There has been some inflation in Smith & Wesson revolver prices here in Middle Georgia over the past 4 years, but it's not too bad (as GB would have you believe). Between 1 and 3 years ago my price cap was $300 for most Smiths. I piled up nice M36's and M10's for $250 or slightly less during this period, and even got a M586 for that amount. I would break my cap a little for a M19 or M28 during this period paying up to $365 and got several at that or a bit under. For a M17 or M29/629 I would bump up to $475, and bought four. We are now well into 2016, and I have raised my cap to $400 for most of the revolvers. I am still finding plenty (including snubs) with that cap in place. There are exceptions where I've paid right at $800 for a LNIB M52 and a mint M19 RB snub just because I didn't have one of either. The common Smith models are all still out there for around $350 and that's for nice ones. If you're new to collecting or just want a nice revolver this is where you should be relative to price (if you live in Georgia south of Atlanta). Yes, inflation and demand have driven prices up over the past year by about 30% and you have to learn to live with that while appreciating the appreciation of what you have accumulated. I completely disregard Gun Broker prices since some very bad and unrealistic variables kick in with those types of sales, not creating a market but distorting the market. The point is, don't concern yourself with the prices you see on guns or what you might see one selling for on-line. Focus upon what you are "willing" to pay, and don't be to anxious. You will stack up more Smiths than you have places to store them. You might also try moving to Georgia. Also, remember it's Summer time. Dealers are desperate for cash flow and sales are down. It is time to buy.

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Dr. B

How are you finding these, gun shops, individuals on an auction site or...?

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Old paratrooper in NC

All found at gun stores and pawn shops. It's even easier this time of year since their on-line sales are down, not living up to price expectations, and not turning over as quickly (if at all). When you're running a business, it's all about turnover and cash flow.

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Dr. B

I still find good buys at small gun shops and sometimes bigger ones. I always check pawn shops if they sell guns. In the last few months in the Metro Pittsburgh area I bought a 3913 for $425, 3 mags, box and papers, a nice model 39 for $300, passed on a snub 19-5 for $399, and there was a model 28 sitting next to it for the same price. And I picked up a nice 32 safety hammerless in very nice shape for $100....yes, $100....the OP is right, deals are out there, just have to be patient.

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

Yeah, look at those deals! I would have had to buy the 19-5 and the 28. It must have been your birthday to see prices like those. Can't get enough of the little 32's either. . .my favorite caliber for backyard shooting.

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Dr. B

Most of the LGS's in my area sell the tupper wear guns. Once
in a while they get an older S&W revolver in, but it ends up
on GB and sells for a higher price than they can get in the
shop. Can't blame them.

I still peruse the auction sites on the internet, and if I find
something I want, I'll put in a bid based on what I think the
gun is worth, and what I'm comfortable paying. As usual, I
have been striking out left and right! Oh well.

Yep, what they said! 👍

I would like to find some real deals out west.... Seems like even small gun stores here in Oregon are aware of the demand for Smith and Wesson and Colt revolvers, and to a certain extent auto loaders. Found a Colt Official Police at Cabela's in Tigard last year at $500..... It was in good shape but not one could call fabulous shape and should have been about $375 realistically, at least in my opinion. Two local gun stores have prices that are fairly high by anyone's thoughts. And so, if ya want it, ya gotta buy it at the prices offered.

There aren't enough cheap Smiths in the world to make me move south or east of Cheyenne!

Agreed on pricing out here on the left coast. S&W revolvers are way higher out here. Every pawn shop or gun store that has any they're about one or two hundred more than it seems they should be based on condition. And dickering on price? Fuggedaboudit.

You've got some nickel Smiths there, and they do go at a premium. Under 10% of post-war production was nickel. They price them high in the shops around here, but I don't buy them (even though they are my favorites). I did get a really nice Nickel M10 at the last gun show two months ago for $350. . .a 1961 ship date. Probably one of the first 10-6 heavy barrels ever made. An old guy with one table had it out. No footprints on this one. I pay extra for a gun with no footprints, but didn't have to in this case. Just hang in there for a M29. The later ones (1978-1992) are super common and the nickel ones are even more common. Sometimes I think they made them all in nickel and all with the long barrel. I know I've passed on 7 this year alone. . .all in that $1100 price range and all with presentation boxes and tools. The sellers all think they're gold; and, they all just sit there. . . no buyers.

Attached Images

M10-6 Nickel Ren Wax.jpg (117.3 KB, 36 views)

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Dr. B

I am glad someone is finding good S&W's for those kinds of prices. Here around Houston, at the shops I go to the prices are at least 50% higher. Every once in a while I find a good one for less, but that is rare these days.

I am pretty lucky. Never been married, no kids and no debt. So I can afford to pay some more when I find one that "speaks" to me. I have let a couple of really nice ones go by because they are more than I am willing to pay, a nice 4inch nickel Model 27 for $1000 late last year comes to mind.

I’m a long way from Georgia, but almost everything I’ve seen for the last 6 or so months seem to have jumped 30 to 50% from what they were a year or two ago. In my area used (Pre lock/Mim) S&Ws are few and far between. Even my local pawn shops only have a bunch of plastic for sale. I did pick up 3 good buys on Gunbroker last month, but they definitely did not hit the 95% condition level.

Prices are high in metro Atlanta, not that there is a glut of older revolvers for sale here. It has been over a year since I have run across any batches of LE trade-ins that had any revolvers among them.

Back in April, I bought a nice Taurus 431 .44 special out of a NC pawn shop for $250.00 delivered to a GA dealer. I drove back to GA, stopped for lunch in Clayton, walked a block up the street to a Ace hardware and bought a box of cartridges, then went to the gunshop and picked up the Taurus. It is a decent handgun, at that price. If I had to pay tax, shipping, and FFL fees as well I would have passed on it.

Nice used Smith revolvers from the late 60s to the early 80s are not that hard to find around here but prices are considerably higher than in your area of Georgia. Your $400 cap would probably be $450 to $500 around here.

What is hard to find are nice 1st, 2nd and 3rd Gen semi autos. Smith revolvers usually outnumber them 10:1.

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I'm gonna grow fins.

Great Post Doc

Here in Penna and Central Penna, seems the older, SW's don't stay on the shelf long. I head into a LGS and ask, You have any older SW revolver's, guy kinda laughs and say's they don't stay on the shelf long. You can find some good buys for sure. Most of my good buys comes from private sales. I was lucky enough to find a collector that seems like he is slowly thinning the herd. We have become friends and he has treated me fair, with good prices. But I have committed to buying for the most part, everything he puts out there. It's a win, win for both of us. He is not selling each one, one at a time. My pockets are getting thin, but my safe - collection is growing nicely.

Brian