[sheepherder]

Perhaps your 'expert' plans on listing one himself, and doesn't want your price driving his auction. The 10mm S&W is somewhat rare, and recent magazine articles have stimulated interest in the 10mm chambering.

Some of my handguns (that I do fire) have been scrubbed clean after a range session. It is beyond my skill to tell 500 rds wear from 5 rds...But I am not an 'expert' like your 'friend'.

Maybe he thinks it is a 'retired' handgun (agency lets officer take his service arm with him when he retires). My local town justice has his old S&W .357 revolver mounted above his desk, on a plaque, with a suitable inscription on a brass plate. If it was carried, then he qualified with it regularly (or practiced) and it would therefore be fired 'many many times'. Perhaps your 'expert' thinks this is what happened with your fathers pistol.

When I was with AFRES, I cleaned 50+ S&W revolvers twice a year, for inspection. Some were carried by the DOD Police, some had never been issued (the depot supply documents accompanied them). It is possible to have an old handgun that was stored and never issued or fired after acceptance.

I think GB has a policy of notifying the site admins about private offers [outside the auction] or other harassing emails/PMs. I would send/forward them a copy of the email/PM, let them decide how to handle his demand.