Saw one of those unobtanium guns today

[Bret4207]

Had to go drop off my taxes and swung by a gun shop I used to frequent. He din't have much of interest except one- a 455 Smith! I'm not going to pretend to know the model number, I just picked it up, looked at the store owners son and he said, "Don't even bother asking, you can't afford that one." End of story.......:groner:

[bigjason6]

What a jerk...

[imashooter2]

...or Bret is such a regular, the fun shop has a better line on his bank statement than his accountant does. :)

[stubshaft]

Prolly wouldn't shoot cast well anyway.

[longhorn]

A .455 Triple Lock? I've seen a few Triple Locks, of course, but never actually got to handle one extensively -- let alone shoot one. I just console myself by saying that the 2 modern N frames I have are just as nice, but may not be totally convinced. Didn't Wiley Clapp or someone once write a magazine article that nominated the TL as the finest double action revolver ever?

[Bret4207]

Who in their right mind would listen to Wiley clap-trap? He might be right, but it was a fluke. He was just following Elmers lead anyway.

The guys son wasn't being a jerk, he was being correct. Ain't no way I could have touched it.

[longhorn]

Actually, Bret, I thought it pretty funny that someone with as small a reputation as Clapp would write such an article-not that I had any quarrel with his choices. Might be interesting to see such a list (the "finest" semiauto, double action, and single action ever) from say, Brian Pearce or someone with a more recent perspective and broad experience.

[shotstring]

I had the luck of happening unto an old S & W Triple lock with an old set of pre-ban ivory grips on it, and to be honest with everyone, I don't see what all the hoopla is about. It was certainly as nicely finished and smooth of action as any Smith that I have owned, but I wouldn't say it was noticeably better than the early pre model 27s and early 29s that I have compared it to.

They were so similar in fact, that I sold the triple lock and kept the 27s and one of the 29s. But that is just my take, and on a rather small sampling of guns. Still, big difference in dollars between them.

[Bret4207]

It's a piece of history. A 70 Corvette is a pretty crude hunk of equipment compared to a brand new one, but I'd still take the 70. Same idea with the Smith.

[shotstring]

I appreciate what you're saying there Bret. I used to drool over some of the collections that came in when I worked for Pachmayr Gun Works. The owner of the store had the most fabulous collection I have ever seen, but most ran in the $30,000 to $50,000 range in engraved guns. That's where I got the triple lock - I was able to purchase one guys whole collection that he was selling after I bought it for the store.

But prices now - wouldn't be able to do that anymore I don't think. Old stuff has priced itself way outside of my market and ability to pay. Shame, because it didn't used to be that way. I sold my triple lock because it became too expensive of a gun to shoot and way too nice to beat up. So I used the money to buy several other guns rather than making it a safe queen. Of course now I wish I had never sold a single gun but kept them all. I certainly can't afford to replace the collector pieces anymore at today's prices.