Any idea what it's worth

[DeepSouth]

It's old S&W Top Break but it's the small frame, probably only 8" long. A friend of mine brought it buy the house earlier this evening. I told him given the condition it probably isn't worth much, but everything on it does works, ejector and all. It has no original finish the grips are heavily worn and cracked in spots, the metal has pitting in several spots, as you can see in the pics.

It has no caliber indication. I'm guessing it's a 38, I dropped a 380 in the cylinder and it just fell in so I don't think it's a 32.

I get the feeling he thinks old means valuable, I tried to explain rare means valuable, not old. Anyway, he wants me to see if I could find out about what it might be worth. I wouldn't give him any idea because this is the small version and I know nothing about it. I get the feeling he had somebody offer him $300 for it, he kept bring that number up. I would think he should jump on that offer, but I wouldn't say. Figured I'd let you guys do that, that way if he thinks he got the shaft it's not my fault.


The serial number is 76653, all the numbers I found on the gun match.
If anyone could estimate a year I would love to know, just for curiosity sake.


Thanks in advanced.


EDIT:
He has the screw missing in the pics, he had just taken it apart to clean it and hadn't put the screw back in.

 

[blackrussian]

Post it here.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=372213

 

[Radagast]

Answered in the DOB thread. Just noted that the gun has all parts & is functional. In that case it is in good to very good condition. In 2006 the Standard Catalog of S&W gave a value of $235 in good condition, $285 in very good condition. With that level of pitting I would tend to rate it closer to 'good'. If he has been offered $300 and is looking to sell then it's probably a good price.

 

[DeepSouth]

Thanks Radagast.

You sure know your stuff. I really appreciate the help, I know nothing of revolvers and would never have figured all that out on my own.

Thanks again
DS

 

[Radagast]

Deep South:
I'm just a guy with a reference book. The real experts are the authors of the Standard Catalog of S&W, Jim Supica & Richard Nahas. It's published by Gun Digest Books. Well worth buying if you ever want to learn in depth about the company's products.