what type of older (Last century) S&W revolvers do you collect or enjoy most?

Beautiful, Driftwood Johnson. Thank you for sharing.

In fact, thank you all for sharing your stories and pictures

They are all such great looking revolvers. I only wish it were possible for me to shoot or at least handle more of these revolvers so i could get a feel for them before making an online purchase.

Though, I don't think i would be disappointed in any case.

I might have to make it a new rule that any time i see an "older" smith in a store's gun case, that i ask to take a look even if I'm not planning to buy.
 
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And I really like the grips that have the normal thin grips with the addition of an extra metal front part of the grip with a finger grove, not sure what that style is called, but I've held one like that before and it felt great.
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That would be the Tyler T-Grip. Have them on several of my revolvers and like them as well.

Don
 
I have sold my k22 masterpiece,k38 masterpiece,model19’s,model 66’s and will keep my Smith Wesson N frames. The only k frame’s I will keep are a k.38 combat masterpiece and a k.32 masterpiece that were my Uncles.
 
My two favorites are my K22 Masterpiece 22lr (6") and my 625-2 45acp (5").


I am not a great shooter, but those two make me look good. :)
 
I like the K frames. I have 3 .38s and a .22. All are fun to shoot.

My advice is to keep money in your bank account, then haunt the local gun shops till you find a S&W you like and can afford. Then buy that gun, rinse and repeat.
 
I've owned Smith & Wesson's from 44 to 22. I don't care for the small J-frames or L's, although I do have one of each. K's and N's are my weaknesses.
 
I'm curious as to what ya'll think something like this model 17-3 might be worth.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/775763894

I guess you could say it's worth what someone is willing to pay... In that case what would you pay? Or what do you think it "should" sell for?

It looks to be in good shape, obviously has been fired, but overall looks pretty clean and fresh.

What about a similar gun in unfired condition?

There are plenty of these guns rotating in and out of gun broker all the time, so i might find a good deal on one someday, or I could get lucky and find one locally for a decent price.
 
I have a few dozen S&W Revolvers. Only keep blue, P&Rs- adj sight models
and 6" in K&N frames. I have one Nickel 83/8 m57 NIB and 3 4" guns m34,
m18 and a 29-2 NIB. I have several Ks, 14&17 NIB.

I decided to quit selling S&Ws for cash. The last year I have sold several and
the prices are going up and trades are almost non existent. I use 4" & shorter
barrels for trading stock. The m19 is the most common I run across, 4". I buy
them reguardless of dash if price is right.

My first S&W with adj sights was m17 in 1964. I still have it and would say it's
my go to 22, even though I have about 20 good 22 revolvers and autos. It has
been shot thousands of rounds and still tight, accurate and good shape.
 
I don’t collect S&W’s, but I do own a Model 10 and a Model 15, and enjoy shooting them very much. Both were acquired at bargain prices, one at a gun show, the other from Armslist.
The Armslist deal was for the Model 10. It was amazing, I was home on my day off, looking at Armslist, and saw this Model 10 4” for $250. Then I noticed it was in the next city from me, a few blocks away. Sent an email offer of $225, the seller accepted a a few minutes later and we met up to do the deal. From the time I first saw it online to getting home, sitting back in my chair admiring my new revolver took about an hour!
It turned out to be a Pre-Model 10, actually. With the taper barrel I prefer.
Shooting it is great fun, but it also serves as a viable self defense weapon. Plus, as a student of history, it lets me think of all those cops on the beat, all those pilots in three wars...it’s living history, and the fact that it was likely made in my birth year makes it even better.
 
I'm not interested in any newer models, just the older pinned & recessed ones. The only ones I have so far are a 19-3 and a 17-2. I'd like to add a model 27 and 29 but haven't gotten around to it yet. Also on my list is a 2-1/2" model 10 (just to have another snub nosed 38).
 
mellow c, The Model 10-5 you linked is not in what I would consider mint condition. It does show holster wear. I would describe it as in good condition. I have 3 each Model 10-5's, 1 each Model 10-6, and 1 each Model 10 no dash. The highest I paid for one was last year and was $408.00 which is in better condition than the one you posted. It is a snubbie and is marked PD MONTGOMERY AL. I have a letter from S&W certifying it was marked by the factory and shipped to Montgomery. Three of the others are in at least equal condition to the one you linked with one having a factory nickel finish. I have one in a lesser condition I purchased for $185.00.


I also have a Model 10-7 which is a completely different animal. It has been highly modified by Mr. Ken Eversull into a Police Pistol Combat (PPC) revolver. I suspect the build cost would of been significant.


I personally think you can still acquired a good to very good condition Model 10 used for three to four hundred dollars.
 
I'm not interested in the older models. I don't object to pinned and recessed but it's not necessary to me, and I don't place a higher value on them. Most collectors do, but I'm not one. I leave the pre-model number guns to the collectors. I'm a shooter.

Besides, these guns are getting old. If they've sat up and been cared for they are fine but I see many that are in need of rebuilding.

I like the 6' barreled guns, K frame or N frame, preferably stainless but I don't pass up blued ones. I'll have one rebuilt but it's expensive so I don't pay up for well-used guns. I don't care if it has MIM hammer/trigger, those can be swapped out. For now there are lots of used parts available for 80's-90's vintage guns. That's an important consideration if you're interested in what is now basically obsolete weaponry.

My favorites are a 6" 66-2 and a 6" 657-3.
 
Lamarw,

Thanks for your input on the model 10's.

I would agree that the one i linked was not mint condition!

Here is one that looks like it's in reasonable shape. . .

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/776117662

No one has placed a bid on it yet at $375 for a starting bid. Just a little over a day left on the auction.

Do you think that is a reasonable price, or maybe a bit of a stretch?

I think it's safe to say that a lot of what I'm looking at on gun broker seems a bit over priced. . . But it is also the only place I know of to help me gauge prices on any of these revolvers.
 
I'm curious as to what ya'll think something like this model 17-3 might be worth.
I'm also interested in the model 10.
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The 17-3 will probably go for over $500 maybe over $600. Full iszed .22 are very popular and the tend to go for more than a similar center fire revolver.

Prices for Model 10s vary quite a bit depending on lots of factors. The good news is that millions of them were made. There are probably shooters you could dig up for under $200. A dirt standard Model 10 is good shape will likely still be less than $400. Snubbies, Victory models, and pencil barrels in very good condition might go for more.

On edit, I just surfed gunbroker and man my prices are way out of date.
 
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One more question. . .

What would be considered to be a high round count on any of these model-? S&W's?

I watched a video on YouTube of Hickcock45 shooting his model 29-2 and he mentioned that he thought he had put something like 60,000 rounds through it since he bought it new, and that it's still as accurate and reliable as ever.

That sounds like a LOT to me.

At what point would you expect to "rebuild" one?
 
What would be considered to be a high round count on any of these model-? S&W's?
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If we're talking about plain vanilla rounds then that number won't be reached in this life time.

At what point would you expect to "rebuild" one?
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I do not expect to ever rebuild one.

These are very simple machines and if they are well built they should function well into the future if they have had minimal maintenance and haven't been abused.
 
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