639 magazine value

[target tech]

Never owned a S&W semi auto, but recently started thinking I should own at least one. I prefer single stack 9mm, P7, P210, Kahr…..etc. I thought a nice 639 could fill a small void.
Found a nice one on an auction site that is semi local that I was able to look at. The gun is like new with box and a spare stainless S&W magazine. I feel they are asking a bit much for a 2nd gen S&W auto, and it’s been on the site for about a month. I am just curious what a spare magazine could be valued at. Trying to calculate what I’m willing to pay for it. The only single factory mag I could find was a blued one. As I said, I don’t have any experience with classic S&W autos and looking for a little insight.

 

[gmborkovic]

Mr. target, have gotten a few in the past. They have not exceeded the price of standard m-39-2 mags. $60-$80 seems to be market. We are talking about S&W marked mags.

 

[target tech]

Yes both of the mags have the S&W on them. Thanks, I figured they would be a little pricey, you don’t see them pop up very often.

 

[ACEd]

First, I would say $50-60 for a magazine - the blue mags with steel baseplate are more common. But nominally a pistol should come with 2 mags so I wouldn't count a second mag as a spare or +$ --- rather I would count a pistol with a single mag as reduced value.

As I recall, the 639/539/439 are the second generation variants of the 39/39-2 first generation and use the same mag as the 39-2. They had some improvements but they were made for a relatively short time. To some collectors a 639 might be interesting.

But if you are looking for good solid SW single stack I would go 3906 (stainless) or 3904 (blue aluminum frame) - these were the direct evoloution of the 39 series - or better still a slightly more compact 3913/3914 TDA or 3953 DAO.

Each generation provided improvements - with the 3rd generation being the ultimate endpoint. Also more 3rd generation pistols were made over longer period of time (1988 thru 2010+ if you include the police contract pistols) and the 3913 etc are much more readily available at "reasonable" prices and still handle 8 rds.

 

[Sevens]

I'm also a bit confused on the driving idea behind the question... it almost seems like you are questioning their price based on there being two magazines with the gun, but we aren't being told what that price is.

Or maybe that's not what you're saying, I cannot tell. But meanwhile, we can say this:

If you thinking of buying and curious what it's going to cost you to add extra magazines, it's helpful to know that you can use any mags from -ANY- of the full size S&W 9mm guns from Gen 1, 2 or 3.

That means for a 639, you can use magazines from:

39, 39-2, 439/539/639, 3904, 3906, 909 and 952

The 3rd Gen magazines will have a plastic base, they won't look period correct in a 639 but they will function beautifully.

As to the suggestion above to find yourself a 3rd Gen single stack like the 3904/3906 (and 909), I like that idea however it's a much more difficult chase as S&W did not blow the world up in production of single stack full size 9mm guns. This was the era of the "wondernine" and the market had precious little use for a full size 9mm gun that wasn't a doublestack hi-cap.

A 3906 is awesome (I have two!) but scarce. So while it's true that S&W made far more 3rd Gen guns than 2nd Gen... trust me that there's far more 439/639 out there than you will find of the 3904/3906.

Back to my opening quandary... are you questioning their price of a 639 for sale? Maybe we can help. What's it come with and what's their price?

 

[ACEd]

I agree as to confusion as to question. If you already bought it, the best mags are the steel base SW marked mags. Stay clear of aftermarket mags. Price $50-60 (unless you have to have stainless then add $ as they are less common).

As to other mag options, the 3906 and subsequent mags with plastic base are functional, and there is a 9rd factory variant, but the 3906 mags are slightly longer and are not a perfect fit - you are better off sticking with the metal base 1st & 2nd gen mags with SW marked base.

If you have not bought and are questioning price, post more info on condition, accessories, price. Photos? Or consider alternates.

As I recall the 39, 39-2 dated from the mid 1950's to 1982. They were replaced by the 439 (aluminum frame, 539 steel blued frame and 639 all stainless) from about 1982-1988 and the 3904/3906 in 1988. I believe there were some complaints with the second generation trigger pull as they incorporated a "better" drop safety feature and I seem to recall some additional issues with the all stainless 639 or was it the 659 (same but 12rd doublestack)

As to an alternate 3rd gen pistol, I like the slightly smaller 3913/3914/3953 (1990-2010+). The 3904/3906 were only made from 1988-1990 so there are not as many as the 3913/3914/3953 which effectively replaced the 3904/3906 and are also 8rd single stacks.
Hope that helps. Best, ed

 

[Green Frog]

When I bought my Mod 639 to serve as the donor for my Franken-Smith project I got just the gun with a single magazine, no box or “extras”. Over the next few months I bought a couple more stainless mags and an odd carbon steel X-follower mag with Metalloy(?) plating. I shopped carefully on our forum here and on Gone Broker, and when I got them about 5 years ago I don’t think I paid more than $50 each for them. I would expect to have to shop hard to get them now for less than $75 each. As others have said, I would expect two magazines to come with any S&W autopistol that I was buying on the retail market.
Froggie

 

[target tech]

All I was asking is what a like new 639 magazine is worth. Even though the one guy said he would count it against a gun without 2 mags, they don’t show up very often. I just want to subtract the 65 or 70 bucks from the price of the gun for a baseline. That puts the gun in the high sixes, and I still think that’s a bit high for a 2nd gen.

 

[target tech]

While we are on the subject, if they never made the 3906 without the 80’s squared, hooked trigger guard, it’s out of the running.

 

[jsbethel]

All 3904/3906 pistols have the squared trigger guard.

 

[ACEd]

While we are on the subject, if they never made the 3906 without the 80’s squared, hooked trigger guard, it’s out of the running.

If i understand correctly your question is about a 639 in the high $6xx range complete with original box and 2 mags. For a collector pistol LNIB that might be OK. Add tax and maybe a FFL charge and you are well over $700. But personally I dont think a 639 is ever going to make it as a collector piece.

For a shooter that would be high in my mind - I think I gave under $500 for a nice nickel 439 with 2 correct factory mags but no box. Maybe closer to $550-600 today.

As to the D shaped Trigger Guard, I believe early 639 had the curved trigger guard. Late 639 with 3 letter s/n prefix had square trigger guards. The 3904/3906 all had D shaped trigger guard - the evolution of the 3913/14/53 went back to the curved trigger guard.


And FYI, you can probably pick up a 3913 in good condition with 2 or possibly 3 mags between $600 and $700 out the door based on a review of completed GB 3913 sales.

 

[ACEd]

P.S. I have a 39-2, a 439, a 3904, a 3906, and several variants of 3913, 3914, 3913TSW, 3914DAO, 3953, etc. While I still like the original 39-2 thru 3906 frames, my favorite 9mm single stacks are the more compact 8 rd 3913/3913TSW/3953/3914DAO. Easier to carry, same 8 round count, lighter weight than the all steel, better Novak sights, better parts availability, available in just about any configuration you can imagine except steel frame, made well into the 2010s - my 3914DAO tracks to 2017 per SW.

 

[stansdds]

All I was asking is what a like new 639 magazine is worth. Even though the one guy said he would count it against a gun without 2 mags, they don’t show up very often. I just want to subtract the 65 or 70 bucks from the price of the gun for a baseline. That puts the gun in the high sixes, and I still think that’s a bit high for a 2nd gen.

I think you are in the right area valuing a genuine S&W stainless steel 639 magazine at $65-$70.

 

[N4KVE]

$20 for the mag. I bought a 3913 from a LGS, but it only came with one mag. I was looking for a second mag, but I told myself I wasn’t going to pay more than $20. At a local gun show, I asked the big used mag seller if he had one for a 3913. He told me “no, but he’d keep his eyes open”. Sure enough 2 minutes later he runs up to me & says “A guy is selling him a 3913, & I can have the extra mag for $20”. I go back to his table after the guy selling the gun leaves, & he hands me the mag for $20. Oh, where does he get his mags from? Every week he visits all the FFL’s in the county, goes to the pre owned section, & buys the extra mags for $10 each. So when someone goes to the LGS, & trades in a gun with 4 extra mags, 2 stay with the gun, & the other 2 are held for the used mag dealer who gets them for $10 each. So there’s alternate ways to get mags cheaply. GARY