What is this modified heavy-barrel scoped S&W?

[MatthewVanitas]

I picked this up at a pawnshop for $325, and fear I overpaid. I was just so impressed by the single-action pull, which is just amazingly light.

The heavy barrel is marked "PATTON'S GUNS", and the backstrap is engraved "LOWELL POLICE DEPT 9". The inside of the frame says "6222" and the bottom of the butt says "667525", but doesn't look like the S&W stamps I'm used to. It's like a deeper square punch with the letters at the bottom, so not sure if the PD stamped deeper lettering on top of old lettering or what.

Not front sight, but the heavt barrel has two screw holes and there's another screw hole in the sight channel on the frame.

A bit of googling showed there was once a "Patton's Guns" in Michigan, about 45 min away from a town called Lowell, so that's probably the geography of it.

What kind of revo is this (pre Model 10 M&P?), and what sport has it been modified for? Any idea what it's worth, given the mods and that it's been refinished?

 

[Radagast]

Looks like it has been modified for PPC or bullseye with a heavy barrel, but not finished. At one point similar barrels were popular for service match (Australian version of PPC) here in Australia, but with adjustable sights fitted. Realistically in it's current condition it is only good for parts IMHO, so it's value is low.

 

[Jim Watson]

Agreed, looks like Mr Patton was building a PPC match revolver on a Lowell PD surplus S&W and quit before he was done. The gun lacks the usual big Bomar or Aristocrat full length sight rib that the barrel and top strap are drilled and tapped for. It has no barrel pin, either.

The single action does not signify. These guns are shot DA for most if not all of the match.

It is worth precisely $325.00. You would not have paid too much and the dealer would not have taken too little.

 

[MatthewVanitas]

It has no barrel pin, either.

I was wondering about that. I noticed its absence and figured that barrel was joined by some other method.


Okay, so if I decide to sell it I'd just label it "S&W custom PPC revolver by Patton's Guns"? And then note in the ad that it needs a rib? I'd imagine if I chucked it up on GB for $299 it might move.

Honestly, this is probably one of my least logical impulse buys for firearms, and one of the very few times that I'll end up selling a gun for less than I paid for it.

 

[NG VI]

looks like it might be a neat older S&W to hold onto, I don't know how much sight ribs cost but if it is all ready for one, why not find a good deal on one and see how it shoots?

 

[PotatoJudge]

If you'd be interested in a proper sight rib for that thing:

http://www.wichitaarms.com/Products/sights.asp
http://www.aristocratproducts.com/prices.html

$300-400 is about what I see worn old PPC K frames go for around here. They tend to have excellent triggers, and so long as they're not shot loose I think they're not a bad buy at those prices.

As I understand it S&W never really needed that pin structurally. The barrel is cut to a tight fit with the frame so that it snugs up as the front sight hits center. I imagine having the barrel drilled for a pin is not money well spent, though to me having a standard front sight installed would be worth it (assuming $30 labor and an inexpensive sight). The sight ribs run about $150 uninstalled so that's out of the question until you run into a cheap rib. Maybe having it tapped for a weaver base would be the least expensive way to get it in shooting condition.

 

[mnrivrat]

Or - you can buy a cheap used M&P standard barrel and replace the heavy barrel . A police marked M&P should be worth $300 - $350 in many market area's , and the used barrel can be found for around $25 .