Fair trade for model 17-3?

[Hammer059]

A guy about 2 hours from me wants to trade his model 17-3 that seems to be in great cosmetic and mechanical shape for my Glock 17 Gen 3 plus $125 on my end, and he'll pay both the transfer fees. The only thing is I have to spend 4 hours (total) on the road…

Is this a fair trade assuming the S&W 17 is in very good - excellent condition? He's a pretty trustworthy guy. Says the cylinder locks up very tight, I will confirm this once I see it in person. He's gonna send me some better photos of the revolver tonight or tomorrow. I will post them as soon as I get them.

What do you think? Good trade or should I move on?

 

[red rick]

I just paid $650 for a 17-4 in excellent condition . The most I would pay for a G17-3 in EC would be $450 . It just depends on how you feel about your time and how much you will spend on gas .

 

[Hammer059]

I guess the road trip wouldn't be too bad. A friend of mine is willing to drive (his car gets better mpg than mine) so I'd have good company and I have off work and nothing better to do (except shoot) on Sundays. The fact that the seller is paying the transfers would pretty much off-set the cost of gas.

I guess the deciding factor will be the new photos he sends me...

 

[gotboostvr]

Price on old 17's keep rising and are getting harder and harder to find.
Can't swing a dead cat without hitting 3 or 4 used Glock's.

If it turns out you don't like the 17 it shouldn't be too hard to find a replacement Glock.

 

[Hammer059]

Good point gotboostvr.

Here are some photos

 

[Hammer059]

More photos

Any idea why the S&W logo is a little faded on the right side? Just a factory defect?

 

[Sistema1927]

I could be wrong, but it might just be that the flash washed it out.

 

[Hammer059]

I thought the same thing. But the seller said that it is indeed slightly faded or not as deep.

Could it have been re-blued? Or did it just come that way from the factory?

 

[Iggy]

Refinished sez I, and reshaped or aftermarket grips.

 

[rcmodel]

I don't see anything reshaped about the grips?

I don't see any cupping of screw holes, washed out roll marks, or other evidence of buffing & refinishing.

As for the logo?

I have a 1979'ish Model 66-1 stainless that used to be a Kansas Highway Patrol gun.

I know for a fact it was never polished or refinished, and the logo looks just like that one.
Light and washed out in front, deep and well marked at the rear.

I just figured they stamped it on a Monday morning!!

rc

 

[Old Fuff]

I have a feeling that it might be reblued, but no certain evidence shows in the pictures.

I am much more sure that the stocks are after-market replacements, most likely rosewood out of India. This tends to reinforce my thinking about a possible refinishing of the revolver itself.

 

[Hondo 60]

Hammer059,
You have to ask yourself - why am I buying this?

If it's a shooter, does it matter if it's been refinished, or that the stocks aren't original?
If you're buying it as an investment, then yes it matters.

You just don't come across nice looking 17s everyday.

 

[Twiki357]

I’m with rcmodel in post 10.

 

[eastbank]

if not buggered,i would get it. i can,t say enough about my pre-17 made in 1950. it hangs in there with the best of them. eastbank.

 

[bannockburn]

Mammer09

Sounds like a good deal, provided the gun checks out okay. Just about any Glock is easily replaced while an older Model 17 in decent condition is a thing to behold. I would would make the road trip for this one.

 

[Hammer059]

This would be a rare shooter but mostly for collection purposes. The seller said he isn't the first owner and he also suspects it may have been refinished. I think I might pass on this for a different unaltered 17 unless he's willing to change the trade more in my favor.

Will post an update as soon as I work it out with the seller.

Thanks a bunch for your input fellas. This forum is great

 

[gotboostvr]

Not to cause thread drift, but as a recent convert to silhouette sights...
Are they pretty typical for the K17's? I'm pretty sure, but just was wondering?

 

[gotboostvr]

I just double checked Red Rick's math, that works out to about $575, which is a pretty safe investment.
Also, having bought a used Gen 3 Glock with night sights used for $420 from a store none the less I'd agree with him on value of a used Glock.

Said Glock was also later traded for a different S&W revolver. Used Glocks make good trade fodder, they're practically a currency in my next of the woods.

 

[oneounceload]

I paid about 600 at a flea market for mine, sans box and papers, but no turn line

 

[Hammer059]

Since this was going to be more of a collector than a shooter, and I was planning on getting a 617 as a shooter anyway, I'll go ahead and get a 617 and keep my eye out for a model 17 in the future.

Kinda disappointing though, I had my hopes up on this one but I'll find another eventually

 

[eastbank]

i sold one of my 617,s .22 with a 6"barrel and box that was used but not abused for 800.00 and they did not shoot any better than my pre-17 and were heavier on the hip. eastbank.

 

[BCRider]

I'm thinking that it's stock all the way.

Two of my own S&W's out of the 7 or 8 I have show signs of a similar unbalance in the striking of the S&W logo and they are certainly original. So it's not unlikely that the logo on yours was struck in a similar fashion.

The grips are certainly dead on stock. No sign at all of any sort of re-finish. What the shininess of them does show is that the gun was not handled and shot all that much. So I'm inclined to go with the idea that the gun was not re-finished either.

I'd suggest that 17's tend to be in nicer condition for their age more often than many other revolvers simply because the caliber and size makes them more a range only toy than a daily carry gun. So the bluing doesn't wear from lots of holster carry and the finish doesn't become rust pitted from body sweat. Similarly the wood grips don't get worn by rubbing against fabric every day. So I feel it's not that uncommon to run across older 17's that are in almost like new condition... assuming the previous owners handled them with even normal care to avoid bumps and being dragged over sandy shooting bench tops.

I know that any handguns I use at the range for target shooting are rested on an old hand towel that comes along with me if they are not in a clean holster. I suspect that many others protect their gun investments in a similar manner. And with such care keeping a gun looking nearly like new isn't a big deal.

 

[Old Fuff]

The grips are certainly dead on stock. No sign at all of any sort of re-finish. What the shininess of them does show is that the gun was not handled and shot all that much.

Beg to disagree.

The stocks are rounded on the bottom. S&W didn't use this style on K-model target revolvers.

The screw bushings are not of a style used by S&W.

At the time Smith & Wesson would hand fit each pair of stocks to a particular frame, and then mark the serial number on the inside of each panel. Then both the barreled frame and stocks would go forward for final finishing. The lack of precise fitting at the top/rear of the horn is a dead giveaway and show the stocks are not original to the gun. I would be willing to bet if they are removed and inspected you won't find the revolver's serial number.

When you evaluate a gun using nothing more then a photograph(s) be careful to look very closely.

 

[Hammer059]

Great point BCRider… unfortunately I told the seller no and I think I burned my bridge with him because he was ticked off I decided not to take it.

Either way, I wasn't digging the idea of trading my Glock 17 WITH $125 cash on my end AND driving over 2 hours each way. I'd rather have a 617 to go with my 686+ anyway.

Still, if I ever see a good deal on a nice 17 in the future, I'll probably pick it up

 

[pharmer]

Grips are aftermarket. Eastbank's pic is of correct "diamond magnas." The finish is probably a re-do. You are wise to save the road trip. joe