Melonite 5946 - Letter received

Scotter260 · #1 04-19-2010, 11:55 PM

Letter received today. Sadly it doesn't seem to provide much info but perhaps reason for manufacture and exact production #s aren't released. As is obvious, no mention is made of the integral rail which was indicated in my request and photo provided with that request.

bkp3gen · #2 04-20-2010, 12:10 AM

Congrats on your purchase. I also have the same feelings that a pistol is made to shoot and I have several that I don't shoot because of the very reason you cite. I have some that were bought to keep, admire and someday pass on to heirs that can "appreciate" their uniqueness.

When I started buying pistols, it was to shoot them. As my tastes grew more refined, I realized that finding that unique pistol or shotgun was a feat in itself and should be treated as something special. That being said, I'm not a gun snob...I don't buy "safe queens" but when I find a truly rare piece, it is treated as such.

In every caliber I own, I have my favorite shooters and I throw a great deal of lead downrange with them.

mlk18 · #3 04-20-2010, 12:18 AM

I had this same debate in my mind when I considered buying that same 5946. I am a shooter by nature and would have a hard time not taking it to the range. At the same time, it's value as a collectible is directly related to it's condition. Unfired brings the premiums, used brings the depreciation. If the gun is an investment, metal money as it were, then it must be left unfired and original. But that does not sound like your case (and would not have been mine). So then I think about the price. People spend that kind of money every day on factory guns from Kimber and Sig and they shoot them. Your 5946 will surely keep up or outlast those guns. Buying things and letting them sit is for wine connoisseurs and gold investors. Guns are for shooting. Just my $0.02.

KurtC · #4 04-20-2010, 07:10 AM

Every Smith is fired before it leaves the factory nowadays, so there is no such thing as an unfired S&W

Models such as these were most likely made as dealer samples or contract prototypes, so there is a reasonable expectation that they were handled or fired by someone, somewhere, before being released to a distributor. If the particular model can actually be found in use by an LE agency, then such pistol stands a good chance of being a NIB contract over-run.

I've had a lot of rare Smith autos over the last two decades, and the value pretty much stayed the same on the ones I qualified with and carried vs. the ones that stayed in the box. The key is to only fire about a box of ammo at time, while nicely lubricated (the pistol, not the shooter). That way you can easily wipe away residue before it has a chance to stain the finish.

When a 1046 shows up on the market, I don't think anyone cares if a few hundred rounds have been fired through it. It is the original box and paperwork that makes the difference in whether a premium value is reached.

The only NIB pistols that I recommend stay that way to maintain value are imported models with hang tangs glued to the triggerguard, such as Italian made Berettas. Since the tags have to removed to fire it, they are a good indicator whether a pistol is virgin or not.

T.Webb · #5 04-20-2010, 08:40 AM

Is the gun in "new, unfired" condition now??

Or has it been lovingly subjected to the range on a few occasions?

Or, has this rare gem spent time in a holster, and been a "working gun"?

I see no reason not to shoot this gun occasionally, if it has indeed been fired before.

Sod · #6 04-20-2010, 08:58 AM

I buy guns for MY enjoyment, NOT for the next guy to hold in white cloth gloves. I have a 401K and an IRA for investing. I say fire the hell out of it. YMMV
Mike

18DAI · #7 04-20-2010, 09:01 AM

Heres another vote to shoot it.

I debated the same thing when I got my PC CQB prototype. Then I read the article on my gun in the magazine. They shot the hell out of it. So I did too.

Good luck! Regards 18DAI.

Forsmithers · #8 04-20-2010, 09:06 AM

My "gut" response is, "Shoot It and Enjoy It" if you are never going to sell it. My real question is… what's going to happen to it after you pass on? Do you have kids that shoot? Do they appreciate the guns just as much, if not more than you do? If the answer to either of those questions is NO then it is quite possible that your guns will be traded or sold after you pass on.

So here's the scenario now... You're resting peacefully, although you truly miss your collection, and there are probably not a lot of opportunities for target practice in heaven. So at that point are your kids giving the guns away, either for free to their friends or extended family or are they selling them off? And maybe they aren’t fetching anything close to their value. How do you feel now and in retrospect would you rather have enjoyed the 5946 a little or left it NIB where there is no telling what will happen to it with the next owner?

This really came to mind when my next-door neighbor inherited a collection from his dad after he passed. There are several adult children in the family and only one showed interest in any of the guns. Your average firearms enthusiast would say, “Great. Now there’s more for me!” However, this collection should have included civil war era muskets, turn of the century (20th not 21st) Colt’s and some newer stuff. Not everything was there when the collection was accessed. When inquiries were made about the prized WWII Luger Trophy it was “given away.” But the old Colt .25 with the grip safety and color case hardening and early 1911 with government markings were still in pristine condition, especially for their age. And the Colt Defender bought late in life and Kahr 9mm were still in their boxes. After an inventory was made almost everything was there, as expected. And only one of the remaining guns was parted with, to a sister who wanted a gun to begin. She rated the Kahr 9mm.

So this experience got me thinking about my situation. Both of my young boys (10 and 8 1/2) shoot but they really don't respect their dad’s guns the way they should. SO FAR. Hopefully they will continue to mature and realize there is more to life than sports and video games. And shooting is a sport by the way. My thought at this point is would my boys be better off getting the collection when I pass on or would they rather sell them to a dear friend of mine who will cherish the collection and pay them appropriately? Decisions, decisions. Oh, and I am gonna shoot all of my prized possessions and enjoy them while I can.

Just my .02 worth.

borntoraisehogs · #9 04-20-2010, 10:37 AM

I would shoot it . There is no one morr worthy than you to shoot it . I have some guns I kind of baby around and carry to the rangein a soft rug . But i shoot them all .

Scotter260 · #10 04-20-2010, 12:54 PM

I appreciate the responses and can definitely see the trend.

I have a run-of-the-mill Commander that I've babied since I got it back in 1992 and I've recently started shooting it much more because if all it does is sit in a safe and rarely sees the light of day, what is the point of owning it?

I'll have to post a range report when it gets here....or not

.

Thanks again for the thoughtful responses,
Scott

ken158 · #11 04-22-2010, 03:42 AM

So - if you keep it forever unfired and your heirs shoot it or sell it, what was it worth to you? Another way to look at it is this: S&W made guns to be used as tools and they also made guns to be collectible. Now, how many collectible S&W's are currently worth the original retail price? Some guys get a warm feeling by picking up a treasure and putting it in the back of the safe, thinking what? Is it gonna pay off the mortgage or send the kids to college?

handgunner356 · #12 04-22-2010, 09:38 AM

"Life's too short to shoot cheap guns". It's probably not going to appreciate that much in our lifetime to not enjoy it now.

n4zov · #13 04-22-2010, 02:28 PM

In spite of all legal preparations and wishes, you have no control over what happens to your guns when you are dead and gone. They are as likely to end up in a pawn shop or estate sale as they are to be kept as treasured possessions. I cannot think of a single reason not to shoot your new S&W since you have no intention of selling it. Frankly I could care less about some as yet unborn collector who may come across some of my guns 50 years from now.

CQB27 · #14 04-22-2010, 02:30 PM

Shoot it, alot, and often. Enjoy it for what it eas intended for.

Scotter260 · #15 04-29-2010, 12:51 PM

I just picked this up from my "regular" dealer as opposed to my "local" who recently has been overwhelming me with tempting goodies.

Received from KurtC and it is even more immaculate than I expected. I was all set to run to the range right away but upon seeing it I'm not so sure. I truly expected to find a minor flaw somewhere but cannot seem to find any. I expect it will get out to the range just not quite as quickly as I'd initially expected.

I've got my History Request form all filled out and ready to go off to Mr. Jinks so hopefully in the next day or two that will get underway.

Requisite photo:

Thanks for looking and any comments,
Scott

MTS Cop · #16 04-29-2010, 01:13 PM

It's not like you have the .45 cal Luger. Shoot it and enjoy it. I wouldn't ever put it in a holster though. To me holster wear is worse than shooting wear. I don't care if a gun has been fired some, but holster wear is a different issue. I have more respect for collectors who use their treasures for what they were intended. Shoot that rare S&W the way God intended.

32sgteot · #17 04-29-2010, 02:10 PM

How can you not shoot it ? As far as a 50's vette w/no mileage how can you not drive it, We are pretty much on a short go around in life, why not enjoy your toys. If you shot it and enjoy it, will it brake your bank account. If you drove a rare car would it depreciate that much that you could'nt retire. The difference between an unfired model 28 and a well cared for one might be what, $ 500 ? There are thousands of them. In the grand scheme of things that is'nt much.
Just my opinion, you can pay me later
good luck

Crazy K38 · #18 04-29-2010, 02:15 PM

If you arn't going to sell it shoot the hell out of it, when it starts looking bad get it refinished and shoot the hell out of it again!

Scotter260 · #19 05-04-2010, 01:29 PM

I made it out to the range this morning and can this thing shoot!

I only had time for 100 rounds total and of course it was flawless. With all that stainless steel hanging off the front-end recoil was minimal and it was very accurate whether fired slowly or as fast as I could work the trigger.

I had hoped to get a range pic but as Murphy would have it the batteries in our camera were dead.

Thanks for all the "shoot it!" advice, it's nice to own it but it's better to own AND shoot it.

Scott

mlk18 · #20 05-04-2010, 02:00 PM

Awesome, glad you shot it. Sounds like it is one sweet piece. I need to get my butt out to the range too.

Zerteck · #21 05-05-2010, 08:12 PM

fire away....

Scotter260 · #22 11-29-2011, 02:43 PM

Necro-post resurrection. It's sort of a placeholder to see how long it takes to get an authenticity letter. I just sent off a request from Mr. Jinks on this via snail mail so we'll see.

I asked if he could provide production #s and reason for production.

*New photo in OP*

squidsix · #23 11-29-2011, 09:24 PM

Nothing wrong with that. It's nice to be reminded of cool guns. I'm looking forward to your letter also.

Forsmithers · #24 11-29-2011, 11:10 PM

Scotter260, that is one beautiful 5946! Please follow up with us to let us know what you find out on the factory letter. Feel free to post a range report and additional photos as well.

boingboing · #25 11-30-2011, 08:27 AM

I bought this from Scotter last year and had to debate whether or not to shoot it. Scotter told me to go ahead and shoot it, so I did. Well not only did I shoot it, I carry it on duty in the summer. I also replaced the spured hammer with a bobbed one (hammer bite sucks) and added night sights. This gun will outlast me so I might as well enjoy it while I can. Some guns were made to shoot and some were made to, eventually, sit. I know these particular guns with the milled rail are uncommon, but what the hell.

Scotter260 · #26 01-10-2012, 11:12 AM

Bump, info in first post.

squidsix · #27 01-10-2012, 11:18 AM

Awesome. Five of them, huh? Where are the other four? I suppose I need one now....

Scotter260 · #28 01-10-2012, 12:48 PM

See, to me that only means 5 were sent for the finish at that time. I'd like to think it's one of 5 however I don't want to read too much into that phrase.

I believe there are two others living with members here, I won't dime them out however I also don't believe it's a secret.

squidsix · #29 01-10-2012, 12:59 PM

I got ya. I re-read the letter, and it seems it's not one of five, but one of a SHIPMENT of five. This could mean anything, and with S&W, it really DOES mean anything.
I like it a lot, and I would shoot it too. It's a very interesting gun, and getting the letter was a worthwhile expenditure.

snw19_357 · #30 01-12-2012, 12:48 AM

Scotter260,

Are you disappointed with the results of the letter?
It says the 5946 was discontinued for the 5946TSW in 1999 and that the 5946TSW was only made until 2002.
This black 5946 (wait a minute, xxx6 means stainless) was sent out in 2006 to evaluate a special finish and then finally sold in 2009. If there were just five in this shipment (a test, prototype for future production?), where are the regular production ones? I would have expected one or two to show up by now.

Shoot it. No S&W was ever made to just sit in a safe. But, just thinking; 5, 10, 30 years from now, when in the cycle of things, they show up for sale again, what will the difference in price be?

OO-Rah boingboing,

Let me know when you don't want that 5906TSW anymore (and I don't even like 'silver' pistols). Due to all the holster wear, etc., I'll give you a fair shooter price for it.

I am curious. If you got it with the fired casing, does it say Houlton, ME or Springfield, MA?

-
Oh yeah, one of the others:

and the caption I put on it:

Quote:

1 of 3 with Product Code 105248 in this serial number range. There is at least one other with a lower serial number. There is also a report of at least one other pistol with this product code that does not have a rail.

The lower one is Scotter260's

Scotter260 · #31 01-12-2012, 04:19 PM

I am a bit disappointed. Someone told me once though that they likely wouldn't have much info being it's a newer semi-auto.

I always felt awkward calling and asking reps for the info because I figured they were on the other end thinking, "Send $50 for a history request you cheap-*****". Heck, it seems that you gleaned more from simply calling and asking than I did with the letter. They're also squirrelly about giving out production #s but in one of the calls I made, the rep would confirm that the total # of this model is in the single digits.

Perhaps interesting to boingboing - the same rep stated that production #s for your model is less than 100.

Of course I've shot it, I don't see there ever being a huge market for DAO, non-PC, 9mms in my lifetime so I figure I'll enjoy it.