that is a sweet revolver. I think you got a great deal.

CyberGold | 09-05-2009 09:22 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun SN puts it at a 5th model and their sn range started at 220,000 about 1907 and went to slightly less than 261,500 in 1940 so... your is about in the middle of that range - I would guess early to mid roaring 20's timeframe. Search the S&W forum and some of the estate auction sites for one of those same models that has a S&W factory letter... that will peg exactly when different SN left the factory and you can sometimes narrow it down much closer.

Ag_man | 09-05-2009 10:13 PM
Re: How did I do? Just bought an old Smith and Wesson gun If you bought it as a shooter, probably not such deal due to ammo costs. As a collector piece, not so bad.

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