Value of Smith & Wesson Double Action Frontier these days...

mrcvs · Feb 9, 2014

What are the values of this model these days? I mean, I do have the Blue Book of Gun Values from 2010 listing the value as $1,275 if in 90% condition. However, very few of these come up for sale, and I think you might be hard-pressed to get a 90% gun for $1,275. However, having said that, the Blue Book tends to inflate prices, so maybe $1,275 is not an unrealistic price. The book states that if in 95% condition, it would be worth $1,500, in 98% condition $1,900, and in 100% condition, $4,500. The last value just seems way out of line -- I would gladly have two 98% condition guns and $700 in my pocket than one 100% condition gun.

The reason why I ask this is that I saw the nicest one I have ever seen at a gun show yesterday in 90% condition, or maybe 'slightly' better. I think the owner was asking $2,100 for it but said he would come down to $1,950. It still seems a little high, and, when compared to Blue Book values, significantly high.

There is little to compare to on the internet, at this time. It seems as though what is out there to compare to lacks any condition whatsoever.

Lastly, how many of you out there like and/or collect this revolver? I have always found the appearance to be quirky, but I like it. Just wondering if anyone else out there tends to like it as well.

deadin · Feb 9, 2014

It would be nice if everyone followed (obeyed?) Blue Book prices, but they don't.
It seems that when I have something to sell the BB is always low but when I'm buying it's either high or the owner doesn't agree with the book.

As for the Frontier, how often do you run across an honest 90%+ example?

mrcvs · Feb 9, 2014

deadin said:
As for the Frontier, how often do you run across an honest 90%+ example?

Not often...

DesmoEd · Feb 9, 2014

mrcvs said:
Not often...

you are right and that drives the value skyward quickly when you approach or exceed 90% condition.

IMO, the blue book is good on the everyday mediocre 30-60% condition stuff you regularly see at the local shows, but it can fall short in some cases on certain more conditioned models. I would expect a 90% Frontier DA 44-40 to sell in the $3k range...maybe $2500 for the more common 44 DA Russian.

dickk · Feb 9, 2014

So, if you had a real clean ,tight, nickle, one with a good bore , a Belgian copy closely resembling the real thing and only shot occasionally,,for a hanger or such,what would it be worth by comparison? Would it really be $2000 less?

mrcvs · Feb 9, 2014

DesmoEd said:
you are right and that drives the value skyward quickly when you approach or exceed 90% condition.

IMO, the blue book is good on the everyday mediocre 30-60% condition stuff you regularly see at the local shows, but it can fall short in some cases on certain more conditioned models. I would expect a 90% Frontier DA 44-40 to sell in the $3k range...maybe $2500 for the more common 44 DA Russian.

I think you are confusing this with the New Model No 3. 44 Russian was the most common in this firearm. I believe the DA Frontier was mostly in .44-40.

mrcvs · Feb 9, 2014

dickk said:
So, if you had a real clean ,tight, nickle, one with a good bore , a Belgian copy closely resembling the real thing and only shot occasionally,,for a hanger or such,what would it be worth by comparison? Would it really be $2000 less?

Well, I could have gotten this one for $1950 this weekend, although he was asking $2100 for it. I would have gladly forked over the $1950 if I did not have a tax bill due 15 April. I would be hard pressed to pay more than a few dollars for a copy, so, in answer to your question, 'Yes'.

DesmoEd · Feb 10, 2014

dickk said:
a Belgian copy

yes, and that's why

DesmoEd · Feb 10, 2014

mrcvs said:
I think you are confusing this with the New Model No 3. 44 Russian was the most common in this firearm. I believe the DA Frontier was mostly in .44-40.

talking solely .44 Double Action minus the Wesson Favorite.

The Frontier 44-40 is more scarce (app 15,000 made) vs the more common 1st Model in mostly .44 Russian (app 54,000 made).

I see very mediocre examples selling in the $800-1000 range -, if you want any kind of condition you double that quickly. Here is a nice example that I would expect to fetch $2+k rather easily........

rjb1 · Feb 11, 2014

Last year I bought a .44-40 Frontier in (maybe) 90% condition or so for $2100. The finish condition is a bit open to opinion since it's mostly all there, but it does have a number of small specks and dots of missing finish distributed out over the surface.
It's excellent mechanically and the bore is shiny which I count for a lot.
Whether its *really* worth that I don't know, but I like it and would rather have it than the $2100 I spent. ($1950 would have been better, but in my case the owner would not come down.)

mrcvs · Feb 12, 2014

rjb1 said:
Last year I bought a .44-40 Frontier in (maybe) 90% condition or so for $2100. The finish condition is a bit open to opinion since it's mostly all there, but it does have a number of small specks and dots of missing finish distributed out over the surface.
It's excellent mechanically and the bore is shiny which I count for a lot.
Whether its *really* worth that I don't know, but I like it and would rather have it than the $2100 I spent. ($1950 would have been better, but in my case the owner would not come down.)

Okay, so it was a fair price for what I saw the other day, but not necessarily an incredible bargain. How about a picture of yours?

JSR III · Feb 12, 2014

$1,950 would be a bargain in my neck of the woods for a 90% or better example. Remember, old guns are like land, they just ain't making any more.....

Value of Smith & Wesson Double Action Frontier these days...

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