S&W 13-3 3"

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popeye

popeye

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Today I purchased a 13-3 3" and I'm curious about your thoughts. The gun is about 90% because of holster muzzle wear and a couple small owies. Mechanically it's perfect. I've been looking for a 19 2.5" for quite a while now and affordable ones are non existent. Are the 2.5" 19 and 13 3" comparable in price and desirability in today's market?
13-3_zpsnuylm6re.jpg


Thanks, Jim
 
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Nice gun, In my experience they arent quite fetching the same prices as their model 19/66 counterparts, but make no mistake about it every k frame is going up in price even the "lowly" model 10. That model 13 would be an ideal carry gun for me, I have its stainless cousin a 65 with a 4 inch barrel that is my fishing/one of my hunting backups. Mine really loves 158 gr remington JSPs.
 
Um that gun you got is probably the best fighting .357 revolver- ever.The 3" barrel fully extracts the .357 shell which the 2.5 is a little iffy about. The barrel is just heavy enough to keep the muzzle rise down. The hot grip set up in the day were the Bianchi Rubber hammer shroud grips for that gun . The rubber was hard enough that it didn't stick to clothes like the Pachy did and it had a hammer shroud that still permitted SA cocking . The were made only in RB K & J frames I believe and I have only seen Brown color ones.
 
The 3-inch Model 13 is one of my grail guns which would really round out my K-frame collection. A terrific .357, to be sure. The FBI apparently thought so as well.
 
IMO you were able to find the snub nose M13 in good condition for a reasonable price because it doesn't have adjustable sights like the M19. That is good news for those who are buying it for carry because there is no need for adjustable sights on an SD gun. I like the M13 just as much as the M19 and even more than the M19 for carry.
 
Jim

Great find and in really nice condition! I liked the slightly longer barrel of the 3" Model 13 versus the the 2.5" barrel of the Model 19. To me it gave the gun better balance and handling qualities. Now add a Tyler T-Grip adapter and you'll be all set.
 
Thanks to all for thoughts on my purchase:
It's snowed here butt deep to a 40 foot Giraffe and I've been housebound the last couple days. There's a Cabelas 10 mins. down the road from me. Rarely any good deals on "out of production" revolvers there. So to make a short story long, I wandered on down to Cabelas out of boredom and found the 13 in the "gun library". $349 and they have 10% off that on used guns right now. The gun had rubbers on it but they've been replaced with N frames cut and shaped to fit a K. They're about 1.5 times as thick as K frame grips so I don't think I'll need a Tyler. Unless I can find one:).
 
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Before my agency transitioned to autos, I carried a Model 13 for several years. For whatever reason, this gun had one of the nicest da trigger pulls I've ever experienced on a revolver of any kind. When I bought the s/s version (the Model 65) to carry, I didn't think the old Model 13 had a role in my "inventory" any more and I sold it. I ended up giving the Model 65 to my oldest daughter and regretting ever selling that Model 13.
 
A nice gun and a terrific price, especially for Cabela’s. I paid $450 for my 13-2 with a 3” barrel three years ago.


A bit of history. The model 13 started life as a model 10-6 in 357 as a special order for a police dept. When more departments wanted them, it became the model 13-1. S&W reportedly considered the 10-6 in 357 to be the first model 13 so there is no model 13 no dash.
 
popeye said:
Today I purchased a 13-3 3" and I'm curious about your thoughts. The gun is about 90% because of holster muzzle wear and a couple small owies. Mechanically it's perfect. I've been looking for a 19 2.5" for quite a while now and affordable ones are non existent. Are the snub 19 and 13 3" comparable in price and desirability in today's market?
13-3_zpsnuylm6re.jpg


Thanks, Jim
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Alloy-fremed version of this called Model 12? cal. .38 Special was the finest defensive carry revolver ever built bar none.
 
You got that revolver at a steal , especially from Cabela's . I don't see them for sale much in my area , but the few that I have seen , they were asking prices north of $600 dollars .
 
Model 12 is basically an alloy copy of the 10. Kinda like the model 37 is to the 36. Mod 12 Only came in 2" and 4" with round or square butt. The model 12 thru the dash 3's have a frame approx 1/5" (by my recollection" ) thinner than the 10. Mod 12-4 has standard width frame. Orig grips for thin frame 12's are skinnier and hard to find.
Sorry:) I only bore you with this stuff because you have hit upon something I know a little about having had 2 or 3 mod 12's.
 
I once had a 2.5" and was delighted to trade it for a 3" Model 13. Still have it, would not sell or trade. Excellent balance, easy to carry and I'm fine with the fixed sights. I agree with other posters, I have almost never seen another for sale.
 
I can't remember the last 3" 13 I saw for sale probably the one I bought. That gun and my 3" 65 ladysmith will never be sold just great carry guns. Although there on house duty now as my 315 Night Guard has took over for out of the house duty.
 
ArchAngelCD said:
Yes, the M12 was the original Airweight.[/QUOTE
jimbo555 said:
Wasn't the model 37 the original airweight?
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Click to expand...
popeye said:
I kinda thought it was the pre 42 Centennial around 50-53?
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The M12 was the M&P Airweight before 1957 and was first manufactured in 1952.

The M37 had the name the Chief's Special Airweight before 1957 and first manufactured in 1951.

The M42 before 1957 was the Centennial Airweight and was first manufactured in 1952.

While I was actually talking about the K frame Airweight and the M12 was first I did also think it was the first Airweight over all. I see the pre-M37 proceeded it by one year. I wasn't thinking about J frames since we were discussing K frames but I was incorrect thinking it was before the pre-M37.
 
I always enjoy any opportunity to post a pic of my 13-2. It is my favorite, best shooting revolver. The Tyler T-Grip make shooting .357 loads much easier however most of the time these days I only shoot .38 out of it.
IMG_1933.jpg
 
I have had a 3" 65 around for 30 years. Had one, sold it. Regretted it within a month. Bought the next one I found.

Bought the next one I found too. The only carry gun (not collectible) I have two of. I think that highly of them.

If I could only own one gun for carry for the rest of my life, it may very well be a 3" 65.

(I love blue guns but, I have military grade weaponized sweat. I will rust a blue gun in 3 hours carried concealed in the Texas summer...only reason I prefer stainless. If I got yours, I'd have it hard chromed or enickled and go forth)
 
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