Shinola

There was a familiar figure in Neil's pawn shop as I entered it's door today. I recognized the fellow as one who sells on Gun Broker, and a man who I have actually purchased a gun or two from in the past. He was picking up a black 1911. The Gun Broker guy had a couple of sycophants along with him and the three of them were crowding the counter, so I loitered nearby looking at jewelry. The pistol he was picking up appeared to be a Kimber, and I surmised that it must have been the "Punisher gun" that I had missed a while back, only now it had the original grips installed. I spied a shiny revolver in the case though, and I waited.

From my perspective, the revolver appeared to be a heavy barreled nickel Model 10 with aftermarket grips. Finally, as Neil finished his deal, I caught his eye and said "Neil, let me see that Model 10 you have in there."

Neil retrieved the four inch service revolver from the case. I looked it over, and while it was in need of a good cleaning, the gun was in good shape. The nickel was flaking in a couple of spots at the muzzle, but the screws were untouched. It was a Model 18-8. Pinned.

Neil had a $239 price hung on the revolver. Not too long ago, I had passed up Model 10 revolvers that exceeded two hundred in price. In fact, one, a round butt pencil barrel gun still bugs me at times. If this were a three inch gun, I'd be on it like black on Shinola. Finally, Gun Broker guy asked me, "You gonna buy that gun?"

I put it on lay away.