Winchester_73
New member
When I think about my collection, I sometimes think of this movie clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2WQGxRNpBc
I think of Tuco saying "revolvers" after he tosses the junk ones. No matter how much I like certain semi autos, I find myself looking at and buying revolvers. I can't help myself I guess.
This past Friday I decide to go to a gun shop that I haven't been to for sometime. Its a smaller shop that occasionally gets vintage stuff. I first lay my eyes on this S&W and recognize it right away as a pre war M&P target for $550 (great price). SN 623XXX probably making it mid to late 1930s production. Grips SN to gun. He offers it to me for $550 OTD. I decide to keep looking and see if I can put together a package deal. Although I accepted if I did not find anything else, I had to buy this. These are basically the grandfather of the model 14.
I then noticed he had a Colt 1917 45 acp revolver, which was ok condition wise but beside it was this gem of a Colt Commando. These were made during WWII but few were issued. I was told this one was owned by a guy for 30 or 40 yrs by the dealer, who sold it to his brother in law. That bil sold it to the shop. Per the shop owner, the previous owner stated he shot it, but there is very little evidence of that. Gun has the flaming bomb, perfect grips and SN 22XXX. I always had an interest in the Commando model, but never thought I'd find a good one. These are pretty much a WWII version of the Official Police model with a parkerized finish, 2 or 4in barrel, and 38 special.
I then got the package deal for the pair....$950
Then on Monday, I got a neat historical S&W 32. A friend of mine bought some guns at a show, and showed me this. He bought them to sell and he knows I like S&Ws. I ended up with it because I couldn't pass it up ($125). He gave it to me for what he paid because I found him a rare out of print gun book for a good price. What are friends for as the old saying goes. Its a 32 S&W long model of 1903 hand ejector (HE) aka 32 HE 2nd model. These were the first S&W models to have the under-barrel locking lug for the extractor rod (protrusion underneath barrel with spring loaded pin), and it was one of the first models to have the cylinder stop on the bottom underneath the cylinder rather than above the cylinder like the model 1896. It also was one of the earliest models to have the pinned barrel feature.
Another neat fact about this model is that it is one of the pre 5 screw 4 screw S&Ws that you may hear about. The trigger guard screw aka the 5th screw to be ADDED (2nd to be removed for K or N frame) was for the cylinder stop spring. These 4 screws (pre 5 screw) had a different cylinder stop system and did not have a need for that 5th screw. Later when the cylinder stop spring(s) was upgraded in about 1905, the screw was added only to be taken away later (for K and N frames) in about 1963 which started the era of 3 screw guns. (Guns with the trigger guard screw but not the high side plate screw are post 5 screw '4 screw' guns) From 1963 on the S&Ws had an internal spring system which did not require the outside screw. Many viewed this as a cost cutting measure, which it was but the older design didn't really offer an advantage either.
There were approx 19k (SN 1 - 19,425) of these made in 1903 and 1904 only. This one has the SN 14XXX. For its age its in fair condition. Many times when you come across these old I frames, they are 32 HE third models, because over 270K of those were made. These model 1903s are not often seen. Its only the second I frame that I own, with the other being a bekeart 22 target revolver.
I'm very happy with these additions, but like any other obsession, I am already on to the next revolver......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2WQGxRNpBc
I think of Tuco saying "revolvers" after he tosses the junk ones. No matter how much I like certain semi autos, I find myself looking at and buying revolvers. I can't help myself I guess.
This past Friday I decide to go to a gun shop that I haven't been to for sometime. Its a smaller shop that occasionally gets vintage stuff. I first lay my eyes on this S&W and recognize it right away as a pre war M&P target for $550 (great price). SN 623XXX probably making it mid to late 1930s production. Grips SN to gun. He offers it to me for $550 OTD. I decide to keep looking and see if I can put together a package deal. Although I accepted if I did not find anything else, I had to buy this. These are basically the grandfather of the model 14.
I then noticed he had a Colt 1917 45 acp revolver, which was ok condition wise but beside it was this gem of a Colt Commando. These were made during WWII but few were issued. I was told this one was owned by a guy for 30 or 40 yrs by the dealer, who sold it to his brother in law. That bil sold it to the shop. Per the shop owner, the previous owner stated he shot it, but there is very little evidence of that. Gun has the flaming bomb, perfect grips and SN 22XXX. I always had an interest in the Commando model, but never thought I'd find a good one. These are pretty much a WWII version of the Official Police model with a parkerized finish, 2 or 4in barrel, and 38 special.
I then got the package deal for the pair....$950
Then on Monday, I got a neat historical S&W 32. A friend of mine bought some guns at a show, and showed me this. He bought them to sell and he knows I like S&Ws. I ended up with it because I couldn't pass it up ($125). He gave it to me for what he paid because I found him a rare out of print gun book for a good price. What are friends for as the old saying goes. Its a 32 S&W long model of 1903 hand ejector (HE) aka 32 HE 2nd model. These were the first S&W models to have the under-barrel locking lug for the extractor rod (protrusion underneath barrel with spring loaded pin), and it was one of the first models to have the cylinder stop on the bottom underneath the cylinder rather than above the cylinder like the model 1896. It also was one of the earliest models to have the pinned barrel feature.
Another neat fact about this model is that it is one of the pre 5 screw 4 screw S&Ws that you may hear about. The trigger guard screw aka the 5th screw to be ADDED (2nd to be removed for K or N frame) was for the cylinder stop spring. These 4 screws (pre 5 screw) had a different cylinder stop system and did not have a need for that 5th screw. Later when the cylinder stop spring(s) was upgraded in about 1905, the screw was added only to be taken away later (for K and N frames) in about 1963 which started the era of 3 screw guns. (Guns with the trigger guard screw but not the high side plate screw are post 5 screw '4 screw' guns) From 1963 on the S&Ws had an internal spring system which did not require the outside screw. Many viewed this as a cost cutting measure, which it was but the older design didn't really offer an advantage either.
There were approx 19k (SN 1 - 19,425) of these made in 1903 and 1904 only. This one has the SN 14XXX. For its age its in fair condition. Many times when you come across these old I frames, they are 32 HE third models, because over 270K of those were made. These model 1903s are not often seen. Its only the second I frame that I own, with the other being a bekeart 22 target revolver.
I'm very happy with these additions, but like any other obsession, I am already on to the next revolver......