I think I finally struck gold with this one.

Over the past year or two we have all marveled at Snake Plisskin’s amazing talent for finding underloved S&W Magnums and giving them a new home. I think I finally found a near-perfect 1980-born Smith worthy of Snakes discerning eye.

I stumbled upon an auction for a S&W 8 3/8” Model 14-4 with the original box and paperwork that I just couldn’t say no to. After getting to finally look it over closely after it’s 10-day wait in the penalty box, I seriously think that over it’s 30-odd years it may have less than a box of rounds through it.

The images were good on the website, but we all know that up close is the only way to know what you’re truly getting. I can say there literally isn’t a mark anywhere on this gun. The bluing is so deep and shiny you can see your reflection in the barrel, cylinder and side plate. There is a hint of a turn line on the cylinder and the ghost of a cartridge head image around the firing pin bushing. Every screw looks untouched, the muzzle is spotless, the cylinder faces hardly have any firing ring and the case hardened trigger and hammer are bright and look like they’ve never been cycled. If this gun has seen even half a box of 50 rounds I’ll be surprised as hell.



(The cloth I used to wipe it down had some lint on it, a bit got left on the gun .)

The matching grips are also undamaged and the back strap still has bright bluing on all the ridges and edges of the frame.

I have never had a safe queen like this one before. I don’t buy guns to sit on, I buy them to shoot, share and enjoy. So, this beauty will be exercised Friday with a few others at my bi-weekly range trip. I’ve never owned a K-frame S&W with a barrel longer than 6”, so I am really looking forward to seeing how she stacks up against her new adopted sisters; a 14-3 6” and a 15-3 4”.

A new photo of the trio, “The sisterhood of the HBWC.”



When I get back I’ll do my best to post about how it shot for me.

Every once in a while we all stumble upon a gem, I think this is about as bright and shiny a jewel as I’ll ever find.

Stay safe.

Driftwood Johnson said:

Howdy

Very nice.

Interesting that it has the Oversized Target grips on it. Perhaps because of the extra long barrel to steady it for target shooting.

I found my 14-3 a few years ago in a local shop. It too was virtually without a blemish, only the tiniest of a line on the cylinder. It shipped in 1974 and I stole it for $500. Mine has the standard Magna grips on it. My box is not in quite as good shape as yours, and it did not have any of the goodies inside.

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I am old enough to remember those little blue ammo flyers that came with Smiths in the 1970s. Here is my Model 17-3 that I bought brand-spanky new in 1975. Still have the box and all the goodies.

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Anyway, nice catch with your Model 14-4. Shoot it in good health, but try not to bung it up too much.

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Thanks all I’m thrilled to have located a specimen like this that didn’t take me selling a kidney and getting a second mortgage to pay for. I knew it looked nice, but I will say the condition of this one really surprised both myself and my receiving FFL. He does a ton of transfers and said he hadn’t seen a “used” one thst wasn’t old-stock NIB that clean in decades I’ll admit that when I saw it the 10-day wait felt like 20.

All of my other K frames came with the magnas or rubber Hogues, this is the first one I’ve bought with the bigger factory stocks. The factory splinter and magna grips do not agree with my hands, so I usually swap for the fingergroove ones. These feel good, after I shoot it I’ll know if these will stay on this gun or get swapped with fingergrooved ones.

Stay safe.