Revolver Prices

J

jambrdly

New member
Hello:

Are prices on revolvers becoming more or less reasonable these days? I have purchased 3 used S&W revolvers this year, a model 10, 14 and 36, for $400, $450 and $425 respectively. They are all 60s era guns in very good condition, good finish with excellent bores. They all shoot very well.

Compared to the prices I see people paying for off-brand automatics of dubious quality I consider a made-in-America S&W for around $400 quite reasonable. If I overpaid, I am willing to be corrected.

I recently purchased a used but mint (I never buy new) Ruger Vaquero in 45 Colt for $450. I admit I may have paid more for that one than I should have.

Anyway, I'd like to hear the opinions of my fellow shooters - is the current stampede toward high-capacity semi-autos working to the advantage of those of us in the six-gun crowd or am I deluding myself?

JCB
 
Those were all good buys, especially for 60's era Smitty's
It may have a lot to do with where you are as well.
Lots of people out of work and selling off a few inherited guns from Dad or Grandpas collection that may not appeal to them or not know what they have?
 
Without seeing pictures and going by your "very good condition" I'd say you did fine. You don't say if they came with original grips, boxes, etc. which would make them even better deals.
If you want to see some crazy prices for S&W revolvers spend a little time on Gunbroker. The ones I'm talking about are LNIB but WOW!.
 
As people already said these are good prices. I would be surprised if you got original boxes and papers with them. But it only matters if you are a collector. If you are a shooter, who cars about boxes, papers and original grips? Contemporary grips are usually more comfortable anyway. What matters is a good bore, good timing, solid interior and to some degree an excellent exterior. Indeed some prices on Gunbroker are crazy. I was recently hunting for Model 17 and those with boxes, papers and in good condition easily go for over $800. Why? I don't know. This is not even a self defense gun...
 
is the current stampede toward high-capacity semi-autos working to the advantage of those of us in the six-gun crowd
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Well I certainly am a documented fan of this theory even though I've only got data from going to a few gun shops in the Twin Cities MN area.
 
Hasn't been all that long ago, you could have bought them for $250.

Unfortunately, $450 is the New $250.

Edited: an old acquaintance has some Model 10 HB's for $279.
 
I havent seen a 36 for $250 in a while. IMO over $400. is a bit high for a model 10-?. Gun prices are all over the place... I recently got a very nice LNIB 36 with box for $600+ It was worth it because I just had to have it. Then a few months later I paid $300 for a NIB with papers tools, and target. A gun is worth what your willing to pay for it.



LOL @ Sarge... $450. is the new $250. LOL
 
Indeed prices are all over the place. I just saw S&W Model 66 for sale on Amrslist for $450 (asking!) in very good condition. Located about 2 hours drive from me. Considering this would be a cash deal with no FFL and shipping costs involved, and I could probably negotiate a little, it's an amazing deal. But oh well, I just bought same gun, paid more...
 
When many of the police dept.'s were trading in Revolvers for hi-cap. semi-autos, I bought as many as I could comfortably afford. Mod. 65's, Mod. 66's, Mod. 681's, and Mod. 686's, were going for $150 to $275 from dealers that had taken them in on trade. I'll bet a lot of these officers that gave up these fine revolvers wish they had them back. With a wife and a couple of grown daughters, I am satisfied that any one of them can pick up any one of these revolvers, and defend their lives. Keep it simple!
 
Revolver prices, both new and used, seem to have increased pretty dramatically over the last 15 years or so. My theory is that the glut of police trade-in revolvers that we saw through the 80's and 90's artificially depressed the wheelgun market. Afterall, when you could buy a very lightly used .38 Special or .357 Magnum revolver for $200-300 all day long, makers like Colt, S&W, and Ruger weren't going to be selling many new ones at $600-800 each. I suspect that DA revolver makers were probably making much smaller profit margins in those days and that's probably why Colt got out of the DA revolver business and S&W slimmed down their line during this time period.

As the glut of used revolvers has dried up, and thus used gun prices shot up, it has allowed revolver makers to increase their prices and get their profit margins back to more realistic levels. It really doesn't surprise me that the prices of revolvers have climbed as high as they have. If you compare a S&W 686 to an M&P9 or a Ruger GP100 to an SR9, it's pretty obvious which guns are more complicated, and thus more expensive, to manufacture.

Also, revolvers seem to be enjoying a bit of a resurgence right now. With huge numbers of people getting into shooting for the first time, I suspect that a fair number are rediscovering the beauty of a revolver. While many, if not most, first-time buyers get some sort of semi-auto, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that many of them eventually figure out just how useful and practical a good revolver can be. This is especially true of small-frame snubs as they've never really been overshadowed by autos to the same degree that medium and large frame revolvers were.
 
Enfielder
I'll bet a lot of these officers that gave up these fine revolvers wish they had them back. With a wife and a couple of grown daughters, I am satisfied that any one of them can pick up any one of these revolvers, and defend their lives. Keep it simple!
Click to expand...

Webleymkv
I wouldn't be surprised to learn that many of them eventually figure out just how useful and practical a good revolver can be.
Click to expand...

Plus one to these comments. I couldn't say it any better so I won't even try.
 
Are prices on revolvers becoming more or less reasonable these days?

I think the vast majority of NEW firearms are overpriced.
As far as the second hand market goes, the short answer is NO.
While some people may try to cash in on the gun-grabbing hype, you don't have to buy it. Most of us here have several guns, we don't really need another. A resourceful trader can find the best deals and a smart shopper can negotiate... For me, that's why I do what I do. It's like hunting... I feel like Indiana Jones on an expedition to find the best deals on firearms.
 
.38 revolvers are about the "deals" available in the gun market these days. Of course everything is up, but those less so. IMHO there is no new handgun available today for $400 is as quality as the guns you mentioned.
 
I think you did reasonable with your purchases, and in a few years if you take care of them you will make a few bucks or not lose any money depending on how you sell. Always a good thing.

In general I think for revolvers, especially S+W types that are more in demand prices are getting less and less reasonable. MSRP on the lock / MIM infested guns are high enough that the older guns, esp. in new to like new condition can gather buyers who are paying at or above new gun retail for many of the older guns.

To some degree I understand this as I'd gladly pay MSRP for NIB non-MIM gun rather than take the current offering, however it would truly have to be for a new in box gun. What I see on Gun Broker are some truly nice safe queen guns that probably really are NIB and priced high,i.e. well over currnet MSRP.

What I see locally are many guns claiming to be NIB but which really are not, are marriages of gun to box, or over priced shooter guns lacking boxes etc. It is really hard to find a revolver that I consider a reasonable deal locally and I would say out of 100 guns I look at there are maybe 2-3 that are in the ball park of what they should be priced at. Recent memories that have made me laugh are a beat up 66 snub for 650 dollars... a 696 with nothing other than 4 "ports" drilled in the barrel (looked like a drill press was used) for 950 or a 28 highly over polished and re-blued for 850.

I really don't know if the folks who have these guns (some are shops) simply figure start high and bargain or if they simply don't get it or if there really are so many people who don't know the diff so they sell eventually at the higher numbers. It is starting to remind me of the python market.... everyone automatically thinks a python is a 2k+ gun even if the just dredged it out of the ditch. Given that the guns most people want simply are not made any more it will likely just keep getting worse.

That being said there are still decent deals out there and in the past 3 months I have been lucky to score a 63, 696 and 625-4 all without box but otherwise excellent shape at great prices.
 
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