M&P .38 143xxx Strange Color $699?

[Mark_Mark]

Look what showed up at the shop but the color got me QUESTION # is 143XXX

they want $699

what you guys think! know anything about it?

 

[tubeshooter]

The ejector rod seems a little "off" at the very front.
Maybe it's just me.

Other than that, it looks awesome.
But that issue would give me pause...


If I already had a decent Model 10 in my stable, I'd probably pass.

 

[Mark_Mark]

The ejector rod seems a little "off" at the very front.
Maybe it's just me.

Other than that, it looks awesome.
But that issue would give me pause...


If I already had a decent Model 10 in my stable, I'd probably pass.

what you think about the color? looks to be from 1909

 

[Old Dog]

Hard to tell from the lighting, but looks a little purplish...

All I know is that back in the late '80s and early '90s I should've been buying up the police trade-in Model 10s by the bucketload, back when you could score 'em at gun shows for $79, $99, $109...

 

[tubeshooter]

what you think about the color? looks to be from 1909

I don't know, man... I'm just an accumulator basically.
I actually prefer rifles over pistols, and just have a handful of cool S&W specimens.

I'm no dfariswheel or Driftwood Johnson or anything like that.


The color is awesome, but if that rod is funky then that outweighs it.
At least for me.
The price also fair at best.
Again, at least for me.

 

[silicosys4]

Fwiw, I've seen a lot of factory plummed finishes on rugers, Dan Wessons, AR parts, Colt parts, and various smaller manufacturers of guns,
But I've never seen a S&W frame of that vintage factory plumming.
I don't know if the bluing on those old S&W's is of a type or method that can go plum.
As far as I know plumming is a phenomenon that occurs with more modern bluing methods.

I suspect a refinish.

 

[1KPerDay]

Looks to me like the cylinder was opened to check and then not closed fully is all. The yoke/crane isn't closed if you look close. Color looks cool but FWIW none of my S&W revolvers look like that. But they were all made in the 60s. Not sure it's worth $700 but I'm still in pre-covid pricing mentally.

 

[bannockburn]

tubeshooter

Years ago I had an HK P7 that had a purplish hue to it so I wrote to them asking what caused that. Got a letter back from them with the following scenarios:

1) The steel used to make that particular production run of guns was different some how than what was normally available.
2) There was a change in the heat treatment of the steel that was used to make that particular run of guns.
3) The bluing solution may have been of a different formulation or that the bluing solution itself was weak.
4) It could have been one of the above, a combination of some of them, or a combination of all of them.

Didn't affect how the gun operated or hurt it's resale value either. It just looked a little funky is all.

 

[Mark_Mark]

@Driftwood Johnson ever seen a color like that in a M&P 38?

 

[Mark_Mark]

tubeshooter

Years ago I had an HK P7 that had a purplish hue to it so I wrote to them asking what caused that. Got a letter back from them with the following scenarios:

1) The steel used to make that particular production run of guns was different some how than what was normally available.
2) There was a change in the heat treatment of the steel that was used to make that particular run of guns.
3) The bluing solution may have been of a different formulation or that the bluing solution itself was weak.
4) It could have been one of the above, a combination of some of them, or a combination of all of them.

Didn't affect how the gun operated or hurt it's resale value either. It just looked a little funky is all.

that makes a ton if sense! thanks

 

[Mark_Mark]

Looks to me like the cylinder was opened to check and then not closed fully is all. The yoke/crane isn't closed if you look close. Color looks cool but FWIW none of my S&W revolvers look like that. But they were all made in the 60s. Not sure it's worth $700 but I'm still in pre-covid pricing mentally.

this is OLD! like 118 years old!

Funny how guns seem to last the test of time

 

[MacAR]

My two cents worth: $699 is pretty high for a pre Model 10, in any condition. This specimen looks to have been re-blued at some point in it's life. What makes me think that is, I've seen some re-blued guns that have turned a sort of "plum" color as that one. However, my grandad's M37 Winchester shotgun has turned a very similar color and I know he never refinished it or had it done. If I could see the marking on the gun a bit better, I might could tell if it'd been polished and refinished. Regardless, it would be more attractive at $399 to me.

Mac

 

[Mark_Mark]

My two cents worth: $699 is pretty high for a pre Model 10, in any condition. This specimen looks to have been re-blued at some point in it's life. What makes me think that is, I've seen some re-blued guns that have turned a sort of "plum" color as that one. However, my grandad's M37 Winchester shotgun has turned a very similar color and I know he never refinished it or had it done. If I could see the marking on the gun a bit better, I might could tell if it'd been polished and refinished. Regardless, it would be more attractive at $399 to me.

Mac

thanks!

I started 1.5 years ago buying Smith. I have not seen any Smith for $400 even the beat up ones!

Good call on the refinshing tho!

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

tubeshooter

Years ago I had an HK P7 that had a purplish hue to it so I wrote to them asking what caused that. Got a letter back from them with the following scenarios:

1) The steel used to make that particular production run of guns was different some how than what was normally available.
2) There was a change in the heat treatment of the steel that was used to make that particular run of guns.
3) The bluing solution may have been of a different formulation or that the bluing solution itself was weak.
4) It could have been one of the above, a combination of some of them, or a combination of all of them.

Didn't affect how the gun operated or hurt it's resale value either. It just looked a little funky is all.

thanks!

I started 1.5 years ago buying Smith. I have not seen any Smith for $400 even the beat up ones!

Good call on the refinshing tho!

The small parts- trigger, striker bushing, etc.- on my P7 are turning an attractive shade of plum. Same with my old Sigs as well. I've noticed it more on German guns than American, though it's pretty common on Rugers and Dan Wessons. Never seen it on a Smith or a Colt.

It's caused by a combination of contaminated bluing salts and different steel alloys.

I suspect that M10 has been refinished with old solution.

And ya, $699 is too high for that gun.

 

[Mark_Mark]

The small parts- trigger, striker bushing, etc.- on my P7 are turning an attractive shade of plum. Same with my old Sigs as well. I've noticed it more on German guns than American, though it's pretty common on Rugers and Dan Wessons. Never seen it on a Smith or a Colt.

It's caused by a combination of contaminated bluing salts and different steel alloys.

I suspect that M10 has been refinished with old solution.

And ya, $699 is too high for that gun.

The Truth Hurts

 

[Mark_Mark]

The small parts- trigger, striker bushing, etc.- on my P7 are turning an attractive shade of plum. Same with my old Sigs as well. I've noticed it more on German guns than American, though it's pretty common on Rugers and Dan Wessons. Never seen it on a Smith or a Colt.

It's caused by a combination of contaminated bluing salts and different steel alloys.

I suspect that M10 has been refinished with old solution.

And ya, $699 is too high for that gun.

what if it’s the original blueing? worth $700?

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

what if it’s the original blueing? worth $700?

Pretty sure it's not, but even in perfect condition Id have a hard time forking over 7 bills for a 4" M&P- closer to 8 OTD.
I'd feel better at $550-600, but only if the timing is good and the other side is in the same shape, grips as well.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Pretty sure it's not, but even in perfect condition Id have a hard time forking over 7 bills for a 4" M&P- closer to 8 OTD.
I'd feel better at $550-600, but only if the timing is good and the other side is in the same shape, grips as well.

thanks again!

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

thanks again!

Of course! Just my opinion, worth whatcha paid for it, lol.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Of course! Just my opinion, worth whatcha paid for it, lol.

I didn’t buy it! lol

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I didn’t buy it! lol

I meant my opinion.....

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

When Ruger first began bluing their guns there was a problem with the bluing process. Ruger was a pioneer in the use of Investment Castings. In the early days, the blued Investment Cast parts would turn a shade of purple after only one day or so. It turned out that the the small amount of silicon in the steel, which was there to help the molten steel flow better into the crevices of the molds, was causing the blued parts to turn purple. Reducing the amount of silicon in the steel solved the problem. This 44 Mag Flat Top Ruger Blackhawk left the factory in 1958. Notice how purple the loading gate is. Of course this was a Ruger made in 1958. S&W has never used Investment Castings, so there would not be a problem with silicon content in the steel. Other than that, I have no comment on the color of that old Smith.

 

[Jim Watson]

Once upon a time, a guy offered to sell me his Heavy Duty… as soon as it came back from reblue. The sideplate and only the sideplate was purple. Pass.

A 1911 on Caspian parts came back purple. The shop redid it with whatever was off corrected and it became blue. Might have been bath composition or temperature.

 

[Riomouse911]

One of my Dan Wesson 15-2 frames is turning a plum color. This is common with original, blued DW’s.

I haven’t seen a S&W turn plum myself, but just about anything is a possibility.

I reblued my Great Uncles old duty M&P when I inherited it. The bluing had a big scratch through the logo, and it was pretty warn from a few decades worth of holster carry and sweat in the heat of Las Vegas. Fortunately it was still pretty tight for a 202xxx series .38 Special.

It may have ruined any collector value, but it was brought back fairly close to it’s original glory.



If you pick up the old girl, I think you’ll like it.

Stay safe.

 

[Mark_Mark]

One of my Dan Wesson 15-2 frames is turning a plum color. This is common with original, blued DW’s.

I haven’t seen a S&W turn plum myself, but just about anything is a possibility.

I reblued my Great Uncles old duty M&P when I inherited it. The bluing had a big scratch through the logo, and it was pretty warn from a few decades worth of holster carry and sweat in the heat of Las Vegas. Fortunately it was still pretty tight for a 202xxx series .38 Special.

It may have ruined any collector value, but it was brought back fairly close to it’s original glory.

View attachment 1200380View attachment 1200381

If you pick up the old girl, I think you’ll like it.

Stay safe.

That’s a GREAT blue job!

I like the year of the old girl. But as everyone said, not worth $700.

I think the 143XXX number is a 4th Change 1905 model and my Smith book brings it to around 1909… CRAZY OLD

I’ll get more photos and see what you guys think. I’m not in a rush to buy any really, unless it has a special feel. And I’m already at about 2 model 10’s & 1 M&P 38