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S&W aluminum 6 shot cylinder

wipalawipala Member Posts: 11,067
edited March 2017 in Ask the Experts
While cleaning out some storage boxes I came across an old 6 shot k-frame cylinder made of aluminum . It is intact and is in great shape. I have no idea where it came from.
I know they made some for the Air Force and they destroyed most of them. My question is what is it worth and if I should sell it or not. How rare are intact cylinder like this.
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Comments

  • Aztngundoc22Aztngundoc22 Member Posts: 2,314 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    OK :

    If its the 'air force ' one , depending on cond. ? it may have a real value ?

    Send me an email : smgaa357@gmail.com .....

    We can discuss this item ...

    Thanks !!!
    The more people I meet : The more I like my Dog :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:


    I Grew Old Too Fast (And Smart Too damn Slow !!!) !!! :o :?
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  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Early versions, (circa early 50's),of the S & W Model 12, also had the aluminum alloy cylinder. Similar to the U.S. Air force, Model 13. Both were terminated for the same reason. They couldn't take a steady diet of 38 Specials.

    Smith continued to make Model 12's, with steel cylinders though.

    I'm sure if somebody had a low serial number Model 12. And swapped out the steel cylinder, for your aluminum cylinder. It would be of substantial interest to a Smith collector.
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  • dfletcherdfletcher Member Posts: 8,178 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by rufe-snow
    Early versions, (circa early 50's),of the S & W Model 12, also had the aluminum alloy cylinder. Similar to the U.S. Air force, Model 13. Both were terminated for the same reason. They couldn't take a steady diet of 38 Specials.

    Smith continued to make Model 12's, with steel cylinders though.

    I'm sure if somebody had a low serial number Model 12. And swapped out the steel cylinder, for your aluminum cylinder. It would be of substantial interest to a Smith collector.


    Would that be quite kosher - or sort of like a "forced match"? I have an Oct 43 Inland M1 Carbine, no import or rebuild and "all early". It didn't get to me with an original folder but I do have one and no one would be the wiser if I happened to drop the carbine into it. While I'm in CA the discussion is academic because a folder makes it an evil AW.
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  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by dfletcher
    .


    Would that be quite kosher - or sort of like a "forced match"? I have an Oct 43 Inland M1 Carbine, no import or rebuild and "all early". It didn't get to me with an original folder but I do have one and no one would be the wiser if I happened to drop the carbine into it. While I'm in CA the discussion is academic because a folder makes it an evil AW.




    I got quite a education years ago, regarding this kind of hocus pocus. The scammers who pull these kind of shenanigans, could care less. This kind of part swapping, to create high value collectors items. Is just everyday SOP, to make a dishonest buck. Monetary value is the common denominator. The higher the collector value, the more apt for it to have been screwed with.
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  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,105 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    When shot gun news was in a newspaper format There was a person in CA that had all kinds of 1911 TYPE pistols and parts for sale
    parts that would not actually be original to the buyers pistol that had a missing part or damaged part charles clawson then came out with his GREAT book along with others that made it harder for anyone to sell what was claimed to be original but had different markings on that part than original . That said when I was in USA guns were kept in the arms room and with 1911 TYPE pistols sometime as many as a dozen pistols were stripped down all parts put in a 5gallon bucket to soak and then pistols then put back together with NO interest in keeping the part that came from one pistol to go back in that pistol so one cycle could take a matching gun and turn it in to mismatched and then later turned into an all marching. a man in nothern Va. back in the late 1950's 'Yea old hunter' on purpose "HE Bought tons of captured WWII small arms"he defaced some pistols to make them "sold by the pound to make others RARE" one really needs to look at all parts to see if they have the same amount or WEAR
    P
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  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,892 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    To answer Wipala's question directly: There's no way to estimate the value of your cylinder, & you should sell if you can get a price that makes you really happy.

    Just because something is rare, that doesn't mean that there is any demand for it. There aren't many folks out there who are sitting on an early S&W that has a bad aluminum cylinder, if any. But, if there is just one person who needs only a replacement cylinder, yours just may be worth several hundred dollars to him. Otherwise, value is zero.

    If it were mine, I'd list it on GB with a starting price that wouldn't disappoint me, & hope for the best.

    Neal
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