Guns & Outdoors Forum

Found the “right” .357 Magnum, finally!!! Pre-war as far as I can tell, no S or N prefix on the serial number but I only got a cursory look because I wanted to fill out the paperwork and send it to the back into the store room before someone sobered up…. I got it for a ridiculous price, less than what a beat up Highway Patrolman would cost. Folks around here just don’t buy stuff like this.

Not an expert but I’ve been wanting a Pre-27 with a 3.5” barrel for a long time and here she is. I didn’t want a pristine example because I don’t want a safe queen (already have a mint Python with Ivory grips for Sunday Church and BBQ) but I might want to bring it back to what she looked like when she left the factory, maybe. This sucker has been carried but is as tight as the day it left the factory. The stuff on the cylinder I think is just old dirt and dried up oil. Bore is pristine!!! Will clean and shoot and then make decisions.

Will be getting out of purgatory in 1-3 days because I still don’t have a NV CCW. Then I’ll do the proper info search to establish year of manufacture etc.

Anyway here she is. This one might stay as is or maybe going to Justsomedude for his World Class Polish/Bluing treatment. Started looking for stag grips already, but might do bone instead. That is absolutely happening.

Clean it up and shoot some paper and make us jealous.

Chiro1989 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2024 4:13 am Clean it up and shoot some paper and make us jealous.

That’s the plan!

So I found the gun at Bass Pro. A place that I usually go to and don’t want anything the have, but then, every once in a while, they will have something at such a ridiculous deal that it’s a no brained…

Saw the price on the tag and did a double take. Figured it’s soooo low that if it’s even working at all it’s a great deal. So I asked for it to come out of the case and the action is perfect.

Sales guy: “Oh, all used guns are 10% off today.”

Me: “Wait what!?!? AWESOME!”

Sales guy: “AND, if you open an account today, that’s another 10% off.”

Me: “…….You’re freaking KIDDING ME!!!”

Sales guy: “AND, you get an extra $20 just for opening the account today.”

Me: :hyperventilating: Ok, OK! I’m going to pass out man…. STOP! I’ll take it!!!

Nice grab jeffe!

Thanks! Seems Santa thinks I was a good boy this year

Nice one. I never see anything like that at BPS. You must have been real good.

Damn. I'd love to make that look better than when it was new. Can even do a Colt Royal blue just to really make it pop.

Justsomedude wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2024 6:20 am Damn. I'd love to make that look better than when it was new. Can even do a Colt Royal blue just to really make it pop.

Ok… We need to talk, because your other masterpiece, the 27 .44 Mag you built for me is in need of that treatment too… sooooooo

If you recall, I "needed" the 5" version, so I understand.

You could do the George Patton thing with faux ivory and your intials. Can you stare steely-eyed while standing like you have a stick up your butt?

I believe that's the one Patton called his "killin' gun". Serious machine. Well done!

Deep clean and leave it be, IMO. Let its history talk.

Doesn’t want a safe queen, proceeds to consider making it a safe queen in the first post.

CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2024 2:12 pm Doesn’t want a safe queen, proceeds to consider making it a safe queen in the first post.

Not at all! A mint all original is (mostly) a safe queen because they are highly collectible and I hate burning actual money for no good reason, but the python gets shot too in memory of my friend who gifted it to me. I just don’t carry it much.

A refinished gun is not a collectible, it’s just freaking pretty and having Jeff do the work would mean MUCH more because my buddy did it! Don’t mind carrying and shooting pretty guns actually prefer it I’ll put my own scars on it so it has MY story. Then it can become Grandpa’s gun when I pass it down the line.

Bigslug wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2024 1:04 pm If you recall, I "needed" the 5" version, so I understand.

You could do the George Patton thing with faux ivory and your intials. Can you stare steely-eyed while standing like you have a stick up your butt?

I believe that's the one Patton called his "killin' gun". Serious machine. Well done!

Deep clean and leave it be, IMO. Let its history talk.

It’s exactly that, Gen. Patton’s “killing gun”. I’ll clean completely and see what I got but see above as far as going further. I might get teal Ivory grips. I love the way the scales on my Kimber UltraRaptor are aging as I carry it.

Damn you suck. I inherited my dad's fondness for the classic Smiths, and always have my eye out for them. No good deals to be found around here though.

Now that you have this one, I assume you don't need your Indiana Jones reproduction...

That’s pretty nice. Well done.

shotgunshooter3 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2024 6:28 pm Damn you suck. I inherited my dad's fondness for the classic Smiths, and always have my eye out for them. No good deals to be found around here though.

Now that you have this one, I assume you don't need your Indiana Jones reproduction...

Thanks but I need to hang on to that one for a bit. But if I ever decide to get Ruger if it you’ll get first dibs and throw in the hat, the whip and the bag. You buy your own Alden boots.

Zee wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2024 7:04 pm That’s pretty nice. Well done.

Thank you sir!

Sweet

Started looking for stag grips already, but might do bone instead. That is absolutely happening.

Some how I bet if Michelangelo had built a .357 revolver even a one off that ended up in your hands it would have stag
grips in less than a week… just sayin

Nice find this is the Wild West! It’s Colt single action 44 territory

Nice pick up!

When was the metal finger grip added / deleted?
I am not a S&W historian but have no memory of ever seeing that piece on the front of the grip.

That's a Tyler T-Grip, ot something similar.

A popular aftermarket accessory at one time.

breamfisher wrote: ↑Wed Dec 18, 2024 1:11 am That's a Tyler T-Grip, ot something similar.

A popular aftermarket accessory at one time.

Bingo! Patton had a very early version of it on his gun too. They are no longer made by the original company and just saw one for an N Frame on eBay for $180+ dollars!!! The damn things are becoming a collectible on their own.

breamfisher wrote: ↑Wed Dec 18, 2024 12:28 am Nice pick up!

Thanks!

Japhy wrote: ↑Wed Dec 18, 2024 12:20 am Started looking for stag grips already, but might do bone instead. That is absolutely happening.

Some how I bet if Michelangelo had built a .357 revolver even a one off that ended up in your hands it would have stag
grips in less than a week… just sayin

Nice find this is the Wild West! It’s Colt single action 44 territory

Yes I would be looking to screw up Michelangelo’s work in a heartbeat!!!