Help with a 22/32 Target *updated pics at bottom*

[Factor8]

First off let me say thanks to everyone with helping me learn more about a potential firearm purchase.

I came across a Smith and Wesson 22/32 Target with a 6 in barrel with its original box. Its serial number is 4205xx. I would rate it at 90% perfect with minimal wear. I was told it would be mine for $200. I am curious if it is a good deal and if it was worth the money. I found a bunch for sale around $1,000 but i have not seen any of them that sold at that price. I have some pics that were taken with my crappy cell phone. I should be able to get some better ones tomorrow. Thanks for any information you can share.

 

[Tom K]

It's hard to tell anything from the first two pictures, but from the condition of the stocks in the third picture the whole gun is probably in very nice condition. And with the box? For $200??? I guess it's probably too late in the evening to get it right now, but get it first thing in the morning. Then post good pics, and make us all green with envy.

 

[s&wchad]

$200 is a ridiculously low price. Buy it ASAP.

The box alone could bring that much at auction.

 

[Masterpiece]

Factor8,

Better grab it before someone else does!! Regardless of the poor photos, it's a no lose buy no matter how you look at it as the Box alone is worth the price the Seller's asking!! Hope you'll post some photos for us when you have it in-hand!! Good Luck!!

 

[Factor8]

Thanks for the quick replies. I am getting it from a older friend of the family. He said he wanted me to take it to a gun show and sell it to the highest bidder. So jokingly i told him I would give him $200 and he said he would take it and he joked that he was just hoping to get $150 from it so he was excited to make an additional $50. It is sitting at my fathers house as we speak so I'm not worried about loosing it.

I will swing by my Fathers tomorrow and pick it up and post some better pictures. I wanted to add it to my collection so it is good to hear i am getting a good deal.

 

[DCWilson]

You could give him three times that much for the package and still be making the deal of the year. A boxed high-condition .22/32 would go for well over a grand almost any day of the week.

"Friend of the family." "Older."

I encourage you to be a mensch about this. Do the right thing here unless there is clear evidence that he intends to do you a favor.

 

[JP@AK]

As others have said, this is a wonderful deal that likely will never present itself again. I have been looking for a good Heavy Frame Target at a decent price for some years now. I've passed on a few that were not in great shape and all of them were priced higher than this one - and none of them had the original box.
Buy it and enjoy it.
Congratulations on the purchase of the decade!
JP

 

[Green Frog]

What David said! That gun in 90% condition and in the box, is at least a $600-750 (or more) gun in today's market. I just sold a totally doggy example with slightly higher serial number (and without the box of course) at a "friends and family" rate of $300. Either your elderly friend is trying to "give" you the gun without being obvious about it, or he is way behind the times on gun prices. Either way, I'd make sure I owned the gun when the dust and confusion was over!

Froggie

 

[Factor8]

I was able to stop by and pick up the gun and take it to the gun show this morning. I had a few vendors/people fall in love with the gun and want to buy it. I told them that i would keep them in mind if I ever wanted to get rid of it. Here is some better quality pictures. It needs a good cleaning but after closer inspection I would not say it is at 90% but I would say it is very close. With better pictures what would you say the gun is valued at with the box and the 2 original cleaning rods? I am trying to make it right with my family friend. I spoke to him and let him know that the gun is worth more than $200 and he told me to give him half of what the gun is worth and we can call it even. I know that the true value of a gun is what someone is willing to pay for it. So what is its "book" value and what exactly are these selling for?

 

[DCWilson]

I would call that about a 95% gun. With the box and brushes, it would sell for $900-1100 most places in this country. Unless it has a problem that I cannot see in the photos, I would go $1000 for that one. I recognize that the box is a little rough and needs some conservation. The top and bottom of that type are hinged, for example. You could put it back together with some bookbinder paper tape and archival glue.

 

[s&wchad]

I agree with David's estimate on value, but I would caution against making any modifications to the box... at least until you have a chance to look at another hinged box and see what it should look like. You can always repair it later, but if you do it incorrectly you could cause more harm than good.

If the seller said to pay him half what it's worth, $500 sounds fair to me.