1 1/2" S&W Snubnose. You don't see these everyday

[twaits]

This appears to be a legit 1 1/2". The factory did make a few of these but they are super rare.

S&W 1.5" Banker 1 of 15 38 Safety Hamerless 5th : Curios & Relics at GunBroker.com

I know its not a Colt but it's too interesting not to post and you can't post auctions in the S&W forum.

[Onisius]

I would love to have that.

[pyshtrvr]

Yep, been watch'n that one.

[Widetrack55]

Seems to me that if seller wants that kind of money it should be incumbent on him to get it lettered before offering it for auction. Way to much money for maybe.

[mm6mm6]

I love those little guns, but I wouldn't even think about paying that kind of money without having it factory lettered. How much is a letter from Roy Jinks these days? $50? I'd be very nervous about that gun without the letter to verify its originality.

[Oyeboten]

It's as cute-as-a-Bug!


Though...

Without better images of the Barrel sides ( and even the Barrel top ) I am not feeling confident this even represents a factory configuration, or, that it is not an old, well done, nicely done, nicely cared for "Chop-Job".


Indeed - a 'Letter' would be the first thing I would do, if I were the Seller.


If it is a correct and original one, do the production figures quoted by the Seller seem correct???


I did not know these were that rare.

Or am I confusing the "1-1/2 Inch" ones, with the "2 Inch"?

[twaits]

The 1 1/2 inchers are incredibly rare.
A S&W letter is $50. Yes the seller should definitely have a letter. I'm not sure what markings the 1 1/2 inchers had.

[DCWilson]

Agreed, a letter is an absolute requirement for a gun with an asking price like that.

A few worries:

The seller says "all numbers match," but does not mention the stocks. I get a bad vibe from the wood. Are these original to the gun? They are at least period correct. The serial number points to 1921/22 manufacture, and the absence of medallions is consistent with that timing.

Something about the muzzle treatment leaves me nervous. Yes, it's crowned, but why does the light reflect from the crown and the front face of the rib so differently than from the adjacent surfaces?

The "one of 15" claim needs some documentation, even if it is only to an auction description for another specimen. If he is selling to collectors, he needs to play by collector's rules. The little specific info in this ad comes straight from the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, p. 87

The narrative prose is a little hyper. Marketers who sell the sizzle rather than the steak always make me wonder. An authentic rare gun will sell itself. If such a gun has the proper documentation and air of authenticity, it doesn't need a pitchman's delivery. If they don't read as authentic, a pitch won't help them.

Even if I were a safety hammerless collector, I would not be a buyer in the current state of knowledge. I'm not claiming the gun is a fake. I am simply uncertain. Some additional work is needed to make me conclude that it isn't.

The seller's record is excellent. I very much doubt he would knowingly market a modified gun as original, but he could be mistaken or even deceived by a prior owner.

[DCWilson]

The 1 1/2 inchers are incredibly rare.
A S&W letter is $50. Yes the seller should definitely have a letter. I'm not sure what markings the 1 1/2 inchers had.

At least one is known that had reduced dimension lettering to fit both the manufacturer's name and the cartridge designation into the available space. Shipped 1938, probably a special order. I notice that the one on Gunbroker has no markings on the barrel.

[Oyeboten]

The 2 Inch ones I believe had the Texts on the sides of the Barrel, more or less centered, and, of course, nothing stamped on the Barrel Top.

Period ( or later ) Chop-Jobs of course are not able to have these Stampings present or will have merely vestiges of the end of the stampings, and or of the fine texts appearing on the barrel Top also.


My 2 Inch has a very tidy text stamping on each side of the Barrel ( if memory serve ) and I do not recall ever knowing anything about what is to be expected of the 1-1/2 Inch version to know what to look for there, other than, maybe, it had the same Texts but with less room on each end.