I was watching a Model 65-5 with a 3" barrel on Gunbroker because I like 3" S&W K-frame revolvers. I was really surprised that the final price was $1,850. Is there something special about this model that warrants that kind of price, or was this just a fluke?

Yes, I know that "worth" is a very subjective issue, but I'm referring to average value of the gun when purchased by a knowledgeable collector.

Thanks!

Don't see them everyday but nothing unique about it as far as I know. Where I shop I'd expect to buy two for that price; maybe three on a good day. The last three inch 65 I bought was a -6 Lady Smith last year for $540 OTD. I've got another one I'll happily sell for half the $1850.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

No, but someone wanted it bad enough to not get overbid.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I never compare someone with deep pockets to myself.

A nice condition 3" 65-3 or 65-5 without box/papers/kit would normally sell for between $600 and $700 in a face to face in my area.I've seen a lot more 3" Model 13 and Model 65 for sale this year than the previous 3 years combined.

At a show 2 weeks ago a seller had a 3" 66-3,gun only,with a price tag of $1700 on it.At the coming November show at the same venue the seller will in all probability have the gun displayed again.

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NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN

Not to me.
I have a -3 and -5LS (both 3" M65) that I would sell for that amount and pay the freight.
ETA:
Neither one of mine has the checkered RB Target grips as depicted in your post. But IMO, that still isn't enough to warrant that amount.

Maybe if it were Class "A" factory engraved.

If I cast my own 18-carat slugs I'd be all over the puppy!

There's a 2" 631 for sale on GB for $2495 as well. First saw it a few years ago, been there ever since....

If GB initiated a policy that required sellers to pay something if an item didn't sell within a month, these types of ads would either come down to reasonable prices or go away. Either way would be a win in my book.

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So many S&W's, so few funds!!

Ad good for 6 days,after that seller needs to pay GB a fee.

Do away with the 15 minute rule.

Allow registered user comments during the listing time.

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NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN

Sucker born every minute. Maybe 1000 with those grips.

Sent from my LG-H910 using Tapatalk

And to think, I was chastised in another thread for suggesting a Gent put his ANIB M64 3-in up on Crook Broker for 1295. It doesn't surprise me to see that high of a price for a cherry and kinda-sorta hard to come by S&W...

BECAUSE FIXED SIGHT REVOLVERS DON'T INTEREST ME, AND I'M A SHOOTER--NOT A COLLECTOR, THAT PRICE IS ABOUT TWICE THE AMOUNT THAT I WOULD PAY FOR THAT GUN.........

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

Gun is a $600 item with stock magna's..... those grips if sold alone may bring $150 max.

If the K/L RB checkered 'banana'grips are in perfect condition and nicely grained they could add up to about $200 to the value but few are found in that NOS condition.

Excellent condition/NOS K/L RB smooth presentation grade 'banana' grips are rarer than Cokes.

As stated so many times 'it's all about condition' and demand.

The prices of nice condition 2 1/2" with hammer mounted firing pins are also high because demand is more than available supply.

If there wasn't a demand prices would be lower.

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NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN

There are always a few to which the expression ......"money is no object" applies ...they are the exception not the rule...........

If the stocks were set with at least a carat of diamonds of good quality, I can perhaps see that price. Even then, its more than I'd pay for a fixed sight revolver. K frame at that.

One like it sold on GB 3 or so months ago for $1700 so maybe a trend at least on there.

For me that would be an awful lot to pay to look at a gun.

About 2 years ago I found a 3" 65-5 ANIB, with all the trinkets for $500, then earlier this year I found a 65 LS w/o original grips, but with soft case for $450.

I don't really see the need, for me, to pay more.

Bill

No

A fool and his money are soon parted.

I have a 3" 65-5 with factory magna grips that I don't want to sell, but for that money, I'd rethink it.
Even if I did need to deduct $100 for the grips....

The fact that you are asking, you know that it's not worth that price!
"A fool and his money are soon parted".
Just remember that statement........enough said!

I own a handful of these. When liquidation day comes , I can only hope for this kind of price.

Exactly. I bought mine a little over a year ago for $500.
I've said it is the last one I'd sell, but for that kind of scratch I wouldn't think twice about it.

This is the "perfect storm" for a seller. Two folks, with money, want what you have and are willing to pay what ever is required. You see this in the major auction houses fairly often.

Require the seller to complete an area in the posting that states if the gun will be shipped via an FFL or from an individual.

The FFLs I use are more than happy to send their FFL information to, and accept an incoming transfer from, a fellow FFL but they do not accept individuals sending guns for retail transfers.

I am fine with the FFL's policies as they are great to work with, but there are many occasions where a GB seller doesn't state how the pistol will be shipped. An unclear auction prevents me from using the BuyNow feature without knowing the answer to how it will be shipped.

I was ready to buy a revolver this week and didn't do so because the seller didn't have it noted in his posting. When he did get back he said he was shipping as an individual and would be an additional $75-100 to use an FFL.

Glad I didn't assume...

I would sell my 3" 65 and include a hundred dollar bill in each cylinder for that price.

It's worth every penny.

Here's my track on the three inch model:

Smith & Wesson 65 3 inch barrel. Revolver in .357 Mag. Blue Book of Gun Values (38th Edition) indicates between $400 in 95% condition and no price given for 100% condition for this gun. I have 35 recorded prices for this model gun from $449 to $900 over a period of 5 Yrs 9 Mos ending July 6, 2017. The average price as of that date was $633. No refurbs, no refinishes, regular sights. All represented as 95% or better. No distinction for engineering revision, if any, no special editions, no distinctions for box, papers, tools. Current or last MSRP is $563. The last 11 prices I have for this model since 3/13/2016 range from $600 to $900 averaging $704.

I owned this dash six for about five years:

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Bob

I passed up on a NYPD 3" 65 a couple weeks ago. They were asking $550.

I'd have made an offer on it, but had to put out $850 last month for a new Jeep top, $500+ this month for a new stove, and paid a electrician $450 yesterday to set my breaker box with a generator lock out kit.

My gun funds are most slim for a month or so.

Lawd have mercy! Me too!

I gotta' find this guy & sell him a gun collection!

GF

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SWCA #2420

When the 3" prices went ballistic, I realized that my 65-5 LadySmith was too rich for my blood.
Let it go for $950..



Box, purse and everything included.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

Yeah, I think I saw that one and had to do a double-take.

I have "dash 5" mint in box unfired with all goodies that I would be mighty tempted to sell for that closing price. I started to shoot that one about a year ago and decided I had too many others to shoot.........so it remains in a dark dungeon.

When the time comes, find yourself an online auction dealer who caters to the deep pocket folks and work out a deal with them to list your items. That is the only way an average Joe can see prices like this usually.

Take the OP example gun. The watermark shows who the seller was. This seller is quite popular and has a following. IIRC, some high end clientele. These types of sellers have sophisticated equipment to photograph their items perfectly, thus making them all the more tempting and appearing better than all other examples.

There are many sellers who operate the same way to attract the same deep pockets, and attract them they do, however quite a few of these sellers are scammers in plain sight. Sadly, these deep pocket folks are usually quite gullible. Certain dealers equate to crooks with countless positive feedback from countless people who obviously don't care to learn.

I'm not saying the dealer of the gun above is one of those dealers, but the only way to avoid the bad ones is to educate yourself. Also, if you don't want to pay premiums needlessly for guns, then just avoid the sellers who cater to deep pockets.

The internet allows all this craziness and crookedness to take place so easily. Although it's not totally at fault, there is a human element.

You can ask any $ you want, but getting that $ is often another matter. Not being much of a "GB-er," I'm still amazed that the seller of a NIB Colt Viper, for which he was asking, IIRC, $3,495.00, requested that the buyer pay shipping ($40 or so). Sorry, that seems a little odd to me...

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

When my grandfather retired from the Baton Rouge Police Department in 1992, he purchased his 3" Model 65 and his 4" Model 64 from the city for about 90 bucks each. The 64 was the first handgun I ever shot, and the 65 was the first Magnum. As a kid, those duty issue Remington 158 SJHPs kicked like a mule with that short barrel. He later sold the 65 for cheap and carried the 64 until he passed. It would amaze him how much those 3" guns are worth now!

I have been to auto auctions,antique auctions a couple of going out of business auctions and watched folks with the " I am gonna win attitude" get serious buyers remorse after the smile of " winning" fades and tne realization of they just paid double what an item is worth sets in. Emotion and competition is the auctioneers friend ,on don't do the online auction thing as I dont like to buy guns I can't actually hold first ( just a personality quirk not saying I'm right) and I don't like bidding against people I can't size up first .I always had a talent for picking up on an over zealous buyer who would run a bid up on you just because of emotion or sometimes collusion with a seller ( not often but it happens) online you can't really do that .That said the 3 inch k frame fixed sight is one of my favorite guns for everyday carry but man alive I couldn't carry a gun I paid that much for .

Where do you shop, I want the address of your honey hole.

It would be interesting to know how many of these type auctions are never finalized. That is to say, the seller actually gets the payment. I know on fleabay it is not uncommon to see the same big dollar item sold three or four times due to non-payment.

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Centennial Every Day

Great gun but no way is it worth $1800. Maybe a third of that for a 3" 65 but that's a little high too

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

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Support your Police, & NRA

Ummmm...I paid $299 for mine at an lgs in 2015. No box or papers though....and that’s no $1500 premium.

For me no

Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk

^^^^what he said. Reminds me of the recent Model 360 thread where the price was in the neighborhood of $800. Someone posted, sorry, I just don't see $800 here. Frankly, I don't see more than $300 for this very nice, yet plain vanilla service revolver.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

So you missed the one that sold on GB for $1700.00, and you thought you wanted to be my Latex salesman.

Maybe I should put my pair of smooth banana presentation stocks on my 3" 65-5 with box and papers up for sale for around 2k then. That's outrageous.

Man I think I'm gonna go home and put my set of smooth banana presentations on my 3" 65-5 with box and all for 2k. Those prices are outrageous.

Looked several different ways since the OP and couldn't find anything of the sort. Lots of high prices but no bids on 'em. So, if it was there, I missed it. Otherwise, I suspect a fairy tale.

GB Listings seem to last about 90 days after completion. Nothing of the sort I could find within that period.

Got an item number? Bet not.

Here's my search: ≥ $500, Completed auctions, Model 65. Gotta be a member to search completed items.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Pistols/Com...=9&PageSize=75

Latex? What's that got to do with anything? I have no interest in being anything for you.

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Bob

$1800 isn't too much to those with the disposable income - not too many fools with that kinda scratch. It's only foolish if you can't afford it. At the last Big Reno Show I saw a NIB, 6" 617 priced at $1800. Lots of folks dropping $3k or better for a Python.

Most folks outside the gun world think it's silly to pay $600 for a 65, or any gun for that matter. It's all a matter of perspective. I think paying $70k for a pickup is insane, but there're many on the highway. Ok, time to take a breath.

Maybe I should put my -5 up for sale with box and the presentation bananas for 2K. Lol

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Not an $1800 gun....not even and $800 one. They are great, but you can get 27s for cheaper and the 65 is no 27 and never will be.

Still nothing exciting. Search are not limited to 3-inch barrel or even S&W, for that matter. Sorted by decreasing number of bids.

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Bob