I feel like crying...

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Madcap_Magician

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... on gunbroker, I missed a grail gun.

A LNIB, apparently unfired 3" Ruger Speed Six with Postal Inspector serial number and all original paperwork.

I was drooling over it for about a day, then some cruel person just bought it.

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Very nice piece, I learned a long time ago that when you see a gun that floats your boat...
GO FOR IT...when you figure the extra expense drawn over a lifetime of use it really is negligible.

I'm not saying skip the mortgage payment for a gun, common sense should factor into your decision as well....:) but if it's within your means, why not? I've personally never seen one of those particular models so I may have gone for it myself!
 
I'm eyeballing one right now that I really want and know I should jump on it but for some reason, I hesitate. Somebody else will probably end up with it while I'm being flaky.
 
When I see a grail gun, I BUY a grail gun.

I know, i am not telling anything you don't already know, and we have all been guilty of "watching and waiting".

But I but you $1 you won't do that again
 
I would not waste tear on that. To hold value it would have to remain unfired in box and that is no fun to own. That is what vintage postage stamps and coins are for.
 
There were some over runs of the GS-33 PS 3" Speed-Six. I was also looking for this specific Postal Service model-but, could not find one a few years ago. Then, I went to a small local gun show where I was surprised to find an over run GS33P that was(And still is)NIB as pictured below-that was produced in 1988 and was within the last 500 Speed-Sixes to come off the assembly line, in the last year of production!:
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Nice revolver. It appears to have gone for $649.99. That's quite a bit for a Speed Six, but not beyond the pale, especially for one so unusual. It seems the 2 3/4-inch Speed Sixes go for $200-$300 less, which is a lot for a 1/4 inch difference. Personally, I also find that the extra 1/4 inch produces an odd-looking profile at the muzzle. I guess I just like the slightly shorter ones a lot better.
 
minutemen1776 said:
Nice revolver. It appears to have gone for $649.99. That's quite a bit for a Speed Six, but not beyond the pale, especially for one so unusual. It seems the 2 3/4-inch Speed Sixes go for $200-$300 less, which is a lot for a 1/4 inch difference. Personally, I also find that the extra 1/4 inch produces an odd-looking profile at the muzzle. I guess I just like the slightly shorter ones a lot better.
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That extra weight at the muzzle makes the gun to handle the firing of .357's much more comfortable to shoot.
 
I didn't have the cash for it, otherwise I would have just hit Buy It Now. I had about half the cash for it, but wasn't going to have the rest before the auction ended unless I sold a gun, which I haven't yet. I was hoping someone would hold off on the Buy It Now until I could scrape up the rest of the money. I didn't bid on it, even, because my wife would have been Not Happy.

It went for $650 in a heartbeat, it was only up for two days out of ten. I hesitated a tad because that's a bit high for a Speed Six, even one like that, but it wasn't outrageously high, especially for a gun in such good condition. Did you see the extractor star? I bet it hadn't been fired since the factory test.

PabloJ said:
I would not waste tear on that. To hold value it would have to remain unfired in box and that is no fun to own. That is what vintage postage stamps and coins are for.
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I think the value would have remained fairly good as long as you didn't damage it- the 3" guns are pretty rare, postal inspector guns more rare, and NIB ones nearly impossible to find, so one that was carried and shot relatively infrequently wouldn't lose a lot of value unless you really messed it up, I think.

EDIT: I would like to be able to jump on grail guns, but I can usually only afford one a year, which means when the grail gun comes up, I rarely have the money.

I have been surprised how few Six-series guns have been on Gunbroker or Gunsamerica lately.
 
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I had about half the cash for it, but wasn't going to have the rest before the auction ended unless I sold a gun, which I haven't yet.
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I have learned that it is sometimes necessary to part with more common and easily acquired guns (or those I simply no longer like) for the sake of funding others that I really want and which become available much less frequently. I have quite a few really neat firearms because of that. Also, one collateral benefit is that I swap out firearms so frequently that my wife hardly notices anymore. :) But, whatever you do, you have to pounce on these guns when they hit the auctions. Case in point, when I bought my 2 3/4-inch Speed Six, it had just been listed at a good "Buy Now" price. The auction was only a few hours old when I scooped it.

Slick6, does the extra 1/4 inch of barrel length really matter that much? Is the overall barrel contour also heavier on the 3-inch models? Otherwise, I can't imagine that much tangible benefit.
 
You'll be able to find another one, and at possibly a better price. I see Speed-Sixes on occasion, but you've got to hit the "Buy Now" button or you'll miss it. These things flitter past and you've got to be ready for them. Start stuffing the money in an envelope and you'll have enough in no time.

The only problem with these guns is that people who own them frequently don't want to get rid of them and the people who do sell them are hard up for cash. I wouldn't get rid of mine even if I was strapped. Only if they threatened to take my house away (and what would a mere handgun bring to prevent that?) would I consider selling mine. But look at the photos closely, because I've found that many guns are somewhat less desirable than described by the seller!


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I think we've all screwed the pooch when it comes to guns, either failing to buy one we wanted or sold one and then kicked ourselves.
 
It's a gun made by Grail Firearms years ago, very rare and very collectible. They don't come up for sale very often.
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Lol. Bush Pilot is being sarcastic.

A "grail gun" is a "holy grail." Basically, my holy grail will be different from your holy grail. It is a term used to describe a gun that is almost perfect. A gun that has all the features you want, and nothing that you don't. Everyone has different preferences, and thus, different "grail guns."
 
I agree with jon86's definition. I'll add that a "grail gun" is the subject of a "quest." It is usually something unusual and hard to find, or it is at least hard to find one that is affordable. Many gun guys seem to have one or two of these guns that they are constantly searching out. That's actually a big part of the fun.
 
A "grail gun" is a "holy grail." Basically, my holy grail will be different from your holy grail. It is a term used to describe a gun that is almost perfect. A gun that has all the features you want, and nothing that you don't. Everyone has different preferences, and thus, different "grail guns."
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Yep! A 4" S&W 1950 Target .44Spl is one of mine. The one I'm looking at, which I've decided to pass on, is another. Another would be a custom Ruger Bisley .500JRH, full blue, octagon barrel, ivory or french walnut and engraving. Another would be a full carbona blue, fully engraved Colt or USFA SAA in a 4¾" .38WCF or .44Spl with one-piece ivory.
 
Mine would be an IMI Timberwolf in .357, or a copy of the Beretta .380 M1934 my dad brought one home and I never got the chance to shoot it, I always wanted to but we never got the chance.
 
minutemen1776 said:
I have learned that it is sometimes necessary to part with more common and easily acquired guns (or those I simply no longer like) for the sake of funding others that I really want and which become available much less frequently. I have quite a few really neat firearms because of that. Also, one collateral benefit is that I swap out firearms so frequently that my wife hardly notices anymore. :) But, whatever you do, you have to pounce on these guns when they hit the auctions. Case in point, when I bought my 2 3/4-inch Speed Six, it had just been listed at a good "Buy Now" price. The auction was only a few hours old when I scooped it.

Slick6, does the extra 1/4 inch of barrel length really matter that much? Is the overall barrel contour also heavier on the 3-inch models? Otherwise, I can't imagine that much tangible benefit.
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It's not just the extra 1/4" barrel length-as compared to a 2-3/4" Speed-Six with a standard barrel profile, the 3" barrel is much heavier. The width of both the barrel rib and the barrel shroud are also wider. This extra mass does help in controlling the gun during firing.
 
minutemen1776 said:
I have learned that it is sometimes necessary to part with more common and easily acquired guns (or those I simply no longer like) for the sake of funding others that I really want and which become available much less frequently. I have quite a few really neat firearms because of that. Also, one collateral benefit is that I swap out firearms so frequently that my wife hardly notices anymore. But, whatever you do, you have to pounce on these guns when they hit the auctions. Case in point, when I bought my 2 3/4-inch Speed Six, it had just been listed at a good "Buy Now" price. The auction was only a few hours old when I scooped it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know. I immediately put a gun up for sale, but got no takers before whoever it was who bought it pounced.
 
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