Getting ready to sell my 29-2

[TEXVET]

I have a really nice (almost N.I.B.) blued 8 3/4" M29-2. I cannot find a scratch or blemish of any kind on this revolver. Mechanically the gun is very tight and has only the faintest of a turn ring. The factory stocks have a small nick at the joint where they come together in the front. Other than that the stocks are perfect.
I have a very nice wooden presentation case which I sent to Joe C. for interior restoration. I plan to sell with the gun with this case. No original box or paperwork though.
A previous owner had a trigger job done on this revolver at some time during it's past. It is now very smooth. It is as nice as any Python I have ever handled.
Given the current state of consumer preference, what price should I put on a gun like this? I will probably let a local FFL list it on Gunbroker or Guns America. He charges a flat $50, not the 15% to 20% some gun stores charge.

 

[TucsonMTB]

You might consider viewing the various offerings on GunBroker yourself to get an idea of the market. Look for Buy It Now prices and maybe search the SOLD items to see what other have gotten.

I see some similar, but perhaps not equivalent, offerings for around $1200.

Best of luck on your sale, sir.

 

[blackdeuce]

If you want to sell it on GB, start the bidding at your lowest acceptable price and let the auction run. If your starting price is too high, you might get less bidders.

How are your photography skills? If you've seen some of the forum posts on guns bringing high dollars on GB, the common theme is that they had really good pictures. I've bought a few guns that were sold on consignment by a local dealer and their pictures left a lot to be desired. I ended up getting a good deal because of it.

How bad is the "nick" in the stocks? If it's very bad, you might consider putting a nicer set of original stocks on the gun. The high dollar guns are generally near perfect.

Do you have the cleaning tools? It might also help to find an original owners manual for the gun. I see them on Gunbroker and eBay.

 

[arjay]

Id start it somewhere around 7-800 and let it run for a week.

 

[TEXVET]

The reason I put this inquiry here, is because I have looked at the Gunbroker site. I have seen guns listed for $800 up to $1,500. The higher priced guns have paperwork and maybe tools. You guys have offered fair advice in the past. I neither want to rape someone or give it away. Just looking for a reasonable price.
The nick in my stocks is very minor. It is at the seam between the two halves and maybe 1/16" in length. A little furniture polish would make it unnoticeable in photos. I will leave it as is. I do not want to hide any flaws from a potential buyer. The gun does come with a cotton swab, S&W screw driver, and a bronze brush. The screw driver is period correct, but the swab and brush probably didn't come with the gun.

I might list it here, if I can get some good photos.
My goal price range was going to be $1,000 to $1,050 on Gunbroker.
The FFL I use has a nice 4" blued 29-2 that I am interested in getting my hands on. It has Hogue grips (no S&W wood grips), no box or paperwork. It is not nearly nice as my 8.75" 29. I was going to offer him $750. Too much-too cheap?
Thanks for the information so far.

 

[UNCLE PAULY]

TEXVET,

I had one (8-3/8" 29-2) built in early 1970's and it was a fantastic shooter.
Officially, the barrel length is 8-3/8 inches.
For fun, I would shoot 100 yards resting on sand bags on the rifle benches.
Bought it to hunt pigs but never did. Sold to my best friend during hard times.

From what you've described you should have no problem getting $1'000 minimum.

Run a Google search for "S&W 29-2 8-3/8" to get a feel for what's out there.

Good Luck, Paul

 

[TEXVET]

I let my FFL list my M29-2 on GunBroker.com.
He has it priced stupidly high, I think.

I am curious about the production date for this firearm.
The serial number is N4394##. Someone on this site is always very helpful is providing dates. Can you date this number?

Now that there are actual photos posted, please advise as to what a reasonable price would be for this firearm. (Revision 1) I have been informed there is a rule against links to active auctions, so photos no longer available. The auction doesn't actually start until 6:00pm CST, but I removed it anyway.
I am still interested in the production date.
Thanks.

 

[greenmachine]

I'm thinking 1977.

 

[TEXVET]

Thanks for the dates.

 

[sw282]

l recently sold a Model 29-2 on GB for $2000..lt was not a quickie sale because it took me maybe 6 months to get the whole pkg together.. The original gun was purchased off AA for $755 a couple years ago..lt was in pristine condition with a 5 digit 'N' sn..l think it dated from around 1971..l found a brand new,in the sleeve, presentation case for it off ebay..Cost me $125..Scrounging around in my S&W box collection l found the papers/tools to complete the pkg...This was a 6.5'' length gun...Finding the correct box was the hardest part..Many hours spent on the net to get it.. The reason l got it so cheap is because the seller kept advertising the box as a five and one-half inch box.. We all know there is no Smith animal of that dimension..l knew that it was really a 6.5'' box...Lots of sellers an owners dont know the proper way to measure barrel length..They start at the frame instead of the cylinder...After getting the pkg together l took it to my seller/broker.. She took the pics and put it on the net..She started the bidding off at a penny....l was well pleased with my little gain and promptly reinvested it into other Smiths...l was a bit sad to see the box go.. l really dont think a gun had ever been in it til she took the auction pictures...Selling on the net is a bit risky.. Esp when selling in a penny auction...But it is the only auction l bid on..l stay away from ''reserve'' auctions and ones with high opening bids... The net is where you will get your best price..l have been buying off the net for maybe since 2000 and have only gotten 2 bad ones out of maybe 150 buys..Both times l asked and got my money back...Finding a seller/ broker is not hard ..2 of the best are right here on the forum..........

 

[TEXVET]

Update:
My FFL posted my 8 3/8" M29-2 w/presentation case on GunBroker last week. He placed a "buy it now" price of $1,300 on the auction with an initial bid of $1,050. The auction has been running for 5 days with no action. Last night my FFL called me at home and told me the gun had sold. The buyer paid the full $1,300 + shipping.
This sale "forced" to me buy two 4" M29-2s this morning. One was my FFL's personal gun and the other came from a gun store in PA.
Have I told you lately that I really like S&W people.

 

[05CarbonDRZ]

Update:
My FFL posted my 8 3/8" M29-2 w/presentation case on GunBroker last week. He placed a "buy it now" price of $1,300 on the auction with an initial bid of $1,050. The auction has been running for 5 days with no action. Last night my FFL called me at home and told me the gun had sold. The buyer paid the full $1,300 + shipping.
This sale "forced" to me buy two 4" M29-2s this morning. One was my FFL's personal gun and the other came from a gun store in PA.
Have I told you lately that I really like S&W people.

Good for You,The moral of the story is you never know if you don't try.

 

[blackdeuce]

Update:
My FFL posted my 8 3/8" M29-2 w/presentation case on GunBroker last week. He placed a "buy it now" price of $1,300 on the auction with an initial bid of $1,050. The auction has been running for 5 days with no action. Last night my FFL called me at home and told me the gun had sold. The buyer paid the full $1,300 + shipping.
This sale "forced" to me buy two 4" M29-2s this morning. One was my FFL's personal gun and the other came from a gun store in PA.
Have I told you lately that I really like S&W people.

Dang. Maybe I should be selling some of mine.......

Congrats on the sale and new purchases.

 

[410bore]

good for you. you turned an 8.375" barrel into a dueling pair of 4"ers I'd do that in a New York Minute

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Dang. Maybe I should be selling some of mine.......

Interesting concept! Made me think.....

Someday we might all be faced with such a concept - since I live alone I figure I could eat in my normal fashion for several years, at least 36 months, just for the amount of money I could get for 75% of my S&W revolver collection - and that's just off the top of my head without really pricing them and keeping some.

We don't own these machines - we are just their trustees until the next generation gets them - but if necessary we can exact a high price from that generation!

I reckon that Model 29 is a thousand dollar gun, give or take a little....

***GRJ***

 

[BigBill]

The prices on all of these s&w "N" frames is going up. Let's face it s&w isn't listing some of them anymore. Not knowing how long it will be if we see them being manufactured again is driving the prices up.

 

[2rott]

I recently purchased on GB for the first time & now have 2 revolvers I got for relatively low prices. A clean S&W 10 for $270 & a model 64 for $325.
If you follow GB closely you will notice a lot of the revolvers are very high priced. Most of these high starting priced or high reserve priced guns don't sell. GB's policy is , no sale & the seller doesn't pay for the listing. I see many high priced guns that don't sell are re listed time & time again in the hopes they will eventually sell. The real auction sales, without high priced starts are usually sold quickly. If you price high it may take longer to sell or you may have to re list it several times & possibly lower your price to sell it.
Decide for yourself which method of selling you want to try. Good luck.

 

[TEXVET]

We don't own these machines - we are just their trustees until the next generation gets them.

This is an interesting concept, but I think it is true. I have owned hundreds of handguns since 1968. Most live with other people these days. The rest will be divided between my son and daughter once my work here is done. I spent a few thousand dollars trying to find something my daughter would like to shoot once she progressed past the .22 LR pistol I gave her.
Turns out after buying several small caliber handguns, she like to shoot my .45 ACP 1911s.
Go figure - we both love the same gun. She is bugging me to let her shoot my M29s. She is 24 years old, 5'-4" tall and about 115 lbs. I think her heart is in the right place, but her brains may be a little off.