This morning I was approached by a elderly neighbor couple houses down wanting to know if I was interested in purchasing a revolver that he had for long time. He knows I hunt and shoot and reload ammo in my garage so I guess I would be the person to ask. I told him I may be interested depending on the revolver (I was thinking he had an old HR or RG 22lr or something like that).

He took me to his house and pulled out a original blue cardboard S&W revolver box containing a model 4" 66-2 in new condition still wrapped in the waxy packaging paper. Even the wood grip didn't have a single scratch. It still had the original registration card and the manual. He said he purchased the revolver from ******* Gun Shop in 1985 (I know the gun shop). He said he purchased the revolver during the violent drug war days in the 80's. He said the revolver was never fired and may even have a box of ammo that he purchased with the revolver somewhere.

So, what is the value of this revolver in this condition? He said he would like to get at least $400 for it but I know it's worth more...so how much more? What would be a fair price?

A few years ago I gave my son my 4” and sold the snubbie for $650.00. Both were 66-2’s, no boxes or paperwork with either. In my area the gun you describe would be priced $750.00+.

I'd give him the $400 and move on.. He paid less when he bought it.

For a verified NIB 4" model 66-2, I would be happy to pay $600-650. Feel free to offer more if he is a good friend and neighbor .

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Would bring eight bills around here. I would feel like I was ripping him off if I got it for four. I would offer him six bills for it. Then if he takes it, you are getting a nice gun for a good price. And he is likely happy to get six bills for it. Both of you win, the best kind of deal.

At $400, it's a steal; at ~$600 it's fair trade

Ask him what he paid and double it.

Me personally, I’d walk down to his house and give him $800-$900 cash and make his day... It’ll probably be a LONG time before you find a gem like that...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree, $600 is a third more than he asked, and probably two-thirds of it's true value. Buy it and share the pictures here!

Many good suggestions so far, and many ways to look at this. While all the facts "matter" at least a little bit, you'll want to be comfortable with your decision and in my opinion, your relationship to these neighbors is part of the equation.

First off, what a gun shop or dealer would sell for, top market, $750-$800 seems wholly irrelevant. This man isn't a gun store and he has no ability to bring dozens of people in to his place of business to hope he gets top market for it. And if he took it to a gun store, he would MAYBE get the $400 he seeks.

If you are not close to these folks, I believe the $400 is fine. If they are neighbors and friends, $500 gets them treated well AND gives you a nice buy at a price under market.

For about the last 10 years, I've held myself to an idea that I have dubbed "gun karma", which is basically "doing the right thing" with the idea that it all comes around. Do your deals as if you are being watched and judged, even though you are not. Sometimes you are the recipient of good fortune and sometimes you are the distributor of it.

Good advice....

At $400 he'll put the money in his sock drawer and never give it another thought..

He may have already taken it to a LGS and got offered less than the $400 he is looking for.

He probably got it for around $ 225 to $250 in 85 (I got my 3" 66s in 1988 for $270 OTD)


Tough call I got a nice 1948 pre-model 17 a few years back when a elderly gentleman brought it into a local gunsmith/gunshop looking to sell it ..... said he was looking to get $400. With the Gunsmith's blessing I told him I'd buy it (for my son)....... later the Smith told me the Gentleman was selling off his guns (one by one) as he had terminal cancer and was raising money for his wife. The Smith was selling them on consignment w/o commission to get the guy quick sales; and was happy to get the gentleman a quick sale.

I ended up sending him a second check..............

I later sold the pre-17 to a friend and my son got a 4" Model 18

Good on you for that.
The old folks asked because they felt they could trust you. Don’t let them down.
A 66 in good condition in my area will sell for 750.00 all day long.
No idea about new in the box.

I do not think I would enjoy the gun as much if I not at least offer him fair market value for the gun. Just the way I am.

Walt

Been out running few errands for the wife and took kids to lunch and then to the park to give wife some quite time alone at home and also so kids can burn off some of their energy. Before leaving I talked to my wife about the revolver and she asked me what it was really worth so I told her that it's probably worth $700 and maybe even $750.
When I got back after 2 hours she gave me a bank envelope with $750 in it and said I'll need to go to the bank later and replace it as it was our emergency hurricane cash we keep in the safe.
I'll be going over to buy that revolver for $750 later when I see the neighbor's car in the driveway.

Yes, you are right.

Guns are not a business for me, they are just grown man's toy and tool. I use them and carry them all the time.

This neighbor has been good to us for past 20+ years. We are at this city home only 2-3 days a week and rest of the time we live at our farm 80 miles away. When we are not here this neighbor picks up our mail everyday and looks out for anyone around the house and lets us know when our landscape guys and pool guy comes out to work. They are very nice couple.

If the revolver is a dead twin to the one in the photo that ColbyBruce posted, it has three potentially value-adding features - target hammer, target trigger and a trigger stop. I have a 66-2 exactly like that one and people have told me it is somewhat rare - somewhat, as in unique but not real rare.

With or without those features, you are looking at a very desirable gun!

Ed

You married well kci-mia, you need to thank the good Lord EVERYDAY, that you have a woman like that in your life!

I doubt you will ever regret paying that price.

Good on you, and your wife!

There is an over flowing level of GOOD in this discussion and I consider myself fortunate to have read this discussion.

Gun karma is alive and well!

$400, great deal, roll out the bills. He would get $275-$300 in a gun shop.

Wish my luck was this good! Lots of good advice on here. I myself would offer the man $500 for it and be happy when he accepted. Make his day, and make mine also. All depends on the situation and how you feel about it.

You did good -- for both of you.

Many years ago I had my CJ5 Renegade for sale. Surprising to me, a friend wanted it. I had listed it for a retail price and the friend didn't balk at it. I knew he had had to finance it.


We made the deal but I got to thinking that if someone had offered $500 less I would have taken it. I called him and told him I was rebating him $500 to get a new set of tires. Felt it was the right thing to do. A few years later, he died a tragic death and his widow was left with little. Never regretted the $500.

Oh, yeah ---- I have the exact same 66-2 with 3 Ts that I bought new in about '85. It's been fired but still has the box, rod, etc … For a FTF private sale, $700 or so seems more than fair to the seller.

If a valued neighbor and friend asked about selling I would definitely tell him what I thought it was worth on the free market. I would offer him what I felt I wanted to and he could accept or reject with no hard feelings. Now when I went to a pawn shop to look at a little H&R .22, they had a Model 67 that the guy begged me to take for $200. Easily a $400 or more gun with a little cleaning (I spent a relaxed hour and a half cleaning and oiling), gun locks up great and has been shot but not that much. I didn't spend any time convincing the pawn shop guy the gun was worth more, he is a professional and the gun had sat in the shop for a while and he wanted it gone so I accommodated him.

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Jim
Many K and N Frames

As my son has large hands I put a set of factory combats on the 66-2 when I gave it to him.


I believe you did well on the price and by your neighbor. Now-a-days some people aren’t satisfied with a great find unless they hose someone to get it.

Three weeks ago the receptionist at my doctor’s office offered me a few handguns owned by her late father. A LGS low-balled her on one of them and had no interest in the others. I gave her $200.00 for a rag nasty Glock 20. I took it 2-3 miles down the road and sold it to a family friend for $200.00. By the time he refinishs the slide and buys a few more mags he will have invested what it is worth. The LGS had offered her $100.00 for it.

Just passing along a encounter that happened to me with an Older guy years ago ------ He had run an ad in a local paper about a springfield 1903 he had for sale but said it wasn't functioning and only wanted $100 for it , I was interested and went to see it After looking it over I informed him that it would function fine that the only issue was the Magazine plate spring was gone and that was why it didn't feed the ammo. I said it couldn't take it for $100 because of a bad spring that would cost me maybe $5.00 from NUMBRICK and offered him $130, He took my offer
About 3 months later he called me and said he had something else I might have an interest in I went there and he pulled out a 1873 Trapdoor carbine with the Calvary ring on the stock,
I said it was out of my price range and he said " for you since you were honest $350 " I jumped on it ! Just had to promise I would not take it to a gun show for resale.
Still have it today -- Is in my will to my Godson
You never know how deep the well might be if you bicker over a few dollars. Just my 2 cents

Mike wolf and frank fritz come to mind- "I'll take $400 for it" Mike and Frank says "oh it's probably worth $700.00 so I'll give you $800.00". Does anybody walk into a gunstore and say "wow all you want for that Benelli super black eagle is $1599.00 where I'm from they charge $1799.00 I would like to pay you more than you're asking. Give him the $400 and enjoy

He is offering it for more than he will get at a gun or pawn shop. I am guessing he has some idea of the value if he has a computer. Maybe he trusts you will use it properly and feels more comfortable selling it to you at a bargain price than taking the risk of running an add and selling to an unknown private party. At $400, you will pay much more for it than he did.

Buy it and take him and his spouse out for dinner.

You did the right thing!

Someone mentioned a trigger stop. NOT desirable. S&W pulled them after some caused police guns to malfunction.
If this gun has a stop, I'd pull it before trusting my life to that gun.

My beloved M-66-3 never had a stop, and I've never missed it.

I only have one revolver with a stop, that 66-2, and it has never caused a problem. Remember that they can be adjusted...

On the other hand, trigger stops are very desired by the bullseye crowd. EVERY target-grade 1911 has one.

Ed