The S&W Revolver sought after like the Colt Python...?

[dogrunner]

C'mon fellas! There IS no comparison between Smith and Colt...........ANY S&W is a better design than ANY Colt.......!

After all, have you ever seen an old Smith out of time or an old Colt IN TIME!


There by God, that oughta stir up this thread!

 

[Hawk]

There by God, that oughta stir up this thread!

Wheelgunnies are a pretty mellow lot, overall.

FWIW, although I've had epic sorry luck with Pythons and wouldn't roll the dice on another, my most spectacularly timing challenged revolver was a boxed pinned & recessed Model 57.

Both pre-lock S&Ws and all Colt DAs are, of necessity, to be found on the (ab)used market with varying degrees of QC from the factory and, for the most part, an unknown series of former custodians some of which may have owned dremels, die grinders and assortments of files and weren't afraid to use them.

Captain Obvious says: those extolling the virtues of pre-lock S&Ws and the buttery smoothness and accuracy of Pythons "Already Got Theirs". It's a dismal time to be starting in the hobby - I'm convinced the good ones are gone.

 

[ButchG17]

Here's George Smith Patton's Registered Magnum, I took this picture through the glass at the Patton Museum in Ft. Knox, Ky.



A little closer:




Butch

 

[batmann]

I think a .44 Magnum (now) Model 29blued with a 6.5"bbl---we know it as "Dirty Harry's" gun would be my choice. They were virtually hand made and still represent the finest, IMHO, Smiths ever made.Prior to the M29 designation, they known simply as .44 Magnums.

 

[Katty]

I am almost certain that the revolver I tried years ago that had the very nice feeling trigger/action was a Model 27. Not 1005 sure though. I like everything about a revolver like butter. Ain't nottin like it!
Great info here I'll be looking closer now and will read the book mentioned in this thread.
Thanks very much. Any other opinions a surley welcome.
And by the way I would be interested in some of these guns mentioned above.

 

[Hawk]

GS Patton

Was the heavy cylinder front bevel factory standard in them thar days?

 

[bluetopper]

For "me" the most pleasurable to shoot is the Model 14 Target Masterpiece.

Never was much of a magnum guy.

 

[ButchG17]

Was the heavy cylinder front bevel factory standard in them thar days?

It appears it was.....here's another Registered Magnum I found on the web:

My WWII vintage Victory Model has the bevel too:




Butch

 

[gunfish]

The Colt most comparable to pre war S&W 357 Magnum would be the Shooting Master. Both were expensive 'top of the line' type models built by the best people the factory had. I think the Python is unique for a post war handgun. Here are some pics of a registered magnum (shipped May, 1936) and a triplelock (shipped 1915).

 

[Seafarer12]

while the Combat Magnum refers to the K frame 357 Made 1955-57 when it became the Model 19.

I have a Model 19, 76' vintage and it is a combat magnum.

 

[CSA 357]

THE 27 AND PRE 27S AND 29S, YES I LOVE THE N FRAME SMITHS!

 

[doc2rn]

I personally feel that the most copied S&W in the world should get top billing so I through out the model 10 or M&P for consideration. Jus my $.02.

 

[71Commander]

M58. Been looking for over a year now for a decent one. Prices are going through the roof.

 

[Majic]

They were virtually hand made and still represent the finest, IMHO, Smiths ever made.Prior to the M29 designation, they known simply as .44 Magnums.

While the .44 Magnum is a very nice revolver it is nothing but a production gun. The Registered Magnum represents more of a handmade revolver and IS Smith's finest achievement.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Gosh guy's, Colts Python just doesn't fit me very well; not even close to
what those Smith K, L, or even N frames do for me~! With that said,
give'me an old Smith K or N frame every time; and I will be a very happy
camper~!

I got to agree with Dan. I have had both the 4 and 6 inch Pythons. Like my Smiths much more, m29, m19, m27, hell, even my old m&p.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Mighty pretty picture, Cocked & Locked!

 

[JohnBT]

"After all, have you ever seen an old Smith out of time or an old Colt IN TIME!"

Sure. If you haven't you need to get out more.

John

 

[Jackal]

It is my opinion that the S&W 586 is every bit as good/smooth a revolver as the Python. I personally looked for a nice one for a very long time. Tjhankfully, I found one at a price I could live with.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

For the model 29 .44 magnum fans

 

[71Commander]

Oooohs and AAAAhs.

I knew they made a pinto in a 66 but not a 29.

Here's my M28-2

 

[Old Fuff]

Hawk:

Captain Obvious says: those extolling the virtues of pre-lock S&Ws and the buttery smoothness and accuracy of Pythons "Already Got Theirs". It's a dismal time to be starting in the hobby - I'm convinced the good ones are gone.

Not really, although I tend to look for pre-war and early post-war K and I frame revolvers. N frames are out there but usually very expensive - although they hold their value and keep going up. K-frame .38 Specials can sometimes be acquired in mint condition for around $300.00, especially those with longer then 4 inch barrels. But now the more common K frames are being discovered, and they too are headed up. A slightly worn finish makes no difference in the way a gun shoots, but can drop the price considerably. It can be said that there is an obvious relationship between prices and perfect cosmetics - which may make no practical difference, except to the pickiest collectors.

As for post-war guns: In the time period running from 1946 through the middle 60's I seldom see one that has problems not related to owner abuse or neglect. Those made during the Viet Nam war period tend to have a higher percentage of quality control issues, but even so the number is modest. I suspect that the timing problem with your model 57 is not a serious one, and could be inexpensively corrected at the factory.

As an aside: This morning a friend won a Colt Officers Model .38 Special revolver on an Internet auction. It turns out he was the only bidder. This 6" barreled target gun represents the best that Colt could turn out during the Great Depression years of the 1930's and 1940. As a shooting machine it exceeds 95 % of the Pythons ever made when it comes to fit and finish. This is particularly true of later production Pythons that saw far less skilled handwork because of obvious economic reasons. These monetary restraints did not exist when the Officers Model was made, and it shows.

These days a Python seems to go in the $700 to $1500 range - at least on the auctions. My friend picked up this outstanding vintage revolver for $400, and his bid wasn't even contested.

Somehow I don't believe all of the great buys are gone, but you do have to recognize one when it comes along.

 

[Phil DeGraves]

M27. 3 & 1/2 or 5 inch models.

 

[Hawk]

As an aside: This morning a friend won a Colt Officers Model .38 Special revolver on an Internet auction. It turns out he was the only bidder. This 6" barreled target gun represents the best that Colt could turn out during the Great Depression years of the 1930's and 1940.

While I can appreciate his good fortune, if that had been me, the Colt would have arrived dysfunctional and broken in a way that neither Colt nor the Forgemaster of Asgard could have repaired it. Doug Turnbull would have refused to attempt the work. Cunningham would double-close his waiting list upon setting eyes on it.

Clearly, the planets are aligned against me vis a vis Colt through no fault of Colt. Perhaps I was bitten on the butt by a prancing pony as a child and left traumatized thereby. There's a lot about my rural upbringing that I can't quite recall...

Anyhow, in a 12-step program to improve my attitude and fan the faint glimmer of hope that struggles on re: pre-lock S&Ws, I bought a 4" 57-1 earlier today. The fine folks at Ray's had marked the tag "1982" which, for all I know, was also deep in the dark times of Bangor Punta but the timing checked so what the hey. 'Course the date may not even be accurate as they wouldn't part with their only copy of SCoSW and it was under glass not unlike the way the Necromonicon is displayed at Miskatonic University in Arkham.

Anyhow, it was reportedly from the same estate as the 5" nickel 27 which was satisfactory so I have high hopes it will send 6 downrange without exploding, much.

I still haven't made the road trip to Westernmost Fort Worth to retrieve the naughty 57-no-dash of grevious timing. Procrastination will be the end of me.

 

[Old Fuff]

You sound as pessimistic as a Republican who took a wrong turn and ended up at a Democrat convention...

Anyway, The 57-1 was made from 1982 through (approximately) 1988, within a serial number range running from (again approximately) N932xxx to a number with a three-letter prefix starting at AAF9000 and ending up with something starting with "B". Given an exact number I can do better.

Being an optimist I'd say if it works it probably would continue to do so.

 

[Hawk]

Nothing turns an optimist into a pessimist faster than a couple of problem child Pythons and a delinquent pinned & recessed. There was probably a diagnosis of "realist" in the middle of the transition but I went sailing past it so fast I can only recall a blur.

Ah, serial numbers. They gave me the piece in what they referred to as a "West Texas Holster" - looks like a brown grocery bag to me. Anyhow it's "rat chair" (that's a Texan phrase meaning: "in this very place.)

AUZ 5341

So that doesn't mean it was made by their Australian / New Zealand branch? Cool. Thanks, Fuff.