For a few years now, I've been assuming I must have sold it and just forgot, because I haven't come across it in a while. Today I stripped my gun safe bare looking for it, and found it all the way in the back. Almost the last gun in there. It's been way overdue for a range trip.

This gun was made sometime between 1967 and 1977. Nice shape, considering.

Pay pal or money order?

It's a beauty!

That’s an exceptionally nice revolver. I know some guys in California who would love to have one, ‘if’ they don’t already. The Model 18 has always been a gem to me.

Very nice!

Keep it nearer the front now!

I had one just like it once, but only a short time...

I bought it and a few days later took it on mule deer hunting trip where there were several other hunters. One evening we were shooting, just plinking really. I was using that revolver, and ejected the empties, and stood them up on a fence, started shooting the empties off the fence, and this rich guy who was hunting with me just had to have that gun. He made me an offer I couldn't refuse...

I nearly felt guilty. Nearly.

That must feel like Christmas!

Any payment option you want...

I’ll take it. Pm sent

How much?

[quote=The_Real_Hawkeye]For a few years now, I've been assuming I must have sold it and just forgot, because I haven't come across it in a while. Today I stripped my gun safe bare looking for it, and found it all the way in the back. Almost the last gun in there. It's been way overdue for a range trip.

I have a recurring dream that the same thing will happen to me and an old favorite will be rediscovered. As it is, all mine are accounted for... Enjoy!

You’re not wrong!

You should sell it immediately to me to avoid losing it again

Sweet

Nice gun! Happy for you that you found it.

I'm missing an expensive optic somewhere. Probably have to do the same thing you did.

I’d rather have a .25 or .32 caliber for extra power

You sold that revolver to me a few years ago. I'm starting to lose my patience with how long it is taking you to ship it to me. I may have to start a "call out" thread.🙂

That’s one of my favorite revolvers. I was just outback shooting it today.

Very nice, it looks little used. I, regrettably, passed on one a month or so ago.

K frame Smiths RULE!

I know the feeling.
I just came across a newspaper from over 50 years ago. My dad bought a relic that I gave a greater appreciation for now than ever now that I found the detailed story with all of the details, dad featured
That makes it personal and over a century old.

Yeeeedaaawgies!

Yours looks much nicer than my well used model. It is probably my favorite revolver to shoot. I’ll bet yours is as well.

Very nice pistol.

Sweet 22 !

The Real Hawkeye: I am so glad you "found" that missing "Masterpiece".
I refuse (at this point in my life/gun collecting career) to shoot either of my Model 18's.
My Model 18's are the "dash 4" era guns but both are pristine.
Would love to own a "dash 3" if you ever get the urge to sell.
Again, good for you locating that super-cool pistol.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

To me, havin’ a fine gun and not shootin’ the heck out of it, is like having a fine wife and not banging’ the heck out of her. Use the fancy silverware and the fancy plates every flippin’ day.

LOL.

Been a while. I used to shoot my Model 17 quite a bit, back in the 1980s. Sold it, though, in the 1990s. Shouldn't have. I'll be keeping this one.

Shot it today, in fact. Great shooter.



Ten yard, standing, off hand, group.

I just went out and shot mine. Mine's a little older.

Fine revolver! I wish I had held onto mine, but foolishly let it get away. With that said, I found less use for my M18 than for my M63 and M17. And I still have those two old S&W gems.

My thoughts exactly!

I also have two 18-4’s. They are definitely my favorite to pack and just a real pleasure to shoot.
They came from an era when a man could spend a little extra and have a real “masterpiece “.

Nice Hogues.

I have tried virtually everything for grips. Most of them knock my knuckle pretty hard on the triggerguard. Once I finally tried the Monogrip, it was like a gift from above. It gets my knuckle down out of the way! No knuckle knocking! I won't have anything else now.

To have so many guns that you lose track of what you have, that is such a beautiful thing. It's midnight here, but when I read your post out loud the birds started singing outside our windows.

Monogrips are awesome. Been a fan for many years.

😂

My contribution
18-4

Nice. Box and all.

i gave a pre-18 to one son and a 18-1 to the other on their 21st birthdays. i have a 17 but need to pick up another 18 for me one of these days when i get around to selling off a couple long guns.

My 18-3 was the first one and then came the m63 and 17-4
I don't shoot any of them near enough. The day I got the 18-3 I made a mistake he had 2 of them at the time1 was all I could afford. Many times I 've wished that I was able to get them both. Cost me 185 bucks that was some money back in the late 70's. Mb

I was just looking at the article on the Model 18 in my Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, and it seems the -4 was the last engineering change recorded with a dash number, despite the fact that some changes did indeed occur after the -4, such as the pinned barrel going away in 1982. You'd think that the post-1981s would then be cataloged as the dash fives (-5), but they aren't.

The Model 18 was discontinued completely in 1985. They did, however, start producing the Model 17 in a four inch version in that year.

I have an M18-3 and 17-2 with the somewhat rare 5" barrel. I thought maybe it was a cut barrel but the lettering on the barrel is centered exactly dead center so it came from the factory that way. If I had to let go of one or the other, I'd keep that 17-2 but as I don't have let one go, I'll happily keep both until I pass. FWIW, that 17-2 shoots like a rifle. With any kind of a decent rest I can give empty adult beverage cans a very bad time at 100 yards. I don't do quite that well with the 18-3 but I still scare hell out of them.
Paul B.

Hmmm... I better go look for my K22 haven't seen it for awhile....

Nice revolver and much less used than mine which I bought when still in High School. I still have it.

I shot pistols recently with my son and he had never shot it, so he did. Mine has the magnum grips and a trigger shoe and is well broken in. He liked it.
I found my hand made belt and holster last week when cleaning out some old shooting stuff in my shop, but it had not aged well and I tossed it. I had long ago bought a nice holster that fit both my 4 inch M19 and my 4 inch Model 18. Cant tell which is which when holstered.



I plan to shoot that M18 more.

Let's see a picture.

Sorry for exhuming that thread but I'd like to have some advices when it comes to the accuracy department comparing M17 and M18 (6" vs. 4") Is there a significant difference when shooting beyond the 25 yards mark. According to RGK who likes to shoot his M17 even at 50 yards that particular gun (his 17-3) is as accurate as his Ruger Stainless Mk? 22 pistol. And what about a comparison between the S&W Model 41 and the S&W Model 17?

I've had & used M 17 Smiths......

The 18 seemed less money back then IIRC

What were the major differences ?

My 17 back then was 8 3/8" & 3 T's....

On a lighter note.......

The mother of my children...ended up with the M 63 S & W

Early 70's mfg date.....

Couple here.. 5 screw and a 4 screw

One more

You'd need a Ransom Rest to determine that. Most of the accuracy difference (if any), otherwise, would be attributable to subjective factors. A longer sight radius will always give better subjective accuracy.

Late to the party. A pre-17 and an 18-2.

18 came with the target grips. I like them but not sure if they are original. Maybe someone can advise.

The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson says they all shipped with Magna Grips.

I've got one of those 4-inchers in the safe. Swapped into it at a gunshow probably 20 years ago and can't recall what I gave up to get it. Mighta been a Norinco Compact 1911 that was a jam-o-matic (one of my blunders), but I digress.

I always thought it was a very nice piece but I guess I've put a bit of wear on it. A while back I was in contact with someone in the classifieds, and my 18 was trade bait. I sent the requested photos, and my prospective trading partner very nicely explained that my gun just really wasn't much of a collector piece and declined to do business. I thought about it and took a look at what's in the safe handgun-wise, and there seems to be a common theme with most of what's in there: they've all aged and taken on a bit of "character."

Funny how you don't see as gun's wrinkles and blemishes accumulating over a long period of time!

Thanks for the info. Kinda figured these weren’t original seeing all the pics with Magna grips. I’ll have to find a set someday. Picked another set of targets here awhile back for the pre-17 just to try.

Be prepared to spend if you want a set in nice shape.

I'll trade my Taurus 22 revolver for it.

A sorta friend of the family apparently invests in firearms while not knowing a lot about them. My brother-in-law asked if he happened to have a .22 revolver for sale, and being an investor, the guy brings over a 90-95% revolver he doesn't see a future in. Brother-in-law texts me a few photos and asks if he should by it.

I say "yes". Pre-18's for $275 are a touch rare.

What year did S&W start stamping the model # inside the yoke?
Just noticed mine is not marked in this way.

1957.