Smith Wheel Gun Question 25-2 Nickel

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  • HKFaninCarmel

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    41C127FE-5EBB-4F3A-B7DF-C3DD9181A10F.jpg
    Usually when I do research on my guns, I can find something comparable. This is 25-2 that is unlike any other I can find on the GB or google right now and I even pulled out my Smith & Wesson Standard Catalog today to try to figure out if this was an aftermarket modified version or is this a special target compensator that was added either by their custom shop or later.

    I’m debating selling the darn thing and am trying to understand it a little better before I run with my decision. It looks good, but I’ll never use it, so thoughts on collectibility?

    Thanks!

    D4E1A8EB-52F8-434A-A04D-082990DBDE7B.jpg 75C78C65-3F33-4CA6-A95F-CD7E84F2EC75.jpeg
     

    Leadeye

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    Got to be an aftermarket conversion, work looks nice as well. That said, I've got an old Colt New Service like that that was customized sometime in the 30s and it didn't sell for anything more than a regular gun of the same vintage. Collectors typically pay more for "stock" versions, but somebody may pick up that piece because of the cool factor.
     
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    Leadeye

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    Those guns loaded with a soft lead RCBS 300 grain bullet are great. No cannon blast, but hits like a civil war Minie.
     

    HKFaninCarmel

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    Another vote for custom, work looks good.Not sure if it would hurt the price or help it.
    Maybe it was a short barrel bullseye gun.

    I'm thinking it's a pretty gun for what it would net, so I'm leaning towards hang on to it.

    No wonder I can't find anything else like it, if it is custom work.
     

    Sigblitz

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    I would guess it was cut down at some point for concealment. It's probably 53 years. And later, someone took a conceal carry from back in the day and dolled it up.
     

    Jaybird1980

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    I would guess it was cut down at some point for concealment. It's probably 53 years. And later, someone took a conceal carry from back in the day and dolled it up.

    Don't think it's just a cut down barrel, looks like a whole barrel change with a full squared off underlug.
     

    drillsgt

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    I'm thinking it's a pretty gun for what it would net, so I'm leaning towards hang on to it.

    No wonder I can't find anything else like it, if it is custom work.

    Definitely a custom job, value might depend on who did the work. Are there any markings that might identify a builder, anything under the grips etc.?
     

    Win52C

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    Definately Custom, Definately a barrel swap, Possibly Nickeled at the time, if so it was a good job, look for the N on the grip frame to see if it was originally Nickle. If it isnt there, then it wasn't.

    The trigger and hammer appear to have been polished or plated too, would have been color case hardened origianally, no matter what the rest of the finish was, blue or nickel.

    Never seen a barrel like that, looks like more of a BBQ gun conversion vs a PPC conversion.

    Collectible? To a guy that collects customs, yes. To any other S&W collector, not so much.

    Slick looking piece either way. I'd keep it if it was mine.
     

    HKFaninCarmel

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    Any idea on where I should price this in the unusual condition? I don’t really have anything to compare it to.

    Any tips appreciated. Thanks
     
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    Definitely some after market work on the barrel, if not a replacement barrel. Initially, I would have said the barrel was from a Dan Wesson, but looking at the muzzle, it is not.
     

    drillsgt

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    I reached out to someone in another forum that's well versed in customs and he says it looks like a Chuck Ward job. I can't find much out about him but that he advertised through the 1980's in American Handgunner and was from the Kansas City area. The picture below was the giveaway gun from an AH issue in 1981.

    3wj93Il.png



    On this one it looks like the bottom lug might be a separate piece judging by the allen screw, is the OP's a one piece or two?

    Here's the whole article from the March/April 1981 American Handgunner, pages 40-41: https://americanhandgunner.com/1981issues/HMA81.pdf
     
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    HKFaninCarmel

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    I reached out to someone in another forum that's well versed in customs and he says it looks like a Chuck Ward job. I can't find much out about him but that he advertised through the 1980's in American Handgunner and was from the Kansas City area. The picture below was the giveaway gun from an AH issue in 1981.

    3wj93Il.png



    On this one it looks like the bottom lug might be a separate piece judging by the allen screw, is the OP's a one piece or two?

    Here's the whole article from the March/April 1981 American Handgunner, pages 40-41: https://americanhandgunner.com/1981issues/HMA81.pdf
    Amazing work on this. Looks correct.
     

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