Advice would be appreciated. It was handed down to a friend by her father and she wants to sell it. I want to give her a fair price for it. I just finished a detail strip, clean and lube on it for her and it doesn't look like it has been shot much. If I can't afford it, I will sell it on GunBroker for her. No box or papers unfortunately, but it looks pretty darn nice to me. There is what looks like some very light holster wear on each side at the muzzle. The serial # 33K..... makes it a 1978/79 model I think.

People continue to amaze and disappoint me about inherited firearms. Why in the world would you "just want to sell it" for the few hundred dollars you would get and, undoubtedly, spend in short order when there obviously was a reason he held on to it and passed it down to her or whoever? I guess it doesn't really matter what happens to it to you if you are dead but ...... people just don't care anymore.

Anyway, to answer your question, if I walked in to my local gun stoe around here and saw that revolver, it would probably have a pricetag of $600.00 to $650.00 on it and he would sell it quickly at that price.

Offer her $550.00 and be happy you got it

I understand how you feel. My firearms are all designated to children and grandchildren and I have shot them with the kids. In this case he had two daughters, neither one interested in firearms. I probably should have said she ended up with it rather than that it was handed down which implies designated for her by her father.

I'm obviously way out of the loop on these...but my thinking is no box or grips and has been lightly fired...I'm a buyer at ~$400 and seller at ~$500...but then again I'm not in the market for a 2 1/2 M19.

If this gun is a quick sell at $650...what would it be expected to bring as an unfired complete package?

Is there a significant premium here because it's a short barrel? If so, approximately how much premium? Thanks.

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Regards, Ty

I was hoping it was worth $300 which the Blue Book shows for a 19-3 in 90% to 95% so I could afford it. If it is worth anything near the $600 range, I will sell it for her on GunBroker.

Well, to put it in perspective, I just tonight happily made a deposit on a 4" 19-3. Price tag of $460. Mine is in good condition, not excellent. Yours is in nicer shape and I would be willing to pay $500-$550 for it. But then again, when I see a gun that catches my fancy (particularly Smiths) it doesn't really matter what the price tag is, to an extent....

GaryC , you and I both live in Texas and I guess that accounts for the higher price (availability) here rather than some other parts of the country. You just don't see too many P & R Model 19 snubbies for sale around here, especially that are nice. My buying world is in S.E. Taxas, in and around the Houston area. I have a sister and brother-in-law in Azle, just norhtwest of Ft. Worth and around the Dallas area, prices are about the same as here (high).

I could be high at the stated prices but, I am not by very much around here, unfortunately. I cannot imagine she would have a hard time selling it on Gunbroker for at least $550.00 but you never know.

Thanks for the follow-up information. I live in the DFW area too and we definitely don't don't see to many nice Model 19s around here. I sold a very nice 6" 19-4 with box and papers to a dealer at a Gun Show last year for $575.

I do want this revolver, but I also want to get her the most I can for it. I wonder if is is kosher to list an item on GunBroker and then bid on it yourself? That way I could start it high, say $650 and drop the price every couple of weeks until I got a bid and then bid on it myself if it was in my range. If it is even allowed, I should probably state my intention in the Item Description if I decide to do that.

I would have to list it for her because she doesn't have an account and I'm sure doesn't want one. She just wants to sell the revolver and get as much as she can/should get for it. In my experience, the dealers around here will usually offer you whatever the 60% price is in the Blue Book and I would imagine Pawn Shops do the same. We all know it is worth more that the $195 Blue Book 60% price, it is just a matter of how much more

GaryC, I just recently purchased a M19-3, with original stocks, box and papers, in excellent condition at a gun show. The price on it was $535. Would your friend want you to have her fathers gun at a fair price of say $500? Ask her for the opportunity to own her fathers M19. Offer her a fair price and if she wants more list it for her. BTW 1978-1979 is the correct shipping date.

+1 on what JCS&W said. If it can be avoided, do not list it on Gunbroker but, I understand if it is just too much for you right now. I do not know much about Gunbroker as I have never used them to buy or sell a gun as I like to physically inspect a gun before I commit but I would guess it is not alright to bid on your own listing there. Snubbies are hot right now for collecting and concealed carry and that drives the price up on the short-barreled models.

See if she will go a fair price for both of you and get if you can. They just do not come up for sale too often around here.

I agree with JCS&W. I think $500 would be a very fair price, based on what I see in the Georgia shows and websites. Those look like some very nice, possibly expensive, stocks, but they are not original. It would be worth more to me with original, or at least period correct stocks.

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Georgia On My Mind

Did I miss something hear "list it for her on gunbroker and then bid on it" how can you list a gun for sale and try to buy it at the same time? I have heard of shill bidding but against your self!! Make her a fair offer maybe even work out a payment plan and buy the gun.

Thanks for the great advice guys. I have been out of the S&W loop for a while so I am not current on prices. I will offer her $500 for it and see what she says, but I'm sure she will take it. The problem with this one is that if I told her it was worth $300 and gave her that she would take it, but I want to do the right thing. The input I have gotten here is exactly what I needed to offer her a fair price for the revolver. If she wants it back in the next couple of years she can have it back for what I pay her for it. I just hope it shoots as good as it looks

I bought, locally, a 2 1/2" blue 19-3 today. It is in 99% condition with matching grips. I paid $550 and was VERY happy to get that. In that condition, no extras, I would have gone $600-$615.
These days it's ALL about condition.

Wow, I just don't see anything over $500 without original stocks and box. It is nice, and I like these guns a lot, but without the stocks, box and paperwork it isn't premium...which is anything over $500. You will be paying market price at that but you can certainly feel good that you got a nice revolver and didn't compromise your friendship by lowballing her.

Gary, good for you,there is nothing good to be gained in stealing guns from from unsuspecting sellers, especially a friend. The Blue Book is a joke on many guns so you did the right thing doing a bit of research. I think once you shoot the gun you will think it a bargain.

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John. SWCA #1586

i recently got this 19-3, with box and papers, for 550.00.

i would see if she could maybe find the original grips. i would be pretty happy with it at 500, with the originals. you definitely don't have to feel like you took advantage of her. that is probably the fair market value for it, maybe even a tad high.

Keep in mind that if you sell it for her on gunbroker there would be selling fees which will reduce her net. Also, most anyone that lists something like that on one of the auction sites for another party collects a selling fee of their own. You are probably netting her as much if not more than she would going through the hassle of auctioning.

Offer her the $350 with the understanding She has first right of refusal if you want to sell it if/when she realizes what she's done and wants it back, which I feel she will after time passes. A physical connection to ones deceased Father takes a little longer to sink in on some people than others.
RD

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