Yesterday I realized that two guns I had on layaway at two shops were nearing the 60 day time limit. Both shops allow one switch during a layaway but the deadlinw was only ten or so days away. Money has been a bit tight with paying for my daughter's college tuition (Ivy League level tuition) so these two guns have sat. I have had layaways that only last for hours 
The one gun was a Tracker Titanium .357, and as they are no longer beig made it was a no-brainer that I would go through with it. I picked the gun up and headed cross-town to the other shop. The other gun was an NAA Black Widow in .22 Magnum. I already have one in .22LR and another mini in 22 mag, so I strongly considering switching the gun depending on what was in their revolver case. When I got their I found the case full of three inch S&W Model 64's.
Having a number of Model 10's and pre Model 10's (early 20th Century) and a 4" model 13, I really wanted a 3" Model 13. If it was good enough for the FBI it's good enough for me. So, when I saw the 3" Model 64's I said to myself that I couldn't pass on one. There were five or six of them, all round butts. Some were police trade-ins, others not. So, one by one I examined them narrowing it down to two. Some of them had square butt Pachmayrs on them, but the on that I picked had the correct round butt grip but was damaged. It mattered not as on shooters I really don't care all that much about grips as I will probably change them anyway. The 64 came home with me.
As it turns out it is a police trade-in that really only showed any wear (holster wear) on the top of the top strap with the satin bead blast heavily worn. Some 220 to 400 to 800 grit sandpaper and some Scotch Brite pad brought it back to a great finish. Flitz cleaned up the rest of the gun except for two tiny scrapes on the right side. I could easily make them go away, but they aren't even worth the effort. The action is tight and the rifling clean and strong. The gun was obviously carried but shot little. I had some round butt Hogue wood grips that went onto it as soon as the "re-furb" was finished.
The thing that gets me about this gun is that the second that I held it (both with the Pachmayrs and Hogues) the gun felt just right, balanced perfectly. I had always been curious about three inch barreled guns knowing how much I like my 4 inch barrels and 2.5 and 2 inchers (not to mention 6" plus barrels) as well. Rarely if ever has a gun felt better in my hand. No wonder the FBI liked the 3" barrel. I'm wondering how much of a difference there will be in shooting between the 3 inch and 2, 2.5, and 4 inch barreled comparable guns such as my Model 10's and Model 13. I hope to shoot the gun in the next week, if the crowds ever let up at the range.
If this gun turns out to be as good as I hope it to be, and suspect that it might be, it could turn into a favorite. It may have been Plan B with a layaway switch, but thats the kind of moves that make this all so fun.
The one gun was a Tracker Titanium .357, and as they are no longer beig made it was a no-brainer that I would go through with it. I picked the gun up and headed cross-town to the other shop. The other gun was an NAA Black Widow in .22 Magnum. I already have one in .22LR and another mini in 22 mag, so I strongly considering switching the gun depending on what was in their revolver case. When I got their I found the case full of three inch S&W Model 64's.Having a number of Model 10's and pre Model 10's (early 20th Century) and a 4" model 13, I really wanted a 3" Model 13. If it was good enough for the FBI it's good enough for me. So, when I saw the 3" Model 64's I said to myself that I couldn't pass on one. There were five or six of them, all round butts. Some were police trade-ins, others not. So, one by one I examined them narrowing it down to two. Some of them had square butt Pachmayrs on them, but the on that I picked had the correct round butt grip but was damaged. It mattered not as on shooters I really don't care all that much about grips as I will probably change them anyway. The 64 came home with me.
As it turns out it is a police trade-in that really only showed any wear (holster wear) on the top of the top strap with the satin bead blast heavily worn. Some 220 to 400 to 800 grit sandpaper and some Scotch Brite pad brought it back to a great finish. Flitz cleaned up the rest of the gun except for two tiny scrapes on the right side. I could easily make them go away, but they aren't even worth the effort. The action is tight and the rifling clean and strong. The gun was obviously carried but shot little. I had some round butt Hogue wood grips that went onto it as soon as the "re-furb" was finished.
The thing that gets me about this gun is that the second that I held it (both with the Pachmayrs and Hogues) the gun felt just right, balanced perfectly. I had always been curious about three inch barreled guns knowing how much I like my 4 inch barrels and 2.5 and 2 inchers (not to mention 6" plus barrels) as well. Rarely if ever has a gun felt better in my hand. No wonder the FBI liked the 3" barrel. I'm wondering how much of a difference there will be in shooting between the 3 inch and 2, 2.5, and 4 inch barreled comparable guns such as my Model 10's and Model 13. I hope to shoot the gun in the next week, if the crowds ever let up at the range.
If this gun turns out to be as good as I hope it to be, and suspect that it might be, it could turn into a favorite. It may have been Plan B with a layaway switch, but thats the kind of moves that make this all so fun.
