Originally Posted by shrapnel
The case colors look good and could easily be original. Screws that have bluing on the frame wouldn't wear any more than the frame, as a holster wouldn't touch the screws anyway.

The overall condition of the gun appears excellent and regardless of barrel length, the numbers match and so does the condition. I like the gun for what it is, not what it could be.

I agree.

Without absolute proof of it being a test gun, it is a very nice early first generation gun that is easily worth what a first generation gun with that much finish would bring...


I agree to an extent and will give the nod to your greater experience. I will say though that the internet has been a game-changer in gun sales and this is very true in the sub category of antique firearms. There have always been guys who will take a chance on a gun to get verification. In almost every collector or antique dealer's collection you'll see a couple of "coulda' been a contenduh" type guns that the guy just can't get verified, probably with a couple more that he found out weren't. It would surprise me if you don't have a couple of these. heheh But besides that, the internet has broadened the accessibility to these guns to such an extent that I think there are a lot more guys who are just inexperienced enough to take a chance on these guns. Not that they don't know the technical details, but that they haven't added those "almost" and "coulda' been" guns yet. lol