357 AMP lot on Gunbroker

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This is an interesting lot. A Pasadena 357 AMP with a long vent rib barrel accompanied by an extra North Hollywood 357 AMP Two-Liner barrel. Asking price seems high. Does anyone know anything about the vent rib barrel?  Serial number WSJ-13. 

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1089305933

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Mtn_Eagle Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List International Auto Mag Joined: 04 Nov 2023 Status: Offline Points: 124	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mtn_Eagle Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: 357 AMP lot on Gunbroker Posted: 12 Feb 2025 at 1:19am
	This is an interesting lot. A Pasadena 357 AMP with a long vent rib barrel accompanied by an extra North Hollywood 357 AMP Two-Liner barrel. Asking price seems high. Does anyone know anything about the vent rib barrel? Serial number WSJ-13. https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1089305933

BEEMER1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Callahan's Auto Mag Joined: 06 Jan 2010 Location: iowa Status: Offline Points: 1366	Post Options Post Reply Quote BEEMER1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 Feb 2025 at 6:42pm
	Walt Jones worked at AMT as a purchasing agent and had several #13 guns. There were no 8 1/2" vent rib barrels made at Pasadena. There were only 2 or 3 of the 6 1/2" VR barrels made at Pasadena before the bankruptcy and then the 2 line N Hollywood barrels went into production. The rear sight is not a Pasadena sight. If you work at the gun shop you can get your stuff marked any way you want. I see no collector value in that barrel.

Dances with AutoMags Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Callahan's Auto Mag Joined: 13 Oct 2011 Location: Valley Glen Status: Offline Points: 613	Post Options Post Reply Quote Dances with AutoMags Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 Feb 2025 at 3:28pm
	You are correct Sir. The Pasadena factory made three .357 barrels. Two 6.5" barrels (one with a right-hand twist and one with a left-hand twist.) Plus one with an 8.5" barrel with no rib. Bob Barbasiewicz made one for himself that he still has. When Harry got started in El Monte he made less than ten 6.5" .357 barrels that he marked Pasadena. Some have said he only had the Pasadena stencil so that's how they were marked. Others have said he had these barrels made for people who had paid for a .357 barrel. He then made a few 6.5" barreled 357 North Hollywood two liner barrels. The ribbed .357 barrel in this offering looks like one of the left-over Bicentennial barrels. Cheers...........Bruce
	An armed society is a polite society.

BEEMER1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Callahan's Auto Mag Joined: 06 Jan 2010 Location: iowa Status: Offline Points: 1366	Post Options Post Reply Quote BEEMER1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 Feb 2025 at 7:40pm
	Here is a photo of a Bicentennial to compare it with. I think Bruce is correct. .

Mtn_Eagle Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List International Auto Mag Joined: 04 Nov 2023 Status: Offline Points: 124	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mtn_Eagle Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14 Feb 2025 at 5:40am
	This is really interesting. I’m still not sure exactly what the origin of this vent rib barrel is. Was it a bicentennial barrel that was fraudulently labeled as a Pasadena barrel? Where did the vent rib come from? You guys are great. I am super grateful for all the awesome information you were able to pass on from your ex extensive experience.

BEEMER1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Callahan's Auto Mag Joined: 06 Jan 2010 Location: iowa Status: Offline Points: 1366	Post Options Post Reply Quote BEEMER1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14 Feb 2025 at 2:53pm
	To commerate the country's Bicentennial year, 1976, Auto Mag ran a special run of pistols with USA-xxxx serial numbers. Harry had number USA-1776. All were chambered for the 357 AMP cartridge, had 8 1/2" Vent rib barrels, had special stenciling, and were mostly fully polished. I have been told that less then ten were built, two by Larry Grossman and the rest by Ed O'Neil. The one pictured above is USA-200. I have always felt that the Bicentennials were the nicest looking of all the Auto Mags. The barrel in the GB ad was probably a left over from this project, given a brushed finish, was marked with a Pasadena stencil, added to Jones's vanity marked frame, and sold to him.

KMP Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Callahan's Auto Mag Joined: 05 Jun 2010 Location: North Idaho Status: Offline Points: 280	Post Options Post Reply Quote KMP Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14 Feb 2025 at 8:47pm
	I talked to the dealer a couple days ago, he sent me a bunch of pictures. It appears that the Vented barrel is a weld-on vent rib, which connects to the existing extension rib, being it was a 10" cut down and modified. I've seen a couple of barrel made like this is the past, I know Brian Maynard did some and I believe Larry did as well. I asked for tons of pictures of the lugs, the vented barrel lugs have wear and slight mushrooming. The two-line barrel looks almost unfired. The Frame is a late model casting. I asked if there's any paperwork, for the Walt or the Jones family. No. The weapon is a consignment gun and he talked with current owner in regards to the pistols prominence. What is shown in the picture is all the have. Eric

jw4570 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Callahan's Auto Mag Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Location: FL Status: Offline Points: 1334	Post Options Post Reply Quote jw4570 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 Feb 2025 at 7:52pm
	I think Dan Gibbons welded some 8.5’s like that at the rib and extension. I believe Larry removed the rib over the extension and welded on a whole rib.