Gun show find.

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Lucky Derby

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So I was lucky enough to get to work the Colorado Gun Collector's Association Show this past weekend. Not your typical gun show. No current production guns allowed.
So my goal was to find myself a good shooter grade pre mim, 4" .357 L frame. I succeeded. 581 no dash M stamp. The frame is marked "O.C.S. 26" Revolver has holster wear but it appears to be mechanically perfect.
Any ideas on O.C.S.? I'm guessing a county sheriff office where the county name begins with "O" Orange? Osage? IMG_20190518_162318173.jpg
IMG_20190518_162305818.jpg
 
Very nice! I love the Collector's Show. I stayed away this year to avoid having to spend $$$.

If you don't mind, what was the going rate for such an example?

My 581 "no dash- no M" is the only L-frame that I own. Cabela's had it stupidly underpriced at the Thornton store a couple years ago.
 
Have you had any issues due to not having the recall work preformed? My only other L frame is a 2.5" 686-1 with the M stamp.

I have only shot 158 gr ammo so far, like the AE JSP, and haven't had an issue. I have heard about folks having problems, more with the hot 125 gr stuff, so I don't really know.
 
There is a reason dealers carry those types of guns.....the sell, and the dealer makes a buck.
I understand that. Seemed 90% of the tables I seen at the show here were dealers with black guns, selling nothing. Picking one up if your legal is like grocery store shopping. They're everywhere. I miss the days when gun shows were all about mil surps and old revolvers.

Op, sounds like a good show and a good buy.
 
Lucky Derby

Well you definitely made your goal with the Model 581! Congrats on getting a solid, dependable, .357 service revolver.
 
A gun show that doesn’t allow current production items??!!

I wish every gun I ever saw for the rest of my life fit that category.

The Colorado Collector's Show is half mobile museum and half gun show of highly desirable and historic firearms ranging from matchlocks and wheellocks through modern collectables like the Colt SP1. If you were looking for a Winchester 1895 in .40-72, I would be confident that you would have several options to choose from, but expect to pay appropriate $$$.
 
I have only shot 158 gr ammo so far, like the AE JSP, and haven't had an issue. I have heard about folks having problems, more with the hot 125 gr stuff, so I don't really know.

The hole the firing pin comes thru is too big in some 5/681-5/686 no dash and -1.
The primer could flow into the gap and tie the gun up. I never heard about the 125 hot stuff.
If you have no problems I'd leave it alone.
This is not a CCW type revolver and if you are going to use it as a primary defense gun then get the bushing replaced. S&W may still be doing this gratis.
 
Great find! The usual Tanner shows have become something like a flea market. Last one I went to I saw Ski's and mountain bikes for sale. Not what I'm looking for at a gun show. I wish they'd have the Collectors Show more than once a year in Colorado. I missed this years show but a friend who had some tables sold two Kimber of Oregon rifles for me last year. I had to restrain myself to not buy something else with the money from those Kimbers :).
 
This is the fourth year I've worked it. Each year I've brought home a S&W wheel gun. Well actually the first year the show just caused me to hunt gun broker. The other years the deal was made at the show.
Year 1 28-2 4"
Year 2 10-8 HB 4"
Year 3 13-3 3"
Year 4 581 4"
 
I checked into getting a couple of tables last year for this year but was told there probabIy wouldn't be any available. I could put my name on a list in case someone backed out but that wasn't likely. Tables are like Bronco's season tickets used to be or maybe still are, unobtainable. It's a great show and I'm really sorry I missed it but work has been crazy this year and I couldn't make it.

looks like you picked up some nice S&W's Lucky. I was looking at Ruger #1's last year but all anyone had was new production guns in non standard calibers like 9.3x62.
 
I would love to attend a show like that. We used to have some in South Carolina that were Collectors shows but now I would guess that 90% of the guns at the shows are new or at least modern guns. I will be working a show next week with a friend who owns a Gun Shop. We will have around 10 tables. While this year he is going to take mostly used guns, most are still in production. We will have maybe one table of Collectable Smiths and Colts. It amazes me how many people don't even look at the collectables. At the last show I worked with him, the most popular items were AR's and AR Pistols.
 
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