S & W .357 Magnum model 13-1

danielgottlieb

June 01, 2011 21:21

Could you give me a little history on this revolver? Would it make a good home defense weapon? I am 75. How can I find the general value?

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  cpermd

  June 02, 2011 05:35

  Great home defense gun.
  
  Anywhere from $200 - $650 depending on model, finish and condition.
  
  Need close up macro pics.
  
  CP

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  dcs shooters

  June 02, 2011 07:32

  The FBI carried the model 13 for years before going the a semi-auto.
  A S&W revolver makes a excellent home defence gun. All you have to do is point it and pull the trigger. With a single action semi-auto you have the thumb safety to remember in the middle of the night when things go wrong.

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  tsr1965

  June 02, 2011 07:40

  That will make you a dandy home/self defense gun. You might even be able to run a little offense on an intruder with that.
  
  Do yourself a favor, and don't feed it a steady diet of hot 357's. It is a K frame, and while a few hot 357's are ok, a constant diet of them, will loosen it up.
  
  Best

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  beantownshootah

  June 02, 2011 08:17

  quote:Originally posted by danielgottlieb
  Could you give me a little history on this revolver? Would it make a good home defense weapon? I am 75. How can I find the general value?
  
  OK.
  
  The Smith and Wesson model 13 a blued steel double action revolver with fixed sights. It was in production from 1973 through 1999.
  
  This revolver is also known as the "military and police magnum", because its the .357 magnum version of the famous Smith and Wesson model 10 "military and police" .38 special revolver.
  
  Like all .357 revolvers, you can also use less expensive lighter recoil .38 special loads instead of .357 loads (eg for practice) if you like.
  
  As mentioned, this is an excellent choice for home defense, with one caveat.
  
  The small fixed sights on this revolver are there on purpose because they can't get knocked out of alignment, and they won't snag on a holster or clothing.
  
  But one problem with them is that the shallow rear notch sight in particular can be hard to see, especially if you don't have sharp eyesight.
  
  Dabbing them with a bit of brightly colored paint can be helpful.
  
  As to cost, if you want one for home defense, then you don't need a "collector" gun that is brand new in the box. A used and gently worn model 13 in excellent shooting condition should run about $300-400. You can find perfectly servicable examples for less, but they probably will have a bit of finish wear on them and not look so nice.
  
  Also, as something to consider, the Smith and Wesson model 19 is basically the exact same gun, but with easier to see adjustable sights. Those run a little more money, but IMO the better sights make them worth the extra cost.
  
  That's the gun I personally use for home defense.
  
  Smith model 19, 4" barrel:
  

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  62fuelie

  June 02, 2011 11:47

  This would make a fine choice for a "house" gun. They tend to be very reliable, the trigger pull is - or can be made - very good. Grips are readily replaceable with ones that make the pistol fit your hand. While able to fire the full-house .357 Magnum they last longer and are more managable with the +p .38 Specials. If it is still available Remington made a version of their .357 scalloped jacket magnum in a "medium velocity" loading that exceeded the +p, but was not as extreme as the full-house load, we used them for police service in SoCal for several years before the dept. switched to autoloaders.

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  gary wray

  June 02, 2011 11:52

  danielgottlieb.....as mentioned, the 3" bull barrel Model 13 was the FBI standard issue for several years in the 1980's before they went semiauto. I have two of these beauties and love them both. One is NIB and is untouched, the other I shoot quite a bit and carry CC from time to time. Great for home defense and since it is .357 you can practice with .38's to get good, then move up to .38+p's and, if you like, to the hot .357's. I find the +p's the best. You have another thread asking about the Model 70 for home defense....I have one of them also (bb) and would reach for the Model 13 first, then the Model 70. Cannot give value without good photos but others have given you a ballpark. Just remember, you should practice with what you might use, or it could be taken from you and the favor returned. If you can't practice a bit with either the Model 13 or Model 70, you should think about a 20g shotgun for homedefense rather than a revolver or semiauto. Just point and shoot with buckshot. Anyway, good luck and hope it never comes to that[:)]

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