S&W 59 Found FS Pawn Shop

[brucev]

This afternoon found a S&W 59 for sale in a local pawn shop. Condition is over 95% ... maybe 98%. The grips are plastic and appear to be S&W manufacturer. Two S&W magazines and box. Do not yet know if it has literature. Doubt it has cleaning kit. Asking price is $599 plus tax. After a bit of jaw jacking ... was told I could get it OTD for $500 even. Just don't know if this is a good deal or what. Once upon a time I carried a nice plated 59 when I was a security guard in New Orleans working my way through seminary. Would appreciate any insight as to the quality of the model, price, possible functional issues, etc. Will not be able to do anything until after the first of the year so there is time. One of the salesmen told me that not a lot of interest was being show in this pistol. Sincerely. bruce.

[Jimi 0071]

Bought mine in pawn shop Ga I love it! No box or papers a cleaning kit. It is in 95 percent condition. Shoots great! I paid 399 otd. I should buy another like the one you found fo 500.

[AJ]

Had one a long time ago. Good gun, grips are correct. Would be willing to pay that for one if I was in the market for one. If I were you call them give a CC Number to hold it for you.

[gmborkovic]

Hello brucey, you snagged a goodie at a fair price. With the price of
mod-39s climbing, we are goin to see the price of 59s take off..
Have a few nic. guns, dont particularly like them, but they dont eat
anything. You done good.

[clang444]

My Uncle that was a cop had one years ago and it was a jammomatic. It wasn't his service gun, he still carried a revolver. He bought it because his copper buddies were buying Model 59s too and were raving about their Wonder-9s. They seemed to be hit or miss on the reliability factor for the guys that bought them. Some were reliable, others weren't.

When I say years ago, this was like 40-45 years ago...

[gmborkovic]

There are revolver people and there are pistol people.

[Sevens]

If this were one year ago and you could get a high condition Model 59, original box, two mags, out the door for $500, I can tell you surely that it’s a fine deal. You won’t flip it for a grand and you won’t retire on it’s proceeds in 25 years either, but hell yes that was a nice price a year ago.

Right now? That is a smokin’ good deal.

The 59 is a historically significant gun and a great look back at yesterday’s gun tech. It’s got a place in American pistol history in a big way and it’s a fun gun on any range day.

It is NOT drop safe, it may not be the very best choice for duty or defense today considering the myriad of other options.

This is a great package at $500 OTD. I personally do not see the 59’s climbing high in value at a rate that outpaces almost anything else in the gun market. If ALL guns climb in value, the 59 will also. But if we were compiling a list of guns that I do not see climbing in value much, the 59 is on that list.

[gmborkovic]

OH! Sevens, you may eat those words. Mike

[Sevens]

Be tough for that to happen. I mean if they turn in to some kinda gold mine... I could sell mine.

[HOUSTON RICK]

Good price for a good gun, Not a fourth gen but not exactly a flintlock either.

[majick47]

$500 is a good deal, that's the starting line for anything half decent nothing to rave about today.

[4T5GUY]

For some reason I really like the 59’s. I can’t exactly explain it but I do like and appreciate them. I like them so much I use “S&W 59xxxxx” in some of my secret squirrel passwords.
Two of mine are straight forward but one is obviously very different. I’ve got some great input here about it but I’m definitely not gonna request a letter. The Uncle Mike’s flat grip panels and the factory arched back insert I got, (I got several,) feels /perfect to me. Thanks to Wolff springs and me “cleaning” it up it’s even better.

Unfortunately the Mec Gar 17 rnd magazines do not work and do not function in it. They are perfect in the other two though.

Only the blued one came with everything but it was the most expensive @ $450.00 four years ago. That was the last one I bought.

Jim

[Neversink n Klapperthal]

Had a 59 years ago. Great gun. Around here a 59 ,if you could even find one,would bring $750

[stansdds]

A 95-98% Model 59 with two factory mags and box for $500 OTD would have been a fair deal last year, this year that is a really good deal.

[stansdds]

Originally Posted by Imissedagain

We bought a new 59 around '80 and it's still my goto gun when fishing or out of the neighborhood.
Sounds like a very fair price for one OTD in that condition these days.

When my boy started carrying it I gave the feed areas a polish and it fed JHPs without issue.
Wish it was an all steel gun but otherwise it's just fine.

All steel sounds nice and S&W did make them in the form of the Models 559 (carbon steel) and 659 (stainless steel), then carried them into the third gen series as the 59x6. The steel receiver models are a few ounces heavier than the aluminum receivers and probably are as close to indestructible as you will ever see in a pistol, but the aluminum receivers are either anodized or nickel plated, corrosion resistant, and will hold up to 50,000 rounds or more with proper care*.

Yeah, I used to fret over such stuff, then I came to the realization that I am unlikely to put that much ammo through any one pistol in my entire life.

* Proper care is not that difficult.
Keep the pistol properly lubricated, clean after use, don't let it get all gritty.
Change the recoil spring every 4000 rounds, more often if want to, springs are cheap.
Use factory rating of 14 pounds for the recoil spring, heavier springs just pound the slide forward with more force than necessary.
For maximum longevity, fire +P or +P+ ammo only for familiarization and carry, not for practice.
With modern bullets like Federal HST, Speer Gold Dot, and Winchester Ranger-T, you don't even need +P velocity to get reliable bullet performance.

[ken158]

It’s a pawn shop. They have maybe 50% of asking price invested. Take 4 one hundred bills and lay on the counter while saying “out the door”.

[stansdds]

Originally Posted by ken158

It’s a pawn shop. They have maybe 50% of asking price invested. Take 4 one hundred bills and lay on the counter while saying “out the door”.

Doesn't always work, some firearms might be on consignment with a minimum price. I've run into that and sometimes the minimum is closer to what someone saw on GunBroker than what it is really worth.

[Arm]

So I assume the only difference of the 59 and, 559 is a double stack magazine?

[Geno44]

I think there was a recall on the early 59's for jamming/extracting problems a long time ago. If the front face of the extractor has a punch mark, that gun has been back to S&W and corrected along with new magazine parts. At least that is my recollection. If I'm correct on this I'm surprised nobody has mentioned it yet but I remember sending in a couple for that modification. Later 59's had the mark.

[Geno44]

Originally Posted by Arm

So I assume the only difference of the 59 and, 559 is a double stack magazine?

Both have double stack magazines. The 559 has a steel frame and is much heavier that the 59 which is an alloy frame.

[BB57]

Originally Posted by stansdds

Doesn't always work, some firearms might be on consignment with a minimum price. I've run into that and sometimes the minimum is closer to what someone saw on GunBroker than what it is really worth.

I agree to a point. Times have changed and we need to recognize how fair market price is now set.

The same pricing strategy was used for the Model 39-2 I picked up at a gun and pawn shop last week.

When I asked for his best price, he stated that was it because it was a consignment gun. He went on to add that when they set the price with the consignee, they'd looked at prices for similar Model 39s for *completed* gunbroker auctions where the guns had actually sold and priced it accordingly. I can't fault that approach as it's the same method I use in setting the actual market value for firearms.

Like it or not, we live in an internet and online auction age and completed sales on sites like Gunbroker do indeed set the market price. The days when you could watch a collectible or less common firearm (with limited appeal to the local shooters/market) sit on a shelf for weeks, months or years until the dealer felt compelled to turn it back into money at a steep discount are pretty much over. Sites like Gunbroker make it very easy for a shop to connect that niche market gun to a buyer willing to pay what it is worth. They no longer have to sit on it for months or years and then sell it at a discount to a local looking/waiting for a "deal".

Some folks still look at blue book prices, but they are pretty well useless for anyone other than a dealer looking to price a firearm they are not familiar with. In that case, they are only going to offer about 50-60% of the blue book's retail price anyway. The fact those prices both lag the market, and don't reflect the realities on the wider online market, just benefits the shop doing the buying. A low blue book value just makes their offer even lower than it should be.

In truth the $670 OTD price for that Model 39-2 was a bit lower than what I'd seen on completed/sold GB auctions for similar 39-2s and was a fair price. I was just asking about a possible discount for the sake of asking (at my usual shop I normally get 10% just because I'm a well known, good customer). In any case, I paid the $670 and took it home.

[BB57]

It depends on how much you like the Model 59. They don't do much for me.

I own a couple Model 39s and love them. They fit my hand exceptionally well, the grip angle is perfect for me, they have great DA and SA trigger pulls and the SA trigger pull as a very short reset by DA/SA pistol standards. Both of mine also run like well oiled sewing machines with silky smooth, 100% reliability with my hollow point carry ammo.

In contrast, the Model 59 doesn't fit my hand all that well, and doesn't point nearly as well (for me). I'm also not as impressed with the trigger. To be fair much of that is probably due to the larger grip, the resulting longer trigger reach, and the reduced leverage on the trigger, rather than the mechanics.

In short, I'm not a fan and the increased magazine capacity isn't enough to sell me on it, given all the downsides and extra bulk involved. But that's just me.

----

The larger question is how well *you* like the Model 59. If you plan to just buy it to have it, it's a good price and you probably won't lose money on it if you keep it awhile

Someone commented it's a good price by last year's standards and a smoking deal by this year's standards.

That's a problem. Way too many people are overpaying in this year's market and that is indeed a great way to lose money on a gun that will probably be worth less a year from now post COVID 19 market shortage/panic.

On the other hand, if you plan to buy it and shoot it or carry it, whether it's a good price or not depends on how well it fits your hand, and how well you like the trigger on it. If it's a poor fit, it's a bad buy at 1/2 the price.

[diyj98]

Originally Posted by BB57

Someone commented it's a good price by last year's standards and a smoking deal by this year's standards.

That's a problem. Way too many people are overpaying in this year's market and that is indeed a great way to lose money on a gun that will probably be worth less a year from now post COVID 19 market shortage/panic.

I'll go along with that one. Every time one of the gun scares passes, there are guys walking around gunshows trying to get rid of their $1,000 Bushmaster AR's or $500 used Glocks and wondering why dealers won't buy them.

I'll agree with most of the others that $500 seems a fair price for the the 59.

[Dave686]

I would say $500 for a 59 is a fair price. I don’t care for them, but would like to get a 39. A couple of years ago I decided to buy a 39 for old time sake. I was looking for a shooter, not a perfect collectable. I turned down a few at $500 that I didn’t think were worth that. Now, they all seem to think the 39 is a collectable worth $800. Not to me; but obviously to some. If I wanted a 59, and the one you are looking at is in good shape; I’d jump on it.

[retnavyshooter]

I have 2 M59's, both with box, paper etc. $500 would not buy either at this point. Buy it!
]
Mick

[824tsv]

Would the plastic grips from a Model 59 fit a 2nd Gen Model 659?

[JohnHL]

Originally Posted by 824tsv

Would the plastic grips from a Model 59 fit a 2nd Gen Model 659?

Yes, although if the 659 has an ambi safety, the right side grip panel may need to be relieved for lever clearance.

John

[DCW]

With all due respect to Drew Carey . . .

Anyway . . .

It just so happened that I purchased a wonderful S&W Model 59 last week for $500 more than the M59 of your recent dreams.

Did I correctly read the thread starter, Bruce, to state he's awaiting improved money flow later this new month (and year) so as to acquire that Model 59?

Unless you entered into a contract to purchase the gun it may walk with someone else. To mitigate the prospective loss of that Model 59, I'd pay something like $50 (10 percent) for it to be held (layaway) for you to fully purchase.

One more layaway thought: Usually a seller and buyer agree on a time period during which the buyer will exercise his promise to fully pay for layaway merchandise. Try to get the longest possible repayment period. Put another way: Should you feel certain - absolutely, positively - you can pay the remaining, full cost of the merchandise in 30 days, instead ask for 60 days. Life has a tendency to provide a 'Surprise!' when least expected.

Ol' DC here is a devoted collector of S&W self-loading handguns. When in my earliest days of collecting - indeed, at that time I rather doubt I'd still be collecting S&W semi-autos all these years later - I bought on layaway one of the neatest guns still in my collection. I knew - positively, certainly - that I would easily meet a timeframe condition I stipulated, to fully pay by the end of a second month. As it was, I paid up by the end of the first month.

The seller was happy and I was so happy that I quite possibly looked just as goofy as when I married.

Happy New Year to All!

Later.

DC