Price check: S&W model 30-1

[Long Path]

.32 S&W Long 2" round butt, original box, papers, cleaning gear.
Appears unfired.

Local Member Johnny Guest called me and urgently needs to know if this pistol is REALLY worth $325.

Please advise soonest.

--L.P.

 

[Long Path]

SN begins with an "H", blue is gorgeous on it, he says. (Getting this by cell phone.)

 

[Ala Dan]

Smith & Wesson model 30, .32 S&W Long

Greeting's Guy's,

Long Path, my dad bought a S&W model 30 NIB back in
1971. He gave $92.00 + applicable sales tax for it at the
old' Aeromarine Supply in Birmingham, AL. This gun has
been fired VERY little! Upon my dad's death back
in January of 1996, I presented the gun complete with
all the aforementioned item's to my uncle; as he helped
by dad during the last years of his life.

So, if the gun is in the condition you mention; $325 is
a very fair price. I had put a $300 price figure on mine
as a "collector value", cuz they aren't making them
any more.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Mike Irwin]

I bought one a few months ago for around that price, with a bit of wear and no box.

 

[Johnny Guest]

Back from my meeting now - - -

- - -thanks for the quick replies, and thanks to LP for posting my question.

Man, this little gun is pretty! The story that came with it is the former owner inherited it from his father, and there was a box of cartridges with five missing. I guess they could have been fired in it, or maybe the piece was just bought new and loaded with those five. No marks on standing breech, no powder marks on front of cylinder. No drag mark on cylinder. And it has surely never been carried.

I do not need another revolver I can't shoot! And it would be a shame to shoot this one. But it would look so GOOD with my 2 inch RB models 34 and 37. And it would be a sin to do what I would REALLY like to do--Have chambers reamed to .32 H&R mag. (And, why would I want one of those, anyway???)

Don't know how old the 30-1 model is--The stocks do not have the large diamond around the stock screw. Old blue box--Didn't notice if it had the Bangor Punta trade mark on it.

Oh, wurra, wurra.

Best,
Johnny

 

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's Johnny Guest-

Reading from the Standard Catalog Of Smith & Wesson, 2nd edition by Supica & Nahas, the Smith & Wesson model
30-1 was introduced in 1961, as a J-frame production at
serial number 712954. The diamond insert grip's were
deleted in 1968; and in 1969 the prefix "H" was added
to the serial number. Hope this helps some, my friend?

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Mike Irwin]

Do NOT ream it out for .32 Mag.

The cylinder may not be heat treated.

I'm not sure when they started heat treating the cylinders on the .32s, but I think it was pretty late.

 

[Long Path]

Yeah, and you ream it out, and it works, and what have you got? A no-longer collectable revolver that is less powerful than your M37 Airweight, which is, BTW, lighter. Nope. I'd say for all sakes, if you buy it, leave it in its original condition.