Model 61-3 Escort - Buy it?

Messer

Messer

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2008
Messages
592
Reaction score
1,057
Location
Central Virginia
OK - I understand that asking "Should I buy another gun?" in this crowd is like asking a bunch of guys in a bar "Should I buy another round of drinks?", but here it goes...

Local shop has two used S&W's on hold for me...

1st one is a 4" 686-1 in good condition - asking $300.00 (I know I'm going to buy that one)

2nd is a 61-3 Escort 22 in 95% condition, no box - just the gun. They are asking $250.00.

I'm not looking for a little 22, but I kinda like this little gun. So - what are these Escorts worth these days? Any issues I should know about?

Have a good weekend,
Bob S.
 
Register to hide this ad
I have had one since the 70's - I haven't fired it much but it's been completely reliable. S&W used the same action style on the 422/622 many years later. Very difficult to find an extra magazine - and they only hold five rounds. If it had the box and pouch, I would be tempted if I were you. Otherwise, it's just kind of a curiosity. Newish ones here locally have been popping up for $400 - but with the box and pouch ...

Just sayin' - but if I were looking for another tiny .22 - I would look around for a Beretta Bobcat/et al. I have the .25 version and really like the exposed hammer, tip-up barrel and mag capacity. I found mine used, but like NIB, for $350 here locally. Extra mags are easy to find and it's so easy to load or unload with the tip-up barrel. I realize that I've committed a crime, here, to mention a non-Smith ... ;)
 
Last edited:
That's not a bad price for the condition you've mentioned. In my area one like that would go for $300 or a little more. The Dash 3 is the more desirable one since it incorporated all of the best changes before they were discontinued. They can have the reputation to be ammo finicky but my 61-3 shoots anything. They are fun little guns.
 
Very low prices! Just curious, though. Is the Escort a reliable little gun or is it strictly a collector's piece?

Can't wait to see the photos!
 
"Very low prices! Just curious, though. Is the Escort a reliable little gun or is it strictly a collector's piece?"

That really depends on who you ask and what experience they had/have with theirs.

I've had about 6 of them over the years. I still have a -1, -2 and -3 nickel. None of any of them have ever made it though a whole 50 round box of ammo without a stoppage or more, hasn't seemed to matter what ammo I tried or which magazine from one to another.

Posters above have had much better experiences with theirs.

Understand that these guns are not very good as high round count plinkers, they have poor sights and poor trigger pulls. If you want a shooter, there are far better choices out there, I feel.

From Roy Jinks' book, "History of Smith & Wesson," he wrote, "The decision to discontinue the Model 61 Escort stemmed from the fact that Smith & Wesson did not feel this small pocket pistol was in keeping with their image as the manufacturer of the highest quality handguns in the world."

Like mentioned above, the basic Escort design was the basis of the Model 422 series, some of which were also compact models, and those were very reliable guns.

I like them because they are very unusual and even most S&W fans have never seen one in person.
 
If it works, $250 is a fair price. I mention this enough to sound like a broken record (that would be "corrupted digital music file download" for you younger types ;)), but my experience with a model 61 is that it fires and will not recock to light off the next chambered round. Good luck in your decision.
 
The 61 is not my cup of tea, but if one came up at a decent price I'd probably go ahead and buy it for the collection, then get a 422 or 622 to go with it. Anyone who collects 422 or 622 handguns should have a 61 in their collection. Simply because, as pointed out above, it's the ancestor of them.
 
Buy the mod 61 and run like a thief

A 61-3 at that price is not a gun but a great asset investment. They only made the 61-3 for one year and it was the best one they ever made.

In addition to a great investment, it can also be a very effective weapon if you practice with it.

Bill



Messer said:
OK - I understand that asking "Should I buy another gun?" in this crowd is like asking a bunch of guys in a bar "Should I buy another round of drinks?", but here it goes...

Local shop has two used S&W's on hold for me...

1st one is a 4" 686-1 in good condition - asking $300.00 (I know I'm going to buy that one)

2nd is a 61-3 Escort 22 in 95% condition, no box - just the gun. They are asking $250.00.

I'm not looking for a little 22, but I kinda like this little gun. So - what are these Escorts worth these days? Any issues I should know about?

Have a good weekend,
Bob S.
Click to expand...
 
I just sold a 61-3 in great shape and got $450 for it. It was a fun little gun but I had too many mouse guns and a guy that really, really wanted a 61.

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • 61-3.jpg
    61-3.jpg
    77 KB · Views: 1,373
Kind of a resurrection of a recently dead zombie thread, I know, but I guess I got the answer I was looking for.

There is a 61-3 at my LGS that I can get for $205 + tax, It isn't NIB and doesn't come with any of the factory goodies, but it is in good shape with just a couple of minor marks on it and everything about it seems to work as it's supposed to.

I had them hold it overnight for me, so I guess I'm going to have to go back tomorrow and pick it up at that price.

EDIT: Well, I went and did it. Got them to throw in a Galco IWB holster with it for another $10 - $235 OTD with taxes, fees, and all. I gotta get some help - this must be some kind of sickness.... ;)
 
Last edited:
Here is a question for all the folks who own one of these little jewels. Is there anyone out there who makes real wood grips for the Escort? How about black rubber/plastic? The ugly plastic fake wood grips are probably my least favorite thing about this little gun.
 
I have never seen any aftermarket grips for the Escorts, so if there are any out there, they are few in number.
 
i just put a pristine copy of a 61-1 without box or pouch, on hold for $300.00. It's a neat little piece. i couldn't pass on it for few hundred bucks.
 
Last edited:
raljr1 said:
i just put a pristine copy of a 61-1 without box or pouch, on hold for $300.00. It's a neat little piece. i couldn't pass on it for few hundred bucks.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that was kinda my thought with this one. How many S&W's can a guy find for just over $225 OTD? :D

Plus it's just ugly enough to be cute, and you can't have too many guns in 22lr. ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

G
61-3 Range Report
Replies
0
Views
293
glenncal1
G
J
  • Locked
WITHDRAWN - Smith & Wesson Model 61-1 Nickel Escort
Replies
4
Views
1K
JCS0446
J
tlawler
Model 41 conundrum
Replies
9
Views
991
SlamFire
S
Golddollar
My Model 41s are getting a new brother
Replies
8
Views
812
Yendor357
Y
K
M&P15x
Replies
7
Views
881
Echo40
Echo40

Latest posts

Back
Top