A New 52 Year Old S&W Model 18

[Old_Grouch]

In 1973 I got my first handgun; a S&W Model 18. It was stolen from the person I left it with when I joined the service a year later. Fast forward 49 years-------
I work part time in a gun shop. A few months ago we acquired an estate of roughly 400 guns. The person who had them was an avid collector with an emphasis on Smith & Wesson handguns. My primary job is listing items for sale on Gunbroker and handling the sales. A few weeks ago I came across a Very nice Model 15 in the collection. As that was the gun I carried as a duty sidearm in the service I decided, for nostalgia sake, I should buy it instead of listing it. A couple of days ago while going through the collection to decide what to list next I found a pretty blue cardboard box containing a Model 18-3. The Serial number dates it to 1970. An absolutely pristine, unfired gun. Factory box, anti-rust paper, manual, warranty card, unopened cleaning kit.
Any guesses as to whether I listed it for sale or not?

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I sure hope not!

That would be too painful of a job for me because I would want to adopt them all......

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

I sure hope not!

That would be too painful of a job for me because I would want to adopt them all......

Yeah, me too.
I would be worse than when my kid was younger and they volunteered at the local animal shelter...

 

[Old_Grouch]

That would be too painful of a job for me because I would want to adopt them all.

It's been a challenge. Of the 400+ guns I'd guess close to 200 are handguns. Imagine yourself as a fox and someone tosses you into the chicken coop but with a muzzle on. I'd say that of those, let's say 200 handguns, there's only about 195 I'd like to have. The Mod 15 and 18 were different. Those two I HAD to have.

 

[wcwhitey]

It's been a challenge. Of the 400+ guns I'd guess close to 200 are handguns. Imagine yourself as a fox and someone tosses you into the chicken coop but with a muzzle on. I'd say that of those, let's say 200 handguns, there's only about 195 I'd like to have. The Mod 15 and 18 were different. Those two I HAD to have.

I would be bad now! I would have some making up to do. I worked at a shop/range doing maintenance on the plates and target stands (indoor and outdoor) when I was first married with young kids. Sometimes I would fill in at the sales counter. I needed every dollar back then so nothing ever came home with me but it was painful letting some of the things I saw come in go back out to others.
Glad your in the position to take advantage of the situation. I still have my Model 15 from my early LE Days that was a keeper. An 18 is high on the list. Nice pick ups! Best of luck!

 

[Old_Grouch]

Glad your in the position to take advantage of the situation.

Thanks. I am extremely fortunate and grateful to be in that position.

 

[sgt127]

Interesting. 1974 (ish) my first handgun was a Colt .22 Diamondback.

Brick after brick of .22 Wildcats through that little gun. Even cases of .22’s. Honestly. I can’t imagine how many rounds.

Still have it. Lady friend shooting it in the desert. She called it Dainty.





Years later, I got a Model 18. Both great guns. I’m glad you found yours. I hope you live long enough to wear it out. Though the Diamondback may outlive me!

 

[gobsauce]

It's a sin to talk about such fine acquisitions without showing us pictures.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Any guesses as to whether I listed it for sale or not?

Can’t say.

There’s no picture.

 

[cfullgraf]

Great finds. I could not pass up a good Model 15 or Model 18 either

 

[ontarget]

Pics or you're lying!!!

 

[Fyrstyk]

I have a model 18 I picked up in 1989 at a local gun shop. It came with a second cylinder for .22 mags. It is one of my favorite handguns for small game. The trigger pull in single action mode is one of the best i have ever felt.

 

[DR505]

I do like your taste! I got these two S&W's ANIB from an estate sale a while back. Top is a model 17-6 and the bottom is an 18-3. I have fired the 18-3 but the 17-6 is still ANIB:

 

[aarondhgraham]

Congrats on a great find.

I too wanted a Model 15 since it was what I carried in the USAF,,,
I found a LNIB specimen with box, tool kit, and all papers for a crisp $500.00.

It wasn't long before I started hankering for a Model 18 to pair with it,,,
This pair started my love affair with centerfire/rimfire pairs.



The 15, being the "Star" of my safe, is named Stella,,,
The 18, being chambered for "Double-Duece" is named Didi.

The 15 doesn't get fired much,,,
But the 18 regularly sees lots of range time.

Aarond

.

 

[Old_Grouch]

Okay, here's a couple pics.

 

[wcwhitey]

I do like your taste! I got these two S&W's ANIB from an estate sale a while back. Top is a model 17-6 and the bottom is an 18-3. I have fired the 18-3 but the 17-6 is still ANIB:

View attachment 1079620

We have the same leather chair, makes a great photo background!

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

It's been a challenge. Of the 400+ guns I'd guess close to 200 are handguns. Imagine yourself as a fox and someone tosses you into the chicken coop but with a muzzle on. I'd say that of those, let's say 200 handguns, there's only about 195 I'd like to have. The Mod 15 and 18 were different. Those two I HAD to have.

In '97 I got hired by the owners of a gun store to do some programming and networking work. They were real early adopters of eBooks and I wrote an early custom version for them using DB3. I took about half my pay in guns. The employees used to joke that they found me on the side of the road wearing a sign that said, "Will work for guns & ammo." I got some real bargains out of that and some pretty rare guns, too. Also got some real junk but it were cheap junk, at least.

Enjoy and POST PIX!

 

[Old_Grouch]

I took about half my pay in guns.

The owner of the shop I work at told me when I first started that the very last thing a gun shop employee learns is how to take home a paycheck.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

the very last thing a gun shop employee learns is how to take home a paycheck.

Ain't THAT the truth!
Fortunately, my going rate back then was $250/hr and I had other clients who DIDN'T sell things I wanted (okay, maybe the carpet cleaner ) so it didn't take any bread off the table. I did have some "issues" with the IRS but, not related to my chosen form of compensation. Mostly because I really stink at keeping a set of books.

 

[rust collector]

Congratulations you rascal! At least they went to a good home, where they will be appreciated and taken to the range from time to time.

 

[Old_Grouch]

Congratulations you rascal!

Thanks r.c.! BTW, we still have many more fine specimens.
The model 15 may see the range, but the 18? No, there is no way I could bring myself to shoot an unfired 50+ year old gun. You're right about them being appreciated though.

 

[Old Dog]

Sweet revolvers! I don't blame you at all for snapping them up!

No, there is no way I could bring myself to shoot an unfired 50+ year old gun.

I don't get this, sorry! I took one of my previously unfired Model 15s out to the range during the alleged pandemic (it's a 15-3, made in 1968 -- and shot the livin' snot out of it. My kids and grandkids are not gonna care if any of my guns were unfired, and doubtful they'll also care about an additional hundred bucks or so they could make by selling one that's "unfired."

 

[Old_Grouch]

doubtful they'll also care about an additional hundred bucks or so they could make by selling one that's "unfired."

Yeah, I know, this seems strange to a lot of people. With me it's not about maintaining the value. Rarely does fired vs unfired make any difference in value anyway, at least in the short term. It's just a quirk of mine. I have several I've never fired.
I have a Model 58 that I bought just over 25 years ago. I've never shot it, even though it has been fired (but you'd never know by looking at it). I have a 4" 686 (1987 or 88 mfg) that's unfired. It's the same with anything new.
Maybe "quirk" isn't an adequate word. Eccentricity? Psychopathy?

 

[ontarget]

Yeah, I know, this seems strange to a lot of people. With me it's not about maintaining the value. Rarely does fired vs unfired make any difference in value anyway, at least in the short term. It's just a quirk of mine. I have several I've never fired.
I have a Model 58 that I bought just over 25 years ago. I've never shot it, even though it has been fired (but you'd never know by looking at it). I have a 4" 686 (1987 or 88 mfg) that's unfired. It's the same with anything new.
Maybe "quirk" isn't an adequate word. Eccentricity? Psychopathy?

I too have a couple of unfired S&W revolvers. The only reason I don't fire them is because I have others just like them that I do fire.
I just see having a couple of unfireds in my meager "collection" as a novelty, but in a good way.
If you don't want to shoot it, don't.

 

[orionengnr]

Nice.
I have an 18-3 that I like very much.
Had a nice earlier 6" M17 that I liked pretty well, miss it, but selling it allowed me to buy the 18-3, so...happy ending.
You can't own them all...at least, not at once. So enjoy the ones you own, and when it's time to move on, so be it.