Good price?

[Oldschool shooter]

Hello all, was at LGS today and saw a beautiful S&W 38/44 heavy duty. Very slight line on the cylinder and no wear at muzzle or front edges on the cylinder. Gun had original grips and the bluing was beautiful. I looked it over real good, no hint whatsoever that the gun had been re-blued. Asking price is $950. Is this a good price, and if not, what would be a reasonable price for this gun? Thanks for your help.

 

[Deaf Smith]

What BBL length and the first 3 digits of the serial number?

Deaf

 

[Oldschool shooter]

4" barrel, sorry, I didn't write down the serial#. Is this an N frame gun or did they not designate frame size by letter then? If it helps, the gun was issued to an IRS investigator back when

 

[Deaf Smith]

Well you might like this:

http://38-44heavyduty.com/

http://americanhandgunner.com/the-3844-heavy-duty/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFeXwR95LJA

Here is one for $550 in Texas (but it is not mint.)

http://texasguntrader.com/index.php?a=2&b=662622

And a VERY NICE ONE for 1,495.00.

http://www.gunsinternational.com/Sm...9114d7ff3-0874BDF8-90B1-1C33-46132F79F1A69700

Deaf

 

[Oldschool shooter]

Thanks, Deaf. I'm guessing the dealer probably paid $500-$550 for it. $950 doesn't sound too bad. Think I may offer $825 and go from there. If Zi get it I will post pics.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Yea dealers usually offer 1/2 of what they are worth. Buy low, sell high.

Now I don't blame them, after all they have alot of expenses and they do have to eat.

Just make sure the gun has not been altered or reblued. Check it very carefully.

Deaf

 

[Oldschool shooter]

LGS isn't budging on price right now, only had this gun for a few days. I'll give it a week and maybe he will negotiate then.

 

[newfalguy101]

Depending on which exact model it is, assuming your description is accurate, $950 is anywhere from a good price to an outstanding price, if it is as good as you say it is, and they have very much traffic come through, the gun likely will be gone by next week......

 

[Old Fuff]

Putting a price on this revolver is difficult because they were made before and after World War Two. Collectors are generally more interested in pre-war guns, while some (but far from all) shooters prefer the post-war production because they have a positive hammer block safety that allows safe carry with a fully loaded cylinder.

Post-war guns with have a serial number prefix "S". Pre-war guns have no prefix. The serial number is stamped on the bottom of the butt.

While the 4" barrel length is harder to find, I would want to have it awfully bad to shell out $950.

 

[Oldschool shooter]

Thanks for the info Old Fuff. When my grandfather was a Detroit police officer, he carried one of these, thought it might be neat to have. The dealer has a decent amount of foot traffic, and seems to have a knack for getting these older revolvers in on trade. I've gotten a few of them by luck and being patient until he will negotiate price. Most of his customers want ARs and semiautomatic pistols, so waiting another week may work in my favor. Of not and I really "need" another revolver, he has a Colt Cobra, a Detective Special, or a really nice Diamondback, all of them been there for about a month now.

 

[Old Fuff]

Just for grins

A fair number of police officers carried these heavy revolvers because if someone wanted to get physical they made an excellent head-knocker, and could be used for this purpose without bending or breaking anything in the revolver.

They were particularly popular in the Southwest, especially in Texas.

I can confirm that you're right about today's buyers who are sold on black rifles and large capacity magazines. About the only .38 revolvers that still have fan-boy clubs are small, light, 5-shot, snubbies. If it doesn't say: ".357 Magnum" it will likely sit.

 

[jmace57]

Oldschool - FWIW, I own almost 60 S&W revolvers...and by far, my favorite one of them is my post-war Heavy Duty (4"), followed by my pre-war HD (5"). It is my understanding I have the common barrel-lengths of each. A 4" pre-war or 5" post-war are relatively rare, and prices are commensurately higher. If you can, take a .357 magnum shell with you and see if it will fully chamber. If so, it has been reamed out, which will negatively affect the collector value.

 

[mnrivrat]

If you can, take a .357 magnum shell with you and see if it will fully chamber.

Just a quick add on to this - take, or ask for a dummy round, and ask permission first. I remind you of this out of my experience behind the counter when a customer dropped a live round into a revolver he was being shown by another sales person. I'll spare the details but I assure you it makes a sales person go code red.

 

[CajunBass]

Depending on which exact model it is, assuming your description is accurate, $950 is anywhere from a good price to an outstanding price, if it is as good as you say it is, and they have very much traffic come through, the gun likely will be gone by next week......

Which of course is exactly why they're not willing to dicker on the price right now. They can afford to wait for the right buyer. And one will come along.

Which is why as that buyer, you have to ask yourself, am I willing to lose it over 50 or 100 bucks.

It's a tough call sometimes.

I walked away from a refinished Triple-Lock, 44 Special, with Pachmayr grips for $425.00 last week. I'm still sort of kicking myself for it. I'm telling myself I read the tag wrong and it was 1425.00. I keep telling myself I don't want to have to start reloading for another cartridge...

I might go to the show today and see if it's still there.

 

[rswartsell]

Where is Peter Eick when you need him?