Future Classics 1980 to Present

[Macinaw]

Loeman,

is your 681 stamped?

Just for the heck of it. The 581 no dash in the picture above doesn't have the "M" stamp.

I have only fired 38 sp. I'm going to test with .357 someday. But, I don't plan on sending it back for the modification.

 

[BobR1]

My brother has a 5 Inch JM625. I suspect it will make the list. I have not heard of one with a Serial Number above about 86 so far.

I am not sure about Night Guards yet. I have a 310 NG and a 315 NG. Both are pretty hard to locate now. Down the road, ?????

Bob

 

[loeman]

Loeman,

is your 681 stamped?

Hi jackvs1,
No my 681 is not stamped and as of now I don't intend to send it back to S&W. I have a 686 no dash with no stamp that has performed and continues to perform flawlessly with whatever I feed it. Maybe it's a mistake not to do so, but from reading a huge number of threads regarding this issue it's about 50/50 on whether or not to return. I can't wait to get my 681 to the range. The trigger and lock-up are the best I own (and I own more than I should).

 

[Derosa]

Be serious. Any gun I do not own.

 

[dcopper]

13-3in
65-3in
64-3in
66-2.5 in

 

[TAROMAN]

A few possible candidates

 

[yardboy]

I think any of the pre lock no dash models in excellent condition with the box and goodies with be high end collectibles. Models like the 586, 686, 629, 617 to name a few.

Agree! any prelock will be more valuable in 20 years. And if HC makes a serious run on the White House I think the gun run of the present administration could repeat itself in just a couple of years.

 

[625smith]

The modern masterpieces and friends...

17-6, 16-4, & 14-5

http://s430.photobucket.com/user/625smith/media/Revolvers/IMG_1244copy.jpg.html

25-7

http://s430.photobucket.com/user/625smith/media/Revolvers/IMG_1238copy.jpg.html

625 SAC

http://s430.photobucket.com/user/625smith/media/Revolvers/IMG_11941.jpg.html

624

 

[LOBO]

I think it is going to be the "gun of the week/month" (as some used to call them) limited editions that S&W used to make in the late 80's to early 90's.

 

[Lobster Picnic]

The .38 Special 60-4 is a nice one from the pre-IL and pre-MIM era that is fairly scarce. The current Model 60 Pro Series with the funky underlug should become much more collectable than the standard M60.

The thread should really be divided into pre-IL and post-IL eras, since the reason some versions will become more collectable is they will be the last versions without the lock, etc.

 

[mongoose65]

My 686 6" built in 1984 and my 686-3 4" built in 1988.

 

[rbswede]

Well with not being able to tell the future, and just guessing here are just a few that might be there or not. What makes a classic or more desirable collector you just never know.
Mod. 624 Mod. 24-3 Mod. 625-9 Mt. Mod. 27-8 Lew Horton

 

[tennexplorer]

Model 26-1, the Georgia State Police Commemorative. There were about 800 made. Even more than that, there are about 40 overruns that were not engraved. N-frame, .45 Colt, five inch tapered barrel.

 

[grip frame]

IMO

The last of the 29's, 29-5 and 29-6 models and in particular the 29 classic and classic dx models with five or six inch barrels.

The 629 classic dx models in -3 and -4 variants and as mentioned the 5" models in particular.

Even regular -3 or -4 629's with four or six inch barrels.

All endurance package pre lock guns.

The 586/686 pre lock models.

The last of the 19/66 and 13/65 models.

Model 27 and 28's.



I think the .357 and .44 magnum models will be king in the future with the younger generation as these two calibers are more well known than say the .44 special and .45 long colt and arguably more versatile . I think .45 acp out of a revolver will also be lost on them. The .38 special is all ready in a decline with younger shooters and relegated mostly to small pocket revolvers.

 

[rwsutley]

Younger shooters do tend to lean toward ugly plastics in simi auto with a large capacity mag. My son and his best friend were typical thirty year olds who had only fired range rental guns, almost all in simi auto with the exception of one worn out revolver. I took the to the range and had them fire my 686 no dash and they could not believe how much more accurate they were with a quality revolver than with the plastic simi auto. They both agreed six rounds well placed are better than a dozen or more scattered. I was also pleased to see them both running the target out as far as possible when shooting the 686 when with the plastic gun they never moved the target more than half way out.

 

[foxtail]

I vote for my 9mm 547. Very few made and will chamber they same cartridge as the plastic 9's that the youngsters will have. Ammo will be very hard to get.

 

[44wheelman]

646, 610, 16-4, 627 (38 super & -0), 547, 26-1, 10 shot pre-lock 617, 17hrm, mtn guns....

And these are just some of the models that are being collected now

 

[sodacan]

581
681
520, original version made for NYSP
627-0
625-2
617, no dash
648, no dash
586 through dash 4
547
629, no dash
17-6

Happy holidays to all.

 

[JohnRippert]

Hopefully this one. Although, I plan to keep it in the family. Maybe one of my sister's girls will have kids that like firearms.

 

[civil1977]

I think were are already there with many of the models mentioned above. The no dash 617s and prelock 10 shot 617s certainly have a following and sell for way more than the new guns. I'm also a fan of the modern masterpiece set of 17-6, 16-4 and 14-5. The 17-6 was probably made in the largest numbers but is sought after. The 16-4s have a strong following and the 14-5 is on a lot of people's list and command a premium. I think in a few years we'll see collectors start to really differentiate between the stock 16-4s and the 16-4s which have been modified to take the newer .327 Mag.

 

[M3Stuart]

My feeling is that any future collectors will presently be the 20 - 30 age group today.This group as a whole seem to only be interested with black plastic guns.Unless culturally , something changes to redirect attention to revolvers, we might be looking at their demise in whole.

I agree with this.

As a kid I remember the 'old people' saying that Rock-n-Roll would never last...that it was a fad

That said; Given the ease and quantity of manufacturing of the 'black pistols', I doubt any of them will ever be collectible like the LNIB pre-lock, pre-mim, S&W revolvers! Which is good, because that means there's more for us!

 

[civil1977]

I'm in my mid 30s and I know a gun should be made of steel and walnut so not all of us are into the black plastic. Most of what I own was made before I was.

 

[rwsmith]

If they were to.....

586 and 686's for sure.

If they were to quit making them....LOOK OUT!

 

[Tex1001]

I vote for my 9mm 547. Very few made and will chamber they same cartridge as the plastic 9's that the youngsters will have. Ammo will be very hard to get.

The 547 is already a classic, just like my 940s (Just try to find a 547 for sale ANYWHERE). I think that the Thunder Ranch Specials and the new model 1917 could be classics someday.
_______________________
I don't have Alzheimer's- My wife had me tested.

 

[samwood]

I'd add the Model 631 with adjustable sights to those previously mentioned.

 

[BlackAgnes]

I think the 24-3 and variants:

The 26-1 in .45 Colt:

Maybe pinned Model 63s:

624s?

 

[hkcavalier]

Well old guys there is hope. I'm in my late 30s and would, given the means, much rather collect S&W revolvers than ARs, AKs, and plastic framed pistols. Note I said collect --- I do own a handful of those types of guns but it's because they fill a niche. Plus, I don't think defending the castle with a rare collector's gun is a good idea, chances are the local yokels are going to hang onto it for awhile if you actually use it.

This thread is a nice catalog of what to get! It is a shame though, that many of these guns are collector's items due to artificial rarity.

 

[Irelander]

My feeling is that any future collectors will presently be the 20 - 30 age group today.This group as a whole seem to only be interested with black plastic guns.Unless culturally , something changes to redirect attention to revolvers, we might be looking at their demise in whole.

I am just over that age range. Most of my gun owning life has been dedicated to the black plastic guns. It the past couple of years I started drooling more and more over wheelguns. When I was given a large reloading set ready for 44MAG reloading I had to have a 629. After I got my 629 I had to have a short barreled Vaquero. Now I am in the market for a 625JM. Hardly shoot my black plastic guns anymore. Funny how tastes change. I think you might be surprised that some of us younger guys will pick up the revolver torch once we settle down.

 

[minermax]

I hope this newly aquired 29-3 3" could make the cut. Had my eye on this for about 2 years. Today it came my way with 5 sets of various grips, I will soon check to if this is a lew horton gun.IMG_0412.PNG hope the photo shows here. 60 rounds max throughit by the original owner.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

I sorta skimmed over some of the lengthier posts, but I would have to put the 26-1 and 24-3 4" on the short list as there were few of the first, and not very many of the second made compared to the number of 624's and the 6.5 and 3" 24-3's.

The 25-7's were a one year run gun as was the 627-0, which is unique in the fact that they were actually stamped -0.

Another one I would think that should be high on this list would be the original "Mountain Revolver" (as opposed to the Mountain Gun). That is the one that started the mtn gun craze, and is still the most sought after version. Only made for one year.

One other would be the very rare 625-5 in 45 Colt with blued frame and SS cylinder. Only around 48 of them made.