Are the SW 10-4/5/6 collectible?

TheCount · Nov 12, 2011

Starting to build a little collection of vintage SW beauties. Already have two 27s and a 31, all N/LNIB from 40 years ago.

Have been seeing NIB good looking 10s from the 70s at pretty affordable prices (around $500-550 after some haggling) NIB/LNIB. Is there a reason they are so 'cheap'? Nobody really into them or something?

diamonback68 · Nov 12, 2011

To begin with $500-550 is not a reasonable price to pay for a Model 10. They are still $300 to $400 around here. Remember they made a gazillion of these and are not highly collectable.
10-5s are the standard tapered barrel version and the -6 is the same gun in heavy barrel.
That said, if you ever find a -4, BUT IT! That dash is pretty darn rare and highly highly collectable. Last one I know of sold for $1200 and some have sold for more.

TheCount · Nov 12, 2011

diamonback68 said:
To begin with $500-550 is not a reasonable price to pay for a Model 10. They are still $300 to $400 around here. Remember they made a gazillion of these and are not highly collectable.
10-5s are the standard tapered barrel version and the -6 is the same gun in heavy barrel.
That said, if you ever find a -4, BUT IT! That dash is pretty darn rare and highly highly collectable. Last one I know of sold for $1200 and some have sold for more.

I have been scouring gunsamerica and gunbroker for a few months now, and I have not seen any SW from the 70's NIB sell for $300-400. Slightly used, maybe 90-95%, yes. But not unfired with the original box, papers, etc. Not even the model 10. If you can get them NIB for $300-400 I would stock up big time.

oldafsp · Nov 12, 2011

They are out there. Look in the newspaper classifieds.

If you get lucky like I did, you find one that resided in someones nightstand drawer for years. Dad or Grandpa died and they don't want it around anymore.

My 10-5 was the personal weapon of a fellow officer who had passed away. His wife wanted me to have it. This is one I will never get rid of.

It takes patience to find them. But they are out there.

G-Mac · Nov 12, 2011

TheCount said:
Have been seeing NIB good looking 10s from the 70s at pretty affordable prices (around $500-550 after some haggling) NIB/LNIB. Is there a reason they are so 'cheap'? Nobody really into them or something?

I'd want two of them for that kind of pricing.

diamonback68 · Nov 12, 2011

TheCount said:
I have been scouring gunsamerica and gunbroker for a few months now, and I have not seen any SW from the 70's NIB sell for $300-400. Slightly used, maybe 90-95%, yes. But not unfired with the original box, papers, etc. Not even the model 10. If you can get them NIB for $300-400 I would stock up big time.

GA and GB are nothing but "Wishing Wells". Overlist a goofy price, pray, hope and wait. I would never buy off of either of those sites.

Ga Johnny · Nov 12, 2011

I have been scouring gunsamerica and gunbroker for a few months now, and I have not seen any SW from the 70's NIB sell for $300-400

If you can get them NIB for $300-400 I would stock up big time.

There's part of the problem, you can stock up on NIB glocks, or XD's or new production 642's, ya can't stock up on new 27-2's, or 10-5's like the new stuff.

They're out there but you'll never find any of 'em on the auction sites.

Think of it this way, they're old school guns, so you'll have to use old school methods to find 'em. You can't employ today's technowizardry there's not an app for it, you can't follow one on facebook, or send a text message to one of them. Thankfully unlike so much of today's world they're not available in an instant.

That's one of things I like about an old smith in a old smith box..........there's not a barcode on it.

You'll have to spend the time, buy the gas, go to the gun shows, actually go inside the gunstores and pawn shops, meet the people, talk to them.

Then after several years of carrying on like that when somebody's grandpaw dies and leaves them his prized model 19 still in the box wth all the goodies and they sell it to the pawn shop for $200, the guy behind the counter, who by now you will have a relationship with, might just put it under the counter, pick up the phone, make a call and offer it to you for $350.

But the first thing you oughta do is stop thinking that GA and GB are all there is to todays used gun markets. Unless of course you wanna put together a 30 years collection in 30days.

Slow down, don't worry about the destination, just enjoy the trip.

Dragon88 · Nov 12, 2011

To me a Model 10 is a good purchase, and makes a good shooter, but is not a good investment. There are a bazillion and one Model 10s in circulation. Not all remain in good condition, but just by shear volume you have a lot of high grade examples out there with box and papers. The "beanie baby" thread has got me thinking about this a lot recently. Guys that have a safe full of LNIB Model 10s, thinking they are shoring up their retirement, may be in for a rude awakening in 30 years...

Don't buy a Model 10 as an investment. Buy it to enjoy it and shoot it.

fyimo · Nov 13, 2011

I picked up a near mint 10-5 with 4 inch barrel last month for $375 so they are out there you just need to keep looking.

diamonback68 · Nov 13, 2011

Ga Johnny said it so much better than I can.

Count, you need to listen to him. NIB Model 10s are out there, you just need to do the leg work. GA and GB is not the answer. Oh ya, they have them, but you will way overpay for them and then you will never get a return ever on your "investment".

They just made way too many Model 10s for then to ever be a good "investment", in my opinion. Put your money in older Model 27s and 29s.

oldafsp · Nov 13, 2011

Buy one, shoot it and enjoy it.

The nickle 10's are more collectable (imho).

Use 158gr rounds and impress your buds at the range with it's accuracy.

akfishguide · Nov 13, 2011

Even though there were alot of these made, those that are NIB are still somewhat scarce abnd regularly sell For $450 to $550. They are collectible and they will and have gone up in value.

TheCount · Nov 13, 2011

akfishguide said:
Even though there were alot of these made, those that are NIB are still somewhat scarce abnd regularly sell For $450 to $550. They are collectible and they will and have gone up in value.

Good to hear. I have one NIB nickel with the heavy barrel and one NIB with the pencil barrel on its way to me!!! Now... must resist the urge to shoot these babies

Dragon88 · Nov 13, 2011

No offense to that one poster, but don't use one reply as a basis for your "investing". Buying a Model 10 for $550, in any condition, to me is like lighting a 100 bill on fire. If you need one for your collection, great, no harm no foul. But searching out $550 Model 10s on the internet and buying them is just a waste IMO. You will never recoup that money, so I hope you enjoy the guns.

If you ever shoot one of your LNIB guns, you will watch $75 or so go up in a little puff of smoke on the first shot.

TheCount · Nov 13, 2011

Dragon88 said:
No offense to that one poster, but don't use one reply as a basis for your "investing". Buying a Model 10 for $550, in any condition, to me is like lighting a 100 bill on fire. If you need one for your collection, great, no harm no foul. But searching out $550 Model 10s on the internet and buying them is just a waste IMO. You will never recoup that money, so I hope you enjoy the guns.

If you ever shoot one of your LNIB guns, you will watch $75 or so go up in a little puff of smoke on the first shot.

No offense either, but when I got into collecting DMPL silver dollars (deep mirror, proof like) many said they were not worth the premium over high grade 'regular' Morgans. Well, now just 5 years later, the price (actual price you get on ebay) has doubled or more.... As a guy who is in high finance I can give everybody here the advice to put your extra money into tangible things of high quality. SW/Colts from the 80s and before, restored antique cars, whatever. The banks are paying you nothing and the stock market is rigged.

(thats me you hear laughing all the way to the bank....)

PS its all good fun.

akfishguide · Nov 13, 2011

Well lets see then. If any of you fine purveyors, collectors and traders of beautiful old S&W revolvers have some unfired NIB 10-6 revolvers that are selling for $350 then please contact me. I can't say that I will buy them all but I will buy a handfull or two.

diamonback68 · Nov 13, 2011

akfishguide said:
Well lets see then. If any of you fine purveyors, collectors and traders of beautiful old S&W revolvers have some unfired NIB 10-6 revolvers that are selling for $350 then please contact me. I can't say that I will buy them all but I will buy a handfull or two.

Hey guide, I think you are basing your opinion on Alaskan prices which we all know are even higher than California.

Come to Florida and I can show what "real world" prices are at our gunshows and gunshops. You may be amazed. I have these all mint bought within the last year a 10-5 w/box, 10-5 nickel, a 12-2 w/box, and a 64 no dash and did not pay over $300 for any of them, actually I have $1050 "invested" in all four. As said they made a gazillion of them and NIB 10s and other M&Ps are put on the market every day, especially in this pitiful economy.

Patience pays off.

akfishguide · Nov 14, 2011

Well then Diamondback please show me one listing anyplace where I can find a NIB S&W Model 10-5 or 10-6 for $350 or less and I will forever keep my opinion in this regard to myself. By the way the following are all completed sales and they were not from Alaska or California.

Smith & Wesson 10-6 4" HB Unfired NIB Original Box : Revolvers at GunBroker.com

Smith and Wesson Model 10-5 NIB : Revolvers at GunBroker.com

NIB S&W model 10-5 Smith & Wesson Revolvers > Model 10 for sale, gun classifieds or gun auction from hanna. Buy or bid on this NIB S&W model 10-5 in the category Smith & Wesson Revolvers > Model 10 on GunsAmerica.

TheCount · Nov 14, 2011

I think I can safely say what is happening is this: Prices are on the rise for all NIB/LNIB vintage SW/COLTS. If you were out of the market for a year or two you would be surprised. At the same time, if you have patience and luck (a lot of both), you can make a great deal once in a while..

diamonback68 · Nov 14, 2011

akfishguide said:
Well then Diamondback please show me one listing anyplace where I can find a NIB S&W Model 10-5 or 10-6 for $350 or less and I will forever keep my opinion in this regard to myself.

Guide, please re-read my post, I said gunshows and gunshops and I'll throw in pawnshops and I never said "listings" like on GA and GB. You're a fishing guide, right?, and that is exactly what GA and GB are doing fishing for the next "sucker" fish. In my opinion anyone who pays these kind of prices on the auctions or won't do the legwork deserve exactly what they get......a leaner wallet.

I realize some places don't have a lot of gunshops and gunshows in there area and that is exactly what they are hoping for. I stand my ground and I will continue to look and get the bargains around here. I will get the deals I wont, I am in no hurry and am in the position that I don't "need' or "have to have" every gun I see so patience is on my side.

Are the SW 10-4/5/6 collectible?

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