I have a customer that was recently turned onto the 3rd Gen guns (by me). He bought a refurbished 5906 last month. Then had me buy him two very nice 5906's from Gunbroker.

Now he wants me to bid on a 5906TSW that is on Gunbroker. Opening bid is $1265 + $35 shipping. Seller responded quickly to my questions. He also said the price is less than "what he has into it".

Anyway, I am not spending my money, it is my customer's money. He doesn't have a problem spending, but I don't want him to pay too much.

So, is $1265 a fair price on a near-mint 5906TSW?

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ETA: I'm a dealer. This customer won't make a Gunbroker account (scared to input his credit card to create an account). So he's got me doing the legwork.

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John

John,

I also sent you a private message. A 5906 TSW that is NIB is probably worth about $900 to $1000 in my experience. The 5906 TSW is particularly rare when it comes to these TSW models especially if NIB. I suppose S&W did not make many of these models or they sold most to law enforcement because it took me 5 years to finally buy one that was LNIB.

$1,300 plus your transfer fee for a 5906TSW?

Sorry, but that's insane. And I don't care how nice it is. I saw the listing and it's not new-unfired-in-box (which might make a difference)... it's just a nice condition 5906TSW with box et al.

To put this into perspective, I found (but lost) a 5903TSW that was also very, very clean (better than that GB 5906TSW) with 4 magazines and original factory box for $475.00 + Tax. I didn't lose it due to price. Rather, I lost it because the dealer is a kid (a "daddy's boy") who plays favorites and gives preference to his local homies.

But you get the point. While they don't exactly grow on trees, that asking price for a 5906TSW is way above market.

Thanks guys. I will advise customer it is over priced (as I thought).

I charge $20 for transfers IF the customer does the work upfront, and all I do is send my FFL and 4473.

OR I charge $40 IF I have to do this kind of stuff (especially using my Gunbroker account). Customer still has to get the USPS Money order and pay the postage to seller. I only do this if I know the customer well....I don't want to buy something like this and get stuck with a $1300 overpriced item.

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John

I love 3rd Gens, & TSW'S? Fageddabout it! I have to concur with the other posters that this pistol is way overpriced...I would think that somewhere in the $600 range would be about right.

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Lounge Lizard Extraordinaire

I never believe anyone telling me that the asking price is "less than he has in it . . . "

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

This thread is quite a relief. I saw that 5906 on GB the other day and was quite alarmed that a 5906 TSW could end up so far out of my price range.

Hate to do it guys, buy my customer insists on having that gun. I tried talking him out of it. He just turned 72 and says "I don't know how much longer I'll be here, better bid on it now". Fortunately, he won't go any higher.

Seller won't come down, says "lots of watchers" and thinks the gun will sell for higher. SURE, lots of people watching that gun because the price is $300-$400 too much.

If that gun sells for $1265 plus shipping, you can probably bet we will see a few more listed on that auction site soon..... people holding these will think theirs is worth that much (or more).

FYI, one year ago I paid around $425 each for some 5906TSW Police trades. These were somewhat worn on the finish. I cleaned them up and refurbished with new springs. I'm keeping them. Just got done test firing both with a few hundred rounds of various ammo, and now they have my seal of confidence -- and they are now my GO-TO guns for things that go bump in the night.

MWater - don't despair, good used ones are out there!

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John

That's a shame. But apparently he can afford it so go and do your thang with a clear conscience. I'm old too. Some say I've only got 4-1/2 good years left. But no way I'm ever going to pay 2-1/2 times what a gun is worth no matter how much I might want it.

Exactly!

If that gun sells for that, I am putting my NIB, unfired, mint with all paperwork and accessories/mags etc 5906TSW up for sale to make me some money back on these others I have picked up over the years! ETA same guy I bought this one from had a NIB 5903 TSW same with everything....and I didn't want it because the aluminum frame was 'weaker'.

Kicking myself now.

And I'm going to have to increase the amount of coverage on my gun collection insurance policy!

Wow! I just noticed this gun is bid up to $1550 with four hours to go. I know from experience the 5906TSW is extremely rare in this condition but I would never have guessed it would go for this kind of money.

Damn - I just paid $550 for a not-mint 4013TSW - apparently I paid too much! Has the correct blue box and three magazines – and the aluminum frame is in great shape. The slide looked great in the photos but doesn't stand up so well when held in good light. The drawback is that it can't be easily bead-blasted over because of the laser-etched TSW markings…

I say tell your customer to go for it or if too late, spend the money on another one. Read, the other post on the 356TSW score, about a fellow collector passing away and how his awesome collection got sold.

We can't bring them with us fellas...so either leave it to a loved one where they may keep or sell it all off.

Oh, I'm willing to believe it.

And then say, "Yeah, so what?"

Unless there's a deep discount for stuff I'd want anyway for the thing, what somebody has "into" a gun is not terribly relevant. If I'm only willing to offer X but the guy wants Y ... he gets to keep the thing instead of my bucks.

Back to the OP - if you've got the money for something, and your kids aren't starving because of your habits, go for it. I think that's been mentioned, sorta, here. But I'd toss it flat out that way. I've paid too much for some stuff, paid too little, and have sold the same way. Life's too short to worry much about things we can't take with us anyway.

Supposedly. It's gonna hurt to find out you COULD have taken it if only it was buried with you, and suddenly you're standing there in Valhalla, surrounded by sword-wielding Vikings, and all you have is a nice suit.....