Need help on values of a Colt, S&W and Sharps
Hi all!
This is my first post here, and I need some help please! [:)] We inherited these firearms from my grandmother, and want to know what they are worth for insurance purposes. Plus in this economy, if stuff hits the fan, I want to know what I should expect the value to be in case I have to sell. I know very little about these particular firearms, so any help is greatly appreciated!
I have a Colt 38 revolver with serial #361xxxx that is an "Army Special" gun. It seems to me to be in excellent condition, no scratches, no fading of the metal at all and the grips are in perfect condition. The cylinder spins very well and the trigger action seems awesome as well.
I also have a C. Sharps 4 shot small gun, in pretty good condition. The barrel has some surface rust, but it dry fires fine. It is a bronze color with dark wood grips, and has serial # 21xx on the bottom of the handle.
The last one I have is a two part gun. It is a S&W 38 with an interchangeable .22 barrel. It too is in excellent condition, almost as good as the Colt. no nicks, scratches, fading of the metal on the 38 barrel, and th 22 as a little more wear but the grips are perfect. It has "38 S & W CTG" on one of the barrels and nothing on the side of the 22 barrel. On the top of both it says "PATD OCT 2 (I think) 1883 Aug 4 1885 April 9 1859". I can't figure out how to break it open to see a serial # so if you have suggestions that is great too! This one was also in a simple dark brown leather pouch.
Any help is appreciated for sure! I have searched the web and prices, opinions, information is all over the map.
Thank you in advance!
This is my first post here, and I need some help please! [:)] We inherited these firearms from my grandmother, and want to know what they are worth for insurance purposes. Plus in this economy, if stuff hits the fan, I want to know what I should expect the value to be in case I have to sell. I know very little about these particular firearms, so any help is greatly appreciated!
I have a Colt 38 revolver with serial #361xxxx that is an "Army Special" gun. It seems to me to be in excellent condition, no scratches, no fading of the metal at all and the grips are in perfect condition. The cylinder spins very well and the trigger action seems awesome as well.
I also have a C. Sharps 4 shot small gun, in pretty good condition. The barrel has some surface rust, but it dry fires fine. It is a bronze color with dark wood grips, and has serial # 21xx on the bottom of the handle.
The last one I have is a two part gun. It is a S&W 38 with an interchangeable .22 barrel. It too is in excellent condition, almost as good as the Colt. no nicks, scratches, fading of the metal on the 38 barrel, and th 22 as a little more wear but the grips are perfect. It has "38 S & W CTG" on one of the barrels and nothing on the side of the 22 barrel. On the top of both it says "PATD OCT 2 (I think) 1883 Aug 4 1885 April 9 1859". I can't figure out how to break it open to see a serial # so if you have suggestions that is great too! This one was also in a simple dark brown leather pouch.
Any help is appreciated for sure! I have searched the web and prices, opinions, information is all over the map.
Thank you in advance!
0
-
Dont Dry fire guns as a rule of thumb. I suspect the gun with two barrels is in fact one gun and another barrel from another gun. A 22 is a rimfire and the 38 is centerfire You would need a different cylinder and different firing pin as well as different barrel . The best thing I can say is pictures are the only way to give even a guess as to value. they must be close -up and in focus You must go to a web site that will let you store pictures like PHOTOBUCKET and follow instructions on the STICKY one of the first post on this site or go to the auction side and place the items for sale YOU can download off you computer on the sale side just set a reserve for $10.000.00 noone will bid and you can come back to the ask the expert forum and refer to your auction number. 0 -
Thank you for the response. I only dry fired it once I promise! [:D] I will get the hubby to take some good pics and post them up! We have tried touching them as little as possible, and wipe them with a soft cloth after touching them. She had them stored in bubble wrap in a box which was in a safe. We are in Arizona, so I think they are relatively safe from humidity!
And I'd be OK with 10K for the lot... [;)]0 -
Oh, and I have seen the 2 barrels be mounted on the same gun "base" (if that even makes sense?) before. They are twins with the exception of the caliber. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Queenglamis
The last one I have is a two part gun. It is a S&W 38 with an interchangeable .22 barrel. It too is in excellent condition, almost as good as the Colt. no nicks, scratches, fading of the metal on the 38 barrel, and th 22 as a little more wear but the grips are perfect. It has "38 S & W CTG" on one of the barrels and nothing on the side of the 22 barrel. On the top of both it says "PATD OCT 2 (I think) 1883 Aug 4 1885 April 9 1859". I can't figure out how to break it open to see a serial # so if you have suggestions that is great too! This one was also in a simple dark brown leather pouch.
Any help is appreciated for sure! I have searched the web and prices, opinions, information is all over the map.
Thank you in advance!
This revolver MIGHT be the Smith & Wesson Model 1891. Also known as the Third Model 38 Single Action. They had a optional .22 Caliber single shot barrel available for purchase. Serial Number range was between 1 & 28107. They were also marked on the top of the barrel rib, "Model of 1891".
If this is the revolver your inquiring about and it is factory original, and in at least Very Good cosmetic condition? It would have substantial collectors value.0 -
Here are a few pics! Any further info/pricing/ comments are appreciated! 
0 -
I won't guess a dollar number but that 1891 Smith & Wesson .38 revolver - .22 single shot is a very handsome piece, looks marred only at the muzzle of the single shot.
The Army Special looks in good shape but is probably not worth a ton of money, some hundreds, anyhow.
The little Sharps 4 barrel is a nice novelty piece, looks like a Flayderman model 1C, 5F-075; 26,000 made in the 1860s and 1870s, along with many more of other similar models. And there are a lot of modern copies, which does not do their resale value any good.0 -
DON'T sell any of these until you have done plenty of research! These old guns are in fine condition, and could be quite valuable. If someone tells you a figure, and then adds, he'll be glad to take them off your hands. Well, you get the picture. I will try to help find the value of these, and NO, I don't want to take them off your hands!!!! 0 -
Thank you Hawk! My husband is the photographer, and he wasn't home so I am sure that it had too much flash or something. [:I] In person it is not discolored at all, and I am not sure how to break it open to take pictures in that position. Anyone have a ballpark ( I won't hold you to it...LOL) figure? I know it is really hard to do so off of a few pictures, but I thought that I'd give it a shot! *no pun intended*
Thanks again!!!0 -
And thank you as well partisan. I don't plan on selling them, and would get a few in person appraisals first for sure if I was going to! They are in exceptional shape IMHO, and I would like to insure them and make sure they are covered...
Plus they have been passed down through my family for a while and not wanting to sell right now.
Thank you!0 -
I cannot find anything to give me a handle on the value of your S&W.
There are several single shots only advertised on the internet from $900 to $2000 depending on the exact model.
If the single shot barrel and revolver barrel and cylinder have the same serial number, you have a jewel. I found:
"There were also a small number of sets (app. 92) produced that featured the .38 Single Action 3rd Model revolver along with a matched number Single Shot barrel."
There have been a lot more sets made up from spare unnumbered barrels, though, so don't get carried away until you see those serial numbers.
Some more discussion at:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9861099043/m/5101079472?r=1541042572#1541042572
I would show your picture there, along with description of markings, including serial numbers whereever found on the gun and spare barrel.0 -
The Sharps should be worth at least $400-500, maybe more depending upon condition & caliber.
Neal0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
11 comments