Thread: S&W 639
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Old 10-16-2013, 12:45 PM
DCW DCW is offline
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Default 639 Information

The Smith & Wesson 639 began production in 1984; ceased in 1989. The ambidextrous safety became standard in 1986 (although a 639 was and could be ordered or produced without the added right-side safety latch).

A little less certain is the date when S&W went from a rounded trigger guard (like that found on the preceding S&W Model 439) to the "hook" trigger guard.

It's worthy to note at this point that S&W often has "transitional" periods with its weapons, the meaning being its final-assembly gunsmiths, working side by side, could coincidentally be simultaneously working on "old" and "new" versions for days, weeks and possibly even months on end before finally working "on the same page."

While remembering that customers large and small could special-order a 639, factory variations on the all-stainless steel 639 were basic: Hi-Viz (visibility) adjustable sights; Fixed Sights; ambidextrous safety (beginning in 1986).

According to the industry pricing "bible," Blue Book of Gun Values, a 639 in "new condition" ('100-percent,' "as-is from factory," unfired by end user/s) with adjustable sites, full factory accessories (whatever accompanied the gun from the factory, e.g., extra magazine, cleaning tools) and miscellaneous materials (box, pamphlets, unused warranty card, etc.) today is valued at $502. (Note: see below attributions)

However, the best place to determine a current price is the marketplace, itself.

Comparables:
Here (ARMSLIST - For Sale: Smith & Wesson -- Mod 639 cal 9mm) is another very nice 639 listed for sale ($500) on ArmsList. There evidently being no takers since its 13 Sept 2013 listing date.

Another ArmsList 639 offering, listed on 26 Aug 2013, (ARMSLIST - For Sale: Smith and Wesson 639 all stainless. Super nice) is $575, including holster and three magazines.

Still another ArmsList 639 offering (and last available at this time) with "one" magazine and, presumably, original S&W box is asking $450 (ARMSLIST - For Sale: Smith and Wesson 639 stainless 9mm).

The average price at ArmsList came in at $508.

At Gunbroker.com, here's a link (Firearms for Sale - Buy Firearms at GunBroker.com) that returned a $536 average price for all five offereings, or $546 average price if removed from the formula were the highest and lowest-priced sidearms.

As a collector who almost exclusively buys and sells only Smith & Wesson "x39 series" semi-autos, this Smith & Wesson Forum member usually favors a derived price average which excludes the highest and lowest prices of available examples. Helpful to that end are offerings of more than three of a given item.

In most cases, selling owners of almost every type of property attach an "emotional" value to whatever is being sold and thus comprise most "high-end" sellers. Whereas on the other end - the buyer - an emotional value is irrelevant.

Accounting for many "low-end" prices are sellers who don't research market values and grossly undervalue an offering.

Though buyers can't wait to find this type of seller, low-end prices are just as ineffective of determining true market value as are too-high prices.

Additionally checked sites for examples of market values herein included GunsAmerica.com, GunsInternational.com and GunAuction.com, none of which yielded an S&W 639 for sale.

Lastly, at least insofar as this contribution is concerned, is to remember a potential buyer often has assigned a potential "resale" value to whatever is being offered and thus is willing to pay only a percentage of that price.

Try to sell a gun, or anything, actually, to a pawn shop and prepare to meet with a huge surprise - as did this contributor when a young man, who wished initially to get $100 for a gun and got $35.

In reality, the pawnbroker saw the potential retail value as about $70 whereas the fellow pawning (not selling) the gun not only ignored retail value, but added another $30 worth of "emotional value." (By the way, the gun in that transaction was and still is a S&W Model 39-2, which three years earlier as a brand-spanking-off-the-shelf-new Model 39-2 exacted a $73.63 price to the buyer, yours truly, who to this day has that same in-the-box Mod. 39-2, its original sales receipt AND the pawn receipt, showing the loan was repaid, in full, only 12 days after it had been pawned.)

-DC

Reference materials for above include: Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, by Jim Supica & Richard Nahas; The Blue Book Pocket Guide for Smith & Wesson Firearms & Values, by S.P. Fjestad; Smith & Wesson Autos, by Duncan Long; Blue Book of Gun Values - Online Subscription, updated quarterly, by F.J. Fjestad.
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