Looking for some help valuing these guns (pic heavy)

A

aaront

Inactive
I have a friend looking to trade me part of his collection and I am trying to value everything, any help would be appreciated!

Unfortunately these are the only pictures I can get for the time being. Most everything is old, and in the original box with paper work.

Colt Diamondback .22





Ruger Redhawk in .44 Mag, never fired



Dan Wesson .357 mag, never fired



Ruger .22 New Model Single six, never fired



Smith and Wesson 22 MRF CTG

 
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Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum Stainless



Smith and Wesson .32 S&W Long



Smith and Wesson, I don't know the caliber yet



Unknown folding revolver ???



 
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Wowser!!!!

Those are some beautiful guns. And that is only part of the collection??? I should be so lucky. I can't help on valuation of these but I would think some of them would be quite valuable in their current condition.
You might check completed auctions on some of the auction sites. Sorry I can't be of any help but thanks for posting the wonderful pics. ;)
 
The "stainless S&W .357" is probably nickel. If you unlatch the cylinder and push it out to the side, the model number will be visible stamped on the frame.

"Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson" will probably help with valuation on those.

The "folding revolver" is an old break top. The one thing with probably not a great deal of value. (Though, I could well be wrong.)
 
By far the best handgun in the bunch is the Colt Diamondback. You could be looking at upwards $1,500 for that handgun.

Several of the S&Ws could be good ones, as well, but we'd need to know the model numbers, which can be obtained by opening the cylinder and looking for the numbers stamped there -- usually a 2 or 3 digit number followed by a dash and another number.

All of the S&Ws, except the nickle plated one, are pre 1983 or thereabouts.

The last one, the break-top, is a Harrington and Richardson. These were serviceable guns, but weren't all that valuable when new, or now. In that condition, probably about $150. That one is in particularly nice shape, though, so it might go for more.
 
I think prices vary a lot in different areas. I don't know much about Smiths. I'd say that Redhawk might bring $1000 on Gunbroker. Many folks prefer the older models. I don't think they make the blue Model anymore. If I was insuring it I'd want at least a thousand in insurance. Nice looking group of revolvers.
 
The diamondback, assuming that is original, is worth $1500+, possibly $2000. I would want $2000 for mine, and its that nice. The box should serial to the gun. I believe that box style is from the 1960s. The Diamondback debuted in 1966. Currently its one of the hotter Colt snake guns, and its often referred to as a "baby Python" although that is not exactly true. They are better in 22 than in 38. $2000 might seem high, because Diamondbacks are not rare, but the demand is high, and this one has condition. Remember - CRD - Condition Rarity Demand to consider for a value. This gun has condition and demand, in spades!

The 44 mag redhawk has some value itself, blue finish and condition. I'm not sure exactly what it would bring, but at least $700 I would say.

That Dan Wesson is probably an 8in model 15. Not often seen in an 8in barrel, but I'm not sure what the demand is for 8in DWs either. Its probably worth $600 to $700.

The New model single six is relatively recent production. Not sure what they are worth in SS. I guess you could compare to what a new one retails for and go from there.

The 22 MRF is a model 48 with the uncommon 8 3/8 in barrel. They are more sought after with this barrel. Value on it $800 to perhaps $1000. I know they are not often seen but they're not really rare either, if you know what I mean.

The "357 magnum stainless" appears to be a nickel model 19, 6in with target grips. It looks to not have a pinned barrel, suggesting its probably 19-4 or perhaps 19-5, or later. Sometimes a S&W can have a non pinned barrel, with a recessed cylinder. If the gun is not pinned and recessed, I'd say $600 or so, and if its both pinned and recessed, $700 to $800.

The 32 S&W long appears to be a J frame, and its square butt, 2+2 its probably a model 31, although it could be a model 30. Value approx $500.

The unknown caliber gun does not have the pin for the frame mounted firing pin, wears adj sights, 6in barrel, sight rib and is K frame without half lug under barrel. I would bet its a model 14 in 38 spl. It has the 3 Ts, which is good. Value is probably in the $600 range. The model 14 would not have recessed cylinders since only magnum or rimfire cals had recessing.
 
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Mike is right about the H&R. Its a hammerless 32 S&W version, worth $100 to $150. Even though it has condition, it is a 32 instead of a 38, which hinders it some. Even with that condition, these are commonly sold for under $100.
 
I appreciate all the info you guys have given! I kinda figured the Colt would be the highest valued of them all. The hard part is going to be selling some of them if the deal goes through. They're all so nice I won't want to sell any of them LOL.
 
You sure that's a .32 S&W?

I'm thinking it has five cylinder flutes, not six, which would make it a .38 S&W.

I'll have to dig mine out of the safe to compare it.
 
Even if Winchester73 is probably right about the unknown caliber S&W, I'd go running to check it out, as it could be the elusive Model 16 in .32 S&W Long. If it is, you've got an expensive gun there. Reason I think it could be a 16 is the cleaning brush (which just shows) looks a tad small for a .38 one.

So, it is probably a 14, but I'd check anyway.

BTW, isn't that a Wolverine just peeking at the left?
 
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Every one looks pristine, save the top-break - which puts their value at a premium for each. (IOW, the best price in each range Winchester 73 quoted)

IMO, the Diamondback & the Model 48 are hen's teeth, and should be valued accordingly.



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That's a J frame .32, not a K frame Model 16.

The Model 16 had adjustable sights, that one doesn't.

The massing is also wrong for a Model 16.

The front sight is also wrong for a Model 16.

A first issue Model 16 is worth thousands, likely more than the Diamondback.

A late issue Model 16, after the reintroduction in the 1990s, not so much. They also had full underlug barrels.
 
"BTW, isn't that a Wolverine just peeking at the left?"

Yes, and there isn't just 1, but 2! Both in the original boxes WITH the manuals.
 
Questions or thoughts for the OP:
This situation sounds at least odd... or uncommon. You've got some collector grade guns here in these photos and you say a friend is looking to sell part of his collection, but you don't even know what you've shown us. Does your friend know what he's offering you?
(could be that he received this in an estate and doesn't know or care much about revolvers, and is not interested in them... totally plausible, perhaps that's what we've got here)

However, if he is a gun guy and a collector himself, it seems as though he should certainly know what he's got here in most of these. And you really don't seem to know... It's curious that you are an interested buyer. Most folks (who don't know much about these) that find an opportunity to buy a handful of collector grade guns typically find themselves in such a position because someone else selling them also doesn't know much about them.

Let me put this another way...
If the seller knows what he's got... and the buyer does not...
It looks like a setup for radical failure. As in... that collector grade Diamondback is a sweetheart and a fantastic investment if you get it for a thousand bucks, but if the SELLER knows what it is and the BUYER doesn't and the BUYER pays $2,500 for it and has no earthly idea how to inspect it for function, originality, condition and value. the BUYER might well be taking in right in hindquarters. :eek: The single picture we here are all looking at make it appear to be fantastic, and it may very well be, but the possibility exists that it could have some issues that will attack the value. Afterall, we only see the single image. It's almost no matter if you pay a thousand bucks for it, because it -IS- that sought after. However, if you are asked to pay a current market "price" in 100% condition for it, when THAT gun is currently sitting at it's all-time high right now, then:
a) it sure as heck BETTER be at 100%, which you aren't qualified to deduce
b) it's much like buying gold when gold is at an all-time high
...in other words, it "might" be a good investment, if gold continues to climb, but it's throwing money down the toilet if gold happens to be inflated and it comes down from it's peak. You end up with a revolver you spent $2,500 on that you might never be able to sell for over $2,000.

As a side bar, it appears that everything (except the top-break) is sitting in it's original box. Many (most?) of these boxes have information on the end panel of the box that will help you (and us) identify them. You didn't notice that? Or the seller didn't?

This is obviously an opportunity for some very nice examples here, but it sounds like an odd or uncommon scenario. I'd like to hear more with regards to how this came about. Whoever owns these guns... may very well have quite a valuable lot right here, so naturally, it raises an eyebrow that he's offering all of them in one fell swoop to someone who doesn't seem to know anything about them.

I believe in the good in people, but realize that it simply is not always the case. If the Diamondback (just one hypothetical example) has the original owner's SSN etched in to the steel of the grip frame where we cannot see it (on the reverse side or under the wood stocks) then forget whatever you think you know about it's "value" or what it would sell for, because it would be in it's own unique place in the market. (it would be miles below "mint")
 
Sevens, I appreciate you looking out, and you are correct. My friend, we'll call him Doug.
Dougs father was a huge gun collector when he was a child. He had guns in display cases all over his home, and his father even worked for a gun manufacturer in the 70's. However, Doug doesn't know or care much for the guns. He doesn't know what he has. He assumes a lot of it is uncommon or rare. He literally has all of his dads old guns (over 60 guns) PACKED in 2 safes. His wife doesn't like guns, so that's part of the reason why he wants to just get rid of them. (I would say get rid of the wife but... :eek: )
So anyways, his dad passed away some 15 years ago and the collection got handed down to him through the estate. However I just talked with him today and it sounds like the deal fell through, but he may want me to try to sell them for him since I know more about them than he does.
So hopefully in the next couple weeks I'll be able to bring them all home and do some serious digging on everything.

"Many (most?) of these boxes have information on the end panel of the box that will help you (and us) identify them. You didn't notice that? Or the seller didn't?"
Correct, I just didn't have the time to go through and get all the info on each gun. I had about 45 minutes at his home to get the pictures that I did get before I had to jump on a flight. With a couple hours I could have got all the info I needed but there just wasn't time to get the info on 60 guns in 45 minutes. I'm hoping to get back down there in the next couple weeks.


The reason for me posting this thread was just to get a decent idea of what he has here. I know I didn't provide much info, there was just so many guns I couldn't get all the details I wish I had. As you can tell on the Smith and Wesson that I don't know the caliber. I forgot to take a picture of the caliber on that one, and he has an old Burgess slide action shotgun and I'm not sure if it's a folder or not. There's tons of stuff I just couldn't get with the time given
 
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