Hi everyone. I'm a brand new member and came here for information and advice. I have a large collection that I inherited from my father a few years ago. It has now come time to part with these items. I am eventually going to be selling them and the money raised will be going to pay for my sons college education. I don't know much about guns. I would like to know if any of the online auction sites are a good place to start. The first one I am starting with is an S&W 22LR CTG. I would like to know a little bit of descriptive information about the gun, manufacture year and value if possible. The serial number on the bottom of the grip is K131XXX. Any information and help would be greatly appreciated. This is the first post of several more that are sure to come. If you have any other suggestions on the best way to sell off the collection to maximize the value I can get, please let me know. I have included pictures. Thanks to everyone in advance.

Teresa

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Welcome to the forum. K22 Combat Masterpiece. After 1957 it became the Model 18. Value above $500 and even more if you have the box, paperwork and tools. 1951 according to the SCS&W is the born date.

Very nice looking revolver.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

IMHO Selling on an online auction is best left to people with an FFL and/or know what they are doing.
Your location makes a big difference, also, as state laws vary a lot. If you tell us where you are, someone can give appropriate advice.
I look forward to seeing what other treasures are in your hands.

Losmuertos21, welcome to the forum, you have come to the right place, at least in my opinion, as this is a great forum and the members have an incredible wealth of knowledge that they are always happy to share, and will very likely provide you with excellent advice on what the firearm is and its value.

As MikeLeitner states, the auctions do tend to work best and be the safest for those that have knowledge of the products and the auction processes to avoid falling victim to a seller that might be less than fully forthcoming or just honestly forgot to put in the auction ad description a piece of critical information. Also, as Mike indicates, knowing what state you are in will likely be helpful in getting good advice to you.

As time goes on and you build up some relationships here, it would not surprise me if you even received some offers direct from members here, as we have many members that are not only experts on S&W but also appreciate them.

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DAV Life Member

One piece of advice I will give you is to not sell your guns to a Pawn Shop or Gun store. They will both give you a low price for your guns because they are in business to make a profit when they sell them.

losmuertos, bienvenidos!

Because you described that gun as "an S&W 22LR CTG" I will presume you really are not knowledgeable at all about guns. So, let me make come suggestions.

First, make sure the guns are not loaded.

For S&W revolvers, if you will open the cylinder and look inside the yoke, you will see on most modern S&W revolvers an "M" number. For example:

M 18-2 or M 10-6 or M 19-9. And so forth.

When you write to us here, although many folks can tell from the pictures what gun you are showing, by giving the model number you eliminate the guess work. We will know by the model number what caliber the gun is.

Next, if you will ask the Forum members for a value on any gun, you will get a variety of replies but generally all within the same ballpark. That will give you an idea of value so you don't need to guess.

Then, your choice, but before you list guns on auction sites, go to the "Wanted to Sell" Forum here and post the guns you are selling. Just follow the rules closely. You might find the members of this Forum want to buy all of those guns!

Well, Yoda, confuse her you did.
She'll have a hard time finding MOD 18 inside her 1951 K22.

Thanks so much for the wealth of information I've been given so far. Seems like a really great group of people in here. I'm sure my lack of knowledge is obvious to all of you. I'm located in WA state. None of the guns are loaded and they are all stored in safes. I know not to go to a gun store or pawn shop. My son is going to be going to college in a couple of years so I figured now is a good time to sell them and add the money to his current college fund to earn some interest. Does WA have very strict laws for selling guns and is there anything in particular I should know? Thanks again.

Teresa

There are a couple of really knowledgeable guys from your state on this forum. They will hopefully find your thread and give guidance.
I'm sad, but my wallet is relieved, to hear that you are not in Illinois.

Theresa;
Yes, WA has some slightly quirky gun laws, but as above, there are a few of us here in the upper-left corner who would be most happy to help.
And, unless I miss my guess, there's likely to be at least one who is a collector-friendly FFL dealer. I would urge you to continue seeking advice on this forum - we are experts many and good folks all ! I'll be watching for your further posts.

Larry

Hello, Teresa(since you included your first name I didn't think it would hurt to use it). Welcome to the forum. There is indeed a great deal of knowledge available among the the members here. There are also differences of opinion, perspective, interpretation, etc. which could become confusing to someone new to firearms, but which are inevitable. I try to look for a general consensus when evaluating responses.

Fortunately the information you need isn't generally as subjective as a lot of other things discussed here, so consensus may be more readily discerned in your case. For instance, the stamping on the right side of your revolver, ".22 LONG RIFLE CTG.", can only mean one thing, and thus isn't subject to debate. It is common for people new to guns to interpret this stamping as the model name of the gun, as you seem to have done. Don't feel lonesome; as this is a thoroughly reasonable conclusion, and many people have reasonably concluded the same.

What the stamping refers to, however, is the name or size of ammunition the gun is designed to chamber and fire. "CTG." is the abbreviation for "cartridge", so the cartridge your revolver is designed to fire is the .22 LONG RIFLE, which happens to be the most commonly manufactured cartridge, I believe, in the world(at least in this country). A few other cartridge names/sizes you may find stamped along the sides of barrels are "38 Special", "357 Magnum", "45 Colt", "44 Magnum" & others.

Targets Guy has provided the specific information you requested. He referred to the "SCS&W", which means the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson, in providing the approximate date of manufacture. This is a valuable reference work which may(or may not) be worth your while to obtain, even though you may never use it after you've sold all your guns. Some of the members here may be able to find you a copy at a discounted price.

Values of older S&W revolvers tend to vary a good bit, but you can count on them being quite valuable unless they are in poor condition, which I wouldn't expect if your father was a collector. Values also tend to vary by region of the country. In California, for instance, older S&Ws tend to be priced considerably higher because the oppressive powers that be have outlawed the import of most of them into the state(and so our California members won't be able to buy what you have to sell, as a rule).

Prices paid on auction sites often are MUCH higher than average, due to the nature of auctions, the nationwide reach of the internet, wealthy collectors determined to obtain certain guns, etc.

Along with some of the others who have responded so far I would be very cautious before deciding to sell on an online auction. There appears to me to be a lot involved, and therefore a lot to learn about doing that, and some pitfalls along the way. For instance, an online seller's success will depend to a considerable degree on the reputation she/he develops with the online gun community. Mistakes and failures are reported in the feedback portion of the site and can be very damaging to one's efforts. One needs to take excellent, close-up pictures of the gun so that the prospective buyers may get an accurate impression of the gun's condition. I'm not trying to talk you out of selling online, just study the process before jumping in so that you can make an informed and comfortable decision.

You will need to learn Washington state's gun laws before beginning to sell. I would expect some members to find this thread and provide you with that information, but you may want to review it online or contact your state Attorney General's office.

Much more may be said, but I'm on Eastern Time and should hit the hay. Please keep asking questions, and we'll be here to assist.

Best wishes,
Andy

Teresa, welcome and condolences on the passing of your Pop.

You don't have only State gun laws to be concerned with, you have Federal laws that are very important to follow. I'd ask some of the many distinguished members here to either dispute or back me up when I tell you, failure to abide by federal law in particular can cost you dearly and there is very little mercy shown. It can cost you money and/or your freedom. Be very CAREFUL. Take your time. Don't be in a hurry.

Aside from the very important legal issues at play here, let's discuss the financial aspects of your situation.

Don't forget that the gun collection is a financial vehicle in itself. It is likely appreciating just like any other financial investment you would buy with the proceeds from the sale of the guns. I'd suggest you spend as much time considering where you are going to invest the proceeds to be sure you don't trade into an investment that yields less returns when you need it.

They key to transferring your Dad's collection into other assets without negative exposure to yourself is to find a trusted advisor. My first thought as a starting point would be the attorney that handled the estate. Perhaps they would refer you to someone in your area that specializes in gun law.

You mentioned safes. I'd want a licensed security specialist to analyze the situation. Guns are stolen from safes all the time when they aren't utilized correctly. Know your risk.

I'd want to have a rough idea of the value, and then choose a trusted financial advisor that can work out a plan to securely invest the anticipated proceeds. After that, you will need someone impartial you trust that can help you find a fair value for each individual piece whether that's 10 or 500 guns. Online gun auction past sales history is probably the most accurate guide available. You can learn to do that easily.

I'd want ALL that in place BEFORE the first gun is sold.

We are settling my Dad's estate currently, so I can appreciate the job ahead for you. I am a gun novice compared to most on here, so I hope this spurs on further discussion of the points I bring up by some of the experts here. You came to a great place for help.

If your Dad had any friends that he shot with or talked guns with, they might be some help with this process, IF they can be trusted not to take advantage of the situation.

Heartfelt best wishes on your endeavor. I'm sure I am only one of many waiting to see what else is in the collection.

First of all, do your research. Know what each firearm is and what its actually worth. Don't let yourself be conned into selling for much less than actual value.
Just post them here and the members of this board will be happy to help you out with ID and pricing.

If you sell to an out of state buyer, one thing you need to be cautious of is the cost of shipping. For a private individual, handguns must be shipped either UPS or Fed Ex overnight. This can get real expensive depending on where it has to go. It can easily run $100 or more.
Further, the gun must be shipped to a FFL dealer or, if it qualifies, to a Curios & Relics FFL license holder. You CAN NOT ship it to an individual. (BTW: your K-22 does qualify as a C&R as it is over 50 years old.)
These shipping costs seriously cut into your profit. If you require the buyer to pay shipping, it can cost you a sale. Many just won't pay that much as the added shipping cost makes the gun more expensive than its worth.
Check around, some local FFL dealers may offer a cheaper cost to ship for you. However, some won't.
In my case, I quit trying to sell out of state simply because of the high costs of shipping. Dealers here want just as much or more than UPS to ship a gun for an individual.

Another alternative: I have had good luck buying and selling locally on Armslist.com. You can place an ad for free and sell to a local buyer face to face. However, be aware that all local laws do apply and use caution and common sense about where and when to meet the buyer. If you choose to go this route, let us know and we'll be glad to give you some pointers on making a proper and safe sale.

I know this is all quite confusing, but its not as bad as it seems. Feel free to ask questions and I'm sure the folks here will help you sort it all out.

Edit just to add: Here in my neck of the woods, your K-22 Combat Masterpiece would likely bring $600 or slightly more.

All good advice has been given above. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that sellers who don't have an extensive reputation on an aution site generally get beat up pretty badly on prices for items sold. Because people are a lot less willing to submit a high bid with a seller that doesn't have a long history of being a reliable and trustworthy seller.

One thing I would advise is that you post up whatever items you are selling in the Guns for Sale Or Trade in the Classified sub forum here. Our members are more willing to "gamble" on a new seller because folks here are generally trustworthy and because the owner (Handejector) and Moderators here are rather good and spotting scammers quickly.

Second tip, don't put your finds into a savings account, interest paid today will only amount to pennies per year. I would suggest looking into purchasing stock in Ford Motor Company, they pay a good yield and the stock price has been oddly stable and rather supressed. Something I just do not understand because Ford was the ONLY US automaker who didn't need a Bailout, Ford actually anticipated the market souring and had built up cash in advance of the collapse in 2008/2009. BTW, that yield will net you about 10X what the interest you would get from a bank would be. If people ever catch on to what a good value Ford stock is you may also get a nice return on the value of the stock.

Only thing I have to add is that if you do sell them online good pictures and description will improve your bottom line. Photos of both sides, top, barrel markings the stocks, possibly one showing rear of cylinder open and if you have the original box and or tools. Plus, a description that includes model number if any, approx year built, barrel length, if there is a box for it.

Certain grips are worth hundreds and a gun having or missing them changes the value considerably. Even the original hardboard box the gun came in can add over $100 to the value and the same with the small screwdriver and cleaning tools that came with the older models.

The are many good people here and I wouldn't be surprised that somewhere near you there is a retired, knowledgeable S&W person who would be willing to help you by correctly identifying yours and establishing some sort of value parameters. Many are even good at displaying and taking good photos, although I will say the ones you posted are very well done. I am not talking about someone who is a dealer, but a S&W enthusiast with time on his hands.

It would be nice if you could connect with such a person. Such a person with good references would be well worth a small commission or possibly one of your pieces for their time and effort. They may also know an FFL who will ship your guns for the most reasonable amount.

I don't have any "dog in this hunt". But, I do think you selling for children's education is a worth endeavor and wish you well. I regularly view adds and sometimes buy guns online. I have read a lot of comments here on the subject. I have gotten guns for what I consider under value because of poor photos and descriptions as have others. Seen guns set with no bids for the same reasons.

Don't get in a hurry if you have a couple years. The value of nice S&W revolvers is climbing at a steady rate and may well match or better many forms of investment. Yes, there are expenses involved in selling them, but at this point you are going to occur those when ever you sell them.

Good luck

PS. In your situation I would do some self education and a copy of the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 4th Edition would certainly help.
Even if your not that interested in S&Ws I am sure you could resell the book once you done with it.

Welcome to the Forum.

Sorry to hear of you and your families loss. One thing to consider is, would your son want to keep any of your daddy's guns? If given the chance when I was in college, I would rather have worked a part time job and then have a firearm that belonged to my granddaddy. Once sold, the chance of finding a firearm with a family connection is almost always lost.

Just something to think about.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Muley Gil makes a very good point. One of my most prized possessions is my Father's old Remington 11-48 shotgun. Its not worth much, but the fact that it was Dad's and the many memories it holds are priceless to me. It will one day belong to my oldest son who has said that he will never sell it either.
I have instructed my sons that when the time comes, go through my collection, pick a few you really like and sell the rest. As much as I'd like to see them keep everything that I worked so hard to collect, I know all too well that they need the money more.
So let your son go through the collection and choose anything he wants to keep. Memories don't have a price tag.

Since you've indicated that you don't need the money right away, let me stress what others have already said. Take your time. Learn, explore options and get the best price you can.

Unfortunately, there are some people who will try to take advantage of your current lack of knowledge. Beware of anyone who approaches you with any offers before you're ready. Sadly, this includes people you may consider friends. Some will make what seems to be a fair offer and then turn around and resell the item at a huge profit. I've seen it happen before.
If you do get offers, post here before making a deal. We'll let you know if its fair or not.

When you decide what you want for them PM me. Perhaps I can save you some time.

Has any one asked just how many S&Ws poster has to sell.?
is it 10, 20 or more. Its going to a big job if its 20 or more....

Teresa, the guys here all mean well, and some have given very good advice, but I suspect that this is all pretty overwhelming if you're not knowledgeable about guns.

Here is a suggestion to go along with all the others. The fellow who runs this place, Lee Jarrett, goes by the handle of Handejector. Send him a PM and ask him for his advice. I have a feeling he can help you with getting the collection appraised or valued, given his contacts in the S&W collecting world, and can guide you about possibly having a broker handle the sale of the collection on your behalf.

This would likely lead to you getting the overall best return on your dad's collection, less the broker's fee, and you could feel secure in knowing that you were being well cared for.

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Ukraine -- now more than ever

My son has gone through the collection and picked out a few that he would like keep. There were also a couple that my Dad specifically bought for him that will not be sold either. When he's older he can decide what he wants to do with the ones he is keeping. I w be posting a few more pictures requesting info again soon. I work full time so I don't have as much time as I would like to devote to this project. Thanks again for everyone's help. I've learned quite a bit already.

Teresa, I dispersed my cousins estate for his heirs a few years ago. I used a licensed dealer, actually a very large gun shop to sell many, if not most, of his large collection of firearms. My guy charged 10%, which was low. Other dealers wanted 20%, 30%, Cabela's wanted 40%. My guy was large enough that he could make trades and pay me the pre agreed upon sale price less 10%. I sold a few at auction, a few at private treaty, and the rest went on consignment. The consignment sales at 10% were the quickest and easiest. I stopped in every month or two and picked up checks, made out to the kids. Unless you know and trust a dealer, auction may be the safest way for protecting your finances. It will likely cost you more money to do the auction.

Good luck with getting the most out of your inheritance,

Jack

Same here. I was worried it might be Massachusetts and there goes everything left in my rollover IRA.

Some great advice in this thread. She is in good hands with the members of this forum backing her up.

" I would suggest looking into purchasing stock in Ford Motor Company, they pay a good yield and the stock price has been oddly stable and rather supressed. "

Even though you probably won't be buying any securities based upon what anyone on this forum recommends, I'll note that there are very mixed opinions regarding the common stock of the Ford Motor Company. While it does pay a high dividend on its common stock, one can never count on the dividend continuing at its current level. And some financial advisors are now recommending their customers "short" Ford stock, meaning that they expect the price to drop in the future.

Full disclosure - I own some Ford stock, but I bought it back around 2009 when it was essentially being given away. It would require a major market collapse before I could lose any money on my investment. I am keeping it only for the dividend. Otherwise, I would sell it.