My safe is getting full and I am considering selling a few guns, but am curious about price on one in particular. It is a S&W 686-6, 6 shot, with a 4" barrel. I've owned it for about 4 years. The gun is in fantastic shape with no real marks or wear. As for rounds - I'm guessing a few thousand .38 S&W, and less than 500 .357. The gun now sells new for about $650. However, I had about $500 worth of gunsmithing by Scott Mulkerin of SDM Fabricating - a fabulous gunsmith who has had S&W's in many magazines, is popular on many forums, and is currently working on my 5th gun since I like his work so much. Here is the work completed by Mr. Mulkerin:

1) Single and double action trigger job
2) Gold bead front sight
3) Chamfer and number cylinder
4) Polish small parts and screws
5) Re-crown barrel, polish barrel extension, square cylinder gap
6) Re-radius trigger and install overtravel stop
7) Install Ed Brown cylinder latch
8) Install Millet rear sight
9) Install Miculek Competition Grips

It is basically the clone of a gun that was a monthly giveaway in American Handgunner (or maybe it was Guns and Ammo - one of the two).

Note: I have the box, manual, assorted factory goodies, and the receipt from Mr. Mulkerin for his work.

So - adding the price of a new 686 at $650 and $500 of gunsmithing sums to $1150. What do you think would be it's value used? Basically, I'll keep it if I don't recoup much of the custom gunsmithing.

Thanks in advance!!!

My local dealer once told me that if I wanted any custom work done on a firearm I had two choices: (1)don't ever get rid of it or (2)be prepared to take a significant loss on it when sold because to MOST people that work is not worth more than the price of a new gun. That said, the Forum might be your best shot since most people here are S&W people. I'd still guess not more than the price of a new unmodified 686 or perhaps a 686SSR.

Like Wayne said, you'll never get your money out of it.

That said, I customized damn near every pistol I bought over the years. My philosophy is that I don't collect, I shoot and I buy them to shoot so setting them up the way I like is SOP.

You may even harm the value of your pistol as this example of a Classic Hunter demonstrates.

This is a 6" blued gun that I had completely customized with hard chrome, ball bearing detent in the crane, Mag-Na-Porting, green front sight insert, action job, 11 degree forcing cone for lead, muzzle crown and combat smoothing of target trigger. This is an example of lots of $$ in modifications making it a hunter's wet dream, but killing the value for collectors.

quote:

Originally posted by Snapping Twig:
...I customized damn near every pistol I bought over the years. My philosophy is that I don't collect, I shoot and I buy them to shoot so setting them up the way I like is SOP....

I'm with you on that. My Daddy used to say this about cars, "If you're going to put in a lot of whiz-bang stuff, the only way you're going to get your money back out of it is to enjoy driving it."

I'm not a collector, either, not interested in relics, curios, or "investments" - like shooting. I think you and me, we're alone in that regard, though.

That is the reason I still own a lot of guns.