Help me value three potential acquisitions

[mreed911]

I have a chance to acquire one, two or three of these but I need to come up with a fair valuation - the seller is asking the same for each and it seems high: $2600. I'm researching other online sales and auctions and I can find a limited selection of closed/won/sold pricing and especially for the Target Champion, I'm seeing these in slightly more worn condition for under $2000.

I'd love to pick these up and I don't mind paying fair value... but don't want to overpay. Your advice appreciated!

Note: What looks like discoloration is actually me reflecting in the slide. No discoloration at all in natural light.

S&W Shorty Forty Five (SFF serial), #90 (of 662?)
Performance Center gun, VF/EX condition with OEM case

S&W PC 9mm Target Champion, 5", Wischo (WIS serial)

S&W PC Briley Chassis export comped .40 (BRI serial)

 

[80sgyrene]

I can only comment on the Target Champion. Recently picked one up on this forum for considerably cheaper, but the seller was a great guy and accepted the offer that I could afford.
I think 2600 is over priced by quite a bit.

 

[hoytx10]

In my opinion, $1500 for the Shorty 45 and $1800 - $1900 for the target champion. I've never seen a Comped 40 like that.....if it's factory original then $2600 seems right, if it's not factory original than it would be less. My values are assuming that the boxes have end labels. Subtract $200 per gun if they don't.

 

[toddcfii]

I am thinking $1200 for the shorty. $2200 for the Wishco and $2600 for the Briley comp is probably a bargain.

 

[mreed911]

Thanks for the replies, this is helpful.

The Briley is in fact a factory custom gun. It's what I'm most interested in.

 

[olds350rocket]

I've purchased two Target Champion's in the last few months. A 5 inch like you have pictured for 1395 and a modified 6inch for 1843. Both without boxes ect. They are worth every penny and you will not be disappointed with any of these firearms you are considering.

 

[Sevens]

The Briley Comp is a pistol I've certainly seen pictures and evidence of, but it isn't one we've discussed here much and I never see one in the wild.

I was under the impression that all of these were chambered in .356TSW?

Maybe I'm simply having a brain disconnect… did not know they made any of these in .40cal.

 

[kmk008]

Hmm well here goes:

1.) all three are cool
2.) I wish I owned all three
3.) at least 2 of them aren't worth that much.

Ballpark I'd say the 45 is worth ~$1100, the 9 is somewhere around ~$1800 and the 40 is worth ??? because it is so obscure there is nothing to really compare it to.

I will say that I've learned time and time again that scarce doesn't equal valuable and that all of these models are scarce. But there aren't many people jumping to buy any third gen for more than a few hundred bucks.

 

[ACEd]

There is a list of 3rd Gen and PC pistols that I found on this site that lists 2 variants of Briley Comps.
The 356 Briley Comp is shown as Product Code 170037 with a 5.5 in barrel with 105 units s/n group BRI0011-BRI0115
The 40 Briley Comp is listed as Product Code 104401 with a question mark - also 5.5 in barrel but no further info.

Your photo shows BRI0088 which would theoretically fall within the 105 "known" 356 Briley Comps.

Your find poses a number of questions - assuming the box has original label, what is the product code - can you confirm the 104401? Can you post a picture of box end label?

It also puts into question the 105 356 Briley Comp units BRI0011-0115 as it would appear the 105 units were mixed 356 and 40SW.

As to value, it would certainly qualify as a unique conversation piece, but I doubt that the 40SW variant would be worth as much as the 356 variant simply because 40SW pistols just dont bring the money that other calibers do. But it would definitely be worth a letter from Roy.
Best, ED

 

[mreed911]

3.) at least 2 of them aren't worth that much.

Ballpark I'd say the 45 is worth ~$1100, the 9 is somewhere around ~$1800 and the 40 is worth ??? because it is so obscure there is nothing to really compare it to.

This is helpful and matches what I've seen. I might give the SFF a little more simply because of what I see 4506/4566/1006's going for at auctions now, and condition and PC version... but that was my feel too.

There is a list of 3rd Gen and PC pistols that I found on this site that lists 2 variants of Briley Comps.
The 356 Briley Comp is shown as Product Code 170037 with a 5.5 in barrel with 105 units s/n group BRI0011-BRI0115
The 40 Briley Comp is listed as Product Code 104401 with a question mark - also 5.5 in barrel but no further info.

Your photo shows BRI0088 which would theoretically fall within the 105 "known" 356 Briley Comps.

Your find poses a number of questions - assuming the box has original label, what is the product code - can you confirm the 104401? Can you post a picture of box end label?

Not in the original box. Confirmed it's been re-barreled and the .356TSW barrel is not with it. That certainly changes things.

The Briley Comp is a pistol I've certainly seen pictures and evidence of, but it isn't one we've discussed here much and I never see one in the wild.

I was under the impression that all of these were chambered in .356TSW?

Maybe I'm simply having a brain disconnect… did not know they made any of these in .40cal.

See above comment. Looks like this one was re-barreled, doesn't have the .356 barrel, and isn't in the original box. This suggests it was likely used for competition at least through the mid-2000's.

All of this conversation is helping me dive deeper in the history and make sure I'm collecting wisely.

 

[ACEd]

Regarding the Briley Comp picture - the extra mag with the blue follower appears to be a standard 4006 11 rd but with a non-4006 base. It appears to be different from the magazine in the pistol at least with respect to the base which appears to better match the pistol.

If you have access to the pistol, suggest check the magazine in the pistol to see if it might be a 356 mag which would further confirm that barrel has been replaced.

As to "known" s/n group of 356 BRI0011-0115, I would not use that to confirm it had barrel replaced. It is possible the 40 Briley Comps were interspersed in the s/n group, since little is known of the 40s.

You might get some info from Smith & Wesson Support [email protected] as to Product Code / caliber for that S/N or maybe Questions for Roy in the member section below.

But if barrel has been replaced I would think that would substantially devalue the pistol.

 

[mreed911]

Just FYI, I was able to make a deal for all three: $5500. VERY happy and taking them home next week (seller away for the weekend).

 

[toddcfii]

I have a take on the Briley Comp and the .40 barrel. I think it is original. I do not think the gun was used in competition. The first thing that gets missed up is the mag funnel. This one looks really nice. Probably has been shot but I don't think it was in competition. So I don't think a casual shooter would go to the time and expense of rebarreling the gun. It's not just a drop in deal. And the casual shooter who would have done this would have kept the 356 barrel with the gun barring some weird transfer of ownership like an estate etc. Also the Briley Comp guns I have seen for sale in the past on GB were 40s. Additionally I don't see a difference in the mags in the pics provided. What is someone seeing that makes them different in their eyes? My 2 pesos. I could be wrong. Nice buy on those guns though.

 

[mreed911]

Thanks, I tend to agree with you. Looking forward to getting it in my hands this week, then out to the range.

Any idea what kind of optic was typical? Is it the c-more that's typical now?

 

[toddcfii]

The C-More was the standard back in the day for run and gun games that this was made for like IPSC, Bianchi Cup etc. Now days it looks like most shooters are using tube type red dot sights. Don't know why the switch.

 

[hoytx10]

In my opinion, $1500 for the Shorty 45 and $1800 - $1900 for the target champion. I've never seen a Comped 40 like that.....if it's factory original then $2600 seems right, if it's not factory original than it would be less. My values are assuming that the boxes have end labels. Subtract $200 per gun if they don't.

$1500 + 1900 + 2600 - 600 = $5400. I got pretty close, didn't I?

 

[mreed911]

Picked them up tonight. Starting new threads for each.